Exercise Science Commons^™

Educational Professionals' Current Knowledge Of Concussions And Return To Learn Implementation Practice, Michelle Kuzma

Online Theses and Dissertations

Purpose of Project: The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge level and return-to-learn concussion management guidelines for secondary school educational professionals.

Methods: Surveys were distributed to 1,334 middle and high school educational professionals. Surveys included questions regarding basic demographics, teaching and coaching experience, personal concussion experiences, general concussion knowledge, and knowledge of return-to-learn guidelines. Results: Survey response rate was 15.7% (N=210). The mean teaching experience was 13.9±8.6yr and 46.4% had previous or current coaching experience. Overall 25.8% of respondents had taken a class/clinic on concussion recognition. Of those that coached, only 49.0% took a class on concussion …

Moving Beyond Cardio: The Value Of Resistance Training, Balance Training, And Other Forms Of Exercise In The Management Of Diabetes, Marni J. Armstrong, Sheri R. Colberg, Ronald J. Sigal

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Traditionally, aerobic training has been a central focus of exercise promotion for diabetes management. However, people with diabetes have much to gain from other forms of exercise. This article reviews the evidence and recommendations on resistance, balance, and flexibility training, as well as other, less traditional, forms of exercise such as yoga and Tai Chi.

Gait Intervention For Improvements In Human Top Speed Running, Michelle Buechner

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Between individuals faster sprinting speeds are achieved by applying greater stance average forces against the running surface. Recent evidence further indicates that elite level performers also strike the ground with leg kinematics that differ from those of non-elites and that these leg movements act to enhance the force transients occurring in the milliseconds following foot-ground impact. I investigated whether sprint performance could be enhanced through a short term gait intervention, consisting of 3 laboratory training sessions wherein subjects (n = 6) completed 5 high-speed runs on an instrumented force treadmill at 90% of their measured top sprint. The subjects received …

Intravascular Atp And The Regulation Of Blood Flow And Oxygen Delivery In Humans, Anne R. Crecelius, Brett S. Kirby, Frank A. Dinenno

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

Regulation of vascular tone is a complex response that integrates multiple signals which allow for blood flow and oxygen supply to appropriately match oxygen demand. Here, we discuss the potential role of intravascular ATP as a primary factor in these responses and propose that deficient ATP release may contribute to impairments in vascular control exhibited in aged and diseased populations.

Vigorous Exercise Effect On Cardiovascular Health, Aryeh Mahana

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Many studies examine the effects of vigorous cardiovascular exercise on the heart. Intense exercise causes frequent muscle contractions in the heart and specific biomarkers that usually signify a myocardial infarction are released into the bloodstream. However, studies indicate that there might not be a correlation between the release of biomarkers and cardiac function. Another study shows that long term vigorous exercise negatively affects the heart by dramatically increasing the mass and volume of the right and left ventricles, thereby resulting in hypertrophy. The cardiac hypertrophy is still evident even after the subjects have stopped exercising. Cardiac hypertrophy results in myocardial …

The Prevalence Of Adverse Cardiometabolic Responses To Exercise Training With Evidence-Based Practice Is Low, Lance C. Dalleck, Gary Van Guilder, Tara B. Richardson, Chantel A. Vella

Health and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of individuals who experienced exercise-induced adverse cardiometabolic response (ACR), following an evidence-based, individualized, community exercise program.
Methods: Prevalence of ACR was retrospectively analyzed in 332 adults (190 women, 142 men) before and after a 14-week supervised community exercise program. ACR included an exercise training-induced increase in systolic blood pressure of $10 mmHg, increase in plasma triglycerides (TG) of .37.0 mg/dL ($0.42 mmol/L), or decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) of .4.0 mg/dL (0.12 mmol/L). A second category of ACR was also defined – this was ACR that resulted …

The Effect Of Fluid Periodization On Athletic Performance Outcomes In American Football Players, Christopher W. Morris

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

For decades strength and conditioning professionals have been seeking optimal training volumes and intensities to yield maximum performance outcomes without the onset of injury. Unfortunately, current studies apply experimental training techniques without considering the individuals’ response to the imposed training load. Due to the vast genetic variability and extraneous environmental factors that affect one’s ability to recover, results from such studies are controversial and inconclusive. Athlete monitoring systems offer an objective assessment that is purported to evaluate an individual’s physiological readiness to adapt to an overload stimulus and thus allow for daily manipulations in training loads (i.e., fluid periodization). However, …

The Effects Of Spinal Manipulative Therapy On Isokinetic Strength And Postactivation Potentiation, Grant D. Sanders

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is a therapeutic procedure employed by various healthcare practitioners for alleviating acute and chronic musculoskeletal complaints. This form of treatment is also delivered to enhance the performance and augment the rehabilitation of athletes. However, despite research findings alleging the strength-modulating effects of SMT alongside numerous professional athletes’ positive anecdotal claims concerning its results, the physiological processes to explain its effects remain largely unexplained. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of SMT in a college-aged sample population with two experiments.

The first study examined the effect of SMT targeting the lumbosacral region …

Hip Strengthening Compared With Quadriceps Strengthening In Conservative Treatment Of Patients With Patellofemoral Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic, Chyrsten L. Regelski, Brittany L. Ford, Matthew C. Hoch

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Clinical Scenario: Patellofemoral pain is a common injury that affects both athletic and sedentary populations. Clinicians may treat patellofemoral pain more effectively through a comprehensive understanding of the most effective exercise protocols. Clinical Question: In patients with patellofemoral pain, are hip abductor and external rotator muscle strengthening exercises more effective in reducing pain and improving patient-reported function compared with isolated quadriceps strengthening? Summary of Key Findings: A comprehensive and systematic database search was conducted for studies of level 2 evidence or higher. The search yielded 253 studies; of these studies, four randomized control trials and one comparative control trial fit …

Water Treadmill Versus Land Treadmill Training Effects On Leg Strength And Cardiovascular Endurance, Michelle E. Hudson Ms.

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Underwater treadmill running can be used as a means of reducing musculoskeletal loading while maintaining a training intensity equal to that of land running. A variety of cardiovascular benefits are seen in water running, such as greater increases in stroke volume and cardiac output than on land. Additionally, increased drag while water running can significantly improve force production. PURPOSE: To investigate if differences exist between underwater treadmill and land treadmill running on leg strength and cardiovascular endurance through a case study of two 22 year old sedentary males. METHODS: An 8-week aerobic training program was designed incorporating water …

The Acute Effects Of Aerobic Exercise Durations On Arterial Compliance In Recreationally Active Males, Joe Angel Lopez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to 1) examine the acute effects of different aerobic exercise durations on large (LAC) and small (SAC) arterial compliance, 2) examine the acute effects of different aerobic exercise durations on central pulse wave velocity (cPWV), peripheral pulse wave velocity (pPWV), Aortic Index (AIx), and 3) to examine the acute effects of aerobic exercise durations on hemodynamics.

METHODS: Eighteen male subjects (age= 23.4±2.0) performed a maximal aerobic stress test (Bruce protocol) in order to estimate VO2max. Participants were required to meet in the lab fasted for at least 8 hours for three …

Aerobic And Resistance Training Improves Mood State Among Adults Living With Hiv., Jason R. Jaggers, Gregory A. Hand, Wesley D. Dudgeon, Stephanie Burgess, Kenneth D. Phillips, Larry Durstine, Steven N. Blair

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of combined aerobic and resistance exercise training among self-reported mood disturbances, perceived stress, frequency of self-reported symptoms, and symptom distress in a sample of HIV+ adults. For this purpose, 49 participants were randomly assigned into an exercise (EX) or control (CON) group. Those in the EX group completed 50 min of supervised aerobic and resistance training at a moderate intensity twice a week for 6 weeks. The CON group reported to the university and engaged in sedentary activities. Data were collected at baseline before randomization and 6 weeks post intervention. …

Influence Of Directional Loading On The Metabolic Demands Of Running In A Lower-Limb Positive Pressure Treadmill, Brendan J. Rickert, Beau K. Greer, Matthew F. Moran

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

No previous scientific investigation has studied the influence of either increasing or decreasing levels of body weight (BW) support on oxygen consumption (VO2) while running in reduced BW conditions via a differential air pressure (DAP) treadmill. Moran et al. found rate of perceived exertion to be higher at the same BW conditions when moving from high BW support to low BW support but did not quantify the findings with VO2. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to both define the physiological changes, if any and perceived efforts, if any, between unloading and loading subjects on DAP treadmill to define …

A Comparison Of Two Gluteus Maximus Emg Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction Positions, Bret Contreras, Andrew D. Vigotsky, Chris Beardsley, John B. Cronin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background. The purpose of this study was to compare the peak electromyography (EMG) of the most commonly-used position in the literature, the prone bent-leg (90°) hip extension against manual resistance applied to the distal thigh (PRONE), to a novel position, the standing glute squeeze (SQUEEZE). Methods. Surface EMG electrodes were placed on the upper and lower gluteus maximus of thirteen recreationally active females (age = 28.9 years; height = 164 cm; body mass = 58.2 kg), before three maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) trials for each position were obtained in a randomized, counterbalanced fashion. Results. No statistically significant (p …

Application Of The Transtheoretical Model: Assessing Exercise Behavior In African Americans In A Church-Based Setting, Robin Marie White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sedentary behavior rates are higher among African-American men and women than in other American races and ethnicities, placing them at greater risk for chronic illness. Routine physical activity reduces the risk of chronic health problems such as: (a) overweight and obesity, (b) type 2 diabetes, (c) hypertension, (d) coronary artery disease, (e) stroke, (f) congestive heart failure, and (g) cancers. Assessment of African-Americans' exercise attitudes in a church-based setting may provide information with which to develop effective interventions to improve physical activity. This descriptive, cross-sectional study used components of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to assess whether any associations exist between …

Psychosocial Factors In Sports Injury Rehabilitation And Return To Play, Leslie W. Podlog, John Heil, Stefanie Podlog (Nee Schulte)

Athletic Training Collection

This article discusses the principles and practices that guide psychological intervention with injury, and encourages a psychological approach to injury for clinicians. Part 1 reviews the research literature, and serves as a foundation for the review of clinical practices in part 2. Examination of the research literature highlights 4 areas: (1) psychological factors influencing rehabilitation, (2) social factors affecting rehabilitation, (3) performance concerns among returning athletes, and (4) tools/inventories for assessing psychological readiness to return. A synopsis of an injury intervention plan is provided, and the influence of pain and fear in the rehabilitation process is described.

Kir Channel Activation Contributes To Onset And Steady-State Exercise Hyperemia In Humans, Anne R. Crecelius, Gary J. Luckasen, Dennis G. Larson, Frank A. Dinenno

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

We tested the hypothesis that activation of inwardly rectifying potassium (K_IR) channels and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase, two pathways that lead to hyperpolarization of vascular cells, contributes to both the onset and steady-state hyperemic response to exercise. We also determined whether after inhibiting these pathways nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins (PGs) are involved in the hyperemic response. Forearm blood flow (FBF; Doppler ultrasound) was determined during rhythmic handgrip exercise at 10% maximal voluntary contraction for 5 min in the following conditions: control [saline; trial 1 (T1)]; with combined inhibition of K_IR channels and Na …

Stride Length-Speed Relationship During Body Weight Supported Running, Carmen Chona

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine if body weight support influences the stride length-speed relationship. Additionally, the purpose was to determine if impact characteristics of running are influenced by body weight support and speed. Subjects (n=10; 6 female, 4 male) volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects were injury free and were comfortable running on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Subjects ran on a lower body positive (LBPP, Alter-G, G-Trainer) treadmill for 4 conditions of body weight (100, 40, 30 and 20% of body weight) and 4 running speeds (100, 110, 120 and 130% of the preferred …

An Evaluation Of Kinematic Variables During Stance Phase Of A Training Endurance Run, Joshua Paul Bailey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to evaluate kinematics of the lower extremity during the stance phase of an endurance training run. Fifteen participants (8 male, 7 female; 30.5 ± 8.4 years; 71.8 ± 11 kg; 1.73 ± 0.07 m) reported that they were currently signed up for, or planned on signing up for, an endurance race within the next six months of participation in the study (9 half marathon, 3 marathon, 1 triathlon, 2 21k trail run). All had a weekly running mileage greater than 20 miles (23.8 ±4.6 miles). Participants were required to complete the 15–kilometer training run …

Quantitative Ultrasound: Measurement Considerations For The Assessment Of Muscular Dystrophy And Sarcopenia, Michael O. Harris-Love, Reza Monfaredi, Catheeja Ismail, Marc R. Blackman, Kevin Cleary

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound has potential clinical utility in characterizing pathological muscle tissue. Sonography has been long proposed as method of assessing muscle damage due to neuromuscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy, and more recently, changes in body and tissue composition associated with muscle wasting disorders such as sarcopenia. The use of quantitative ultrasound as an adjunct diagnostic procedure has different technical challenges than the traditional use of ultrasound in clinical medicine. Operator-dependent technique and variation are critical considerations when obtaining measures of echointensity (i.e., tissue composition estimates) and tissue dimensions (i.e., muscle thickness) – key elements of the ultrasound assessment …

Comparison Of Kinematics And Accuracy Of Overhand American Football Throwing, Cale Anderson, Sarah Breen, Randall L. Jensen

Conference Presentations

No abstract provided.

Changes In Running Gait Parameters During A 161 Km Trail Race, Sarah Breen, Mitchell Stephenson, Randall L. Jensen, Scott Drum

Conference Presentations

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of A Football Over Helmet Padding System In Reducing Peak Acceleration Of The Head And Severity Index 2014, Nicole Cuccurullo

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if: (a) a football helmet equipped with the Guardian Cap meets the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) football helmet standards and (b) if the Severity Indexes and peak accelerations produced during the NOCSAE impact tests were smaller for a football helmet equipped with the Guardian Cap over-helmet padding system than for the same helmet without the Guardian Cap. A total of 54 drop impact tests were completed, 27 on the football helmet alone and 27 on the football helmet equipped with the Guardian Cap. Tests were completed on …

Bodypump And The Rep Effect: An Instructor's Evaluation Of The Low-Weight, High-Repetition Group Exercise Program, Meredith Pritchett

Senior Theses

My senior thesis project was to become a certified Les Mills BODYPUMP instructor. In order to obtain my certification I had to go through training, which was paid for by the University of South Carolina. Training was a mentally and physically demanding weekend full of lifting weights and learning everything there is to know about BODYPUMP techniques, choreography, and coaching. Afterwards, I had sixty days to send in a video of myself teaching the class to a group of participants in order for my teaching skills to be evaluated by Les Mills. I passed my evaluation and am now a …

The Quadmill: Effects Of Eccentric Training Vs. Concentric Training On Lower Extremity Power And Anaerobic Capacity 2014., John Crosby

Master's Theses

Training focuses on the concentric action of muscle during exercise for most exercise programs, but eccentric training may yield greater results. The Quadmill^TM is a unique piece of training equipment that focuses on training the quadriceps muscle eccentrically. Purpose: to determine if using the Quadmill^TM could increase power and anaerobic capacity to the same level, if not greater, than a standard concentric focused lower body training protocol. Participants were 44 undergraduate college students (24 Male 20 Female) Design: participants placed into three equal groups (Quadmill^TM, Lifting, Control). The two experimental groups (Quadmill^TM and Lifting) underwent …

Physical Activity And Nutritional Behavior Of Overweight College Students Trying To Lose Weight 2014, Santino Vallejos M.S.

Master's Theses

Although there are numerous benefits to increased physical activity and proper dietary behaviors, the decreased participation in physical activity and poor dietary behaviors has emerged as a significant problem within the college student population. The focus of this research study was to identify the relationship between physical activity and dietary behavior to weight loss behaviors within an undergraduate student sample of a small, comprehensive northeastern university. College-aged students (age range: 17 to 27 years old) completed the American College Health Association’s (ACHA) National College Health Assessment II (NCHA) during the years 2009 and 2012. According to the results, there were …

Factors Affecting The Coefficient Of Friction Of Soccer Goalie Gloves 2014, Candice Hofmann

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the coefficients of static friction of five different pairs of soccer goalie gloves with one soccer ball and to compare the effects of four different glove conditions on the coefficients of static friction. Specifically, the coefficients of static friction were determined and compared for one size 5 soccer ball (Select) with five different pairs of goalie gloves (Nike Vapor Grip 3, Select 88, Uhlsport Aqua, Uhlsport Soft and Uhlsport Hard) and four different glove conditions (new, wet, saliva and dirty). Surrogate wooden fingers were inserted into each glove and the glove was …

Effect Of Weight Support On Tibial Accelerations During A Lower-Body Positive Pressure Treadmill Cadence Controlled Run, Brendan J. Rickert, Matthew F. Moran, Beau K. Greer

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

Running in a lower-body positive pressure treadmill (LBPP-TM) is utilized for athletes to maintain fitness while recovering from tibial stress fracture. Previous investigations report that step rate is linearly related to level of body weight (BW) support and tibial accelerations (TA) is not significantly reduced until

Intensity Of Exercise And Endothelial Function In Healthy Adults, Jacquelyn R. Moxey

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of acute bouts of isocaloric exercise at different intensities on endothelial function. The flow-mediated dilation (FMD) responses after the different acute exercise bouts were compared to a control (no exercise) condition. METHODS: Nine healthy subjects completed the study (6 males, 3 females, X ± SD = 24 ± 5 yr, 1.75 ± 0.11 m, 79.2 ± 12.4 kg, 47.9 ± 6.9 mL•kg^-1•min^-1). Vascular responses were compared under three different conditions- HIT: a bout of high-intensity interval treadmill exercise consisting of ten 1-minute intervals at ~100% VO_2max; MOD: moderate-intensity exercise …

Effect Of Fontan Fenestration On Regional Venous Oxygen Saturation During Exercise: Further Insights Into Fontan Fenestration Closure, Rohit S. Loomba, Michael E. Danduran, Jennifer E. Dixon, Rohit P. Rao

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Fontan fenestration closure is a topic of great debate. The body of data regarding the risks and benefits of fenestration closure is limited yet growing. Previous studies have demonstrated that Fontan patients have less exercise capacity than those with normal cardiovascular anatomy. Differences also have been noted within various subgroups of Fontan patients such as whether Fontan is fenestrated or not. This study aimed to compare trends in regional oxygen saturations using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in patients with Fontan circulations during ramping exercise to further delineate differences between patients with and without a fenestration. It was hypothesized that Fontan patients …