Exercise Science Commons^™

Ankle Dorsiflexion Is A Primary Influence On Single Limb Landing Stability Regardless Of Menstrual Cycle Chase, Olivia Matrulli

Honors Theses

Context: Hormonal fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle contribute to modifications in joint laxity. Conflicting evidence supports increased ligamentous injury risk and altered postural control in response to these cyclic changes. Objective: To quantify changes in passive joint flexibility and dynamic postural control across the menses and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Design: Repeated measures. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: Thirteen healthy females (20 [1] y, 1.62 [0.06] m, 67.42 [11.75] kg) with a regular menstrual cycle over the last twelve months volunteered. Interventions: Participants performed five static flexibility tests and three single-leg drop landings onto a force plate with …

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (Acl) Injuries In Female Athletes: Implications For Prevention And Rehabilitation, Natalie Amm

Honors Theses

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common lower limb injuries and pose significant physical, psychological, and long-term functional challenges for athletes. Additionally, research has suggested that females are up to eight times more likely to experience an ACL injury than their male counterparts. This increased risk is multifactorial with risks including anatomical structure, neuromuscular control, strength deficits, and hormonal fluctuations. However, the elevated risk of ACL injuries in female athletes may not solely be caused by biological differences, but also due to training programs and sports being designed around male athletes. This pushes us to change the …

Exercise As A Non-Pharmacological Intervention For The Prevention And Delay Of Alzheimer’S Disease And Dementia, Eden Culver

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias are rapidly increasing public health concerns due to aging populations and rising life expectancy. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration associated with amyloid-β plaques, tau neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal loss, leading to impairments in memory, cognition, and daily functioning. Because there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, identifying effective non-pharmacological prevention strategies is essential. This paper examines the role of physical exercise as a preventive and protective intervention for delaying the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Current research demonstrates that exercise supports brain health through several …

Combining Haptic Feedback With Electromyography To Study Knee Injury In Stationary Cycling, Christopher Kirby

Honors Theses

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) is the most prevalent overuse injury in cycling, often linked to altered neuromuscular activation patterns of the quadriceps and hamstrings. While sensory feedback has successfully modified cyclists posture, there is a critical lack of evidence-based interventions targeting the underlying muscle activation imbalances associated with chronic knee pain. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel, real-time biofeedback system that utilizes electromyography (EMG) to trigger vibrotactile cues, aiming to shift muscle onset timing earlier in the pedal stroke to mitigate PFPS-related imbalances. A closed-loop system was engineered by integrating a Delsys EMG system with a SageMotion …

Plant Vs. Animal Protein: Effect On Recovery, Performance, And Long-Term Health, Claudia Stachura

Honors Theses

Protein plays a fundamental role in muscle repair, growth, and athletic performance, which has led to increased interest in how different protein sources compare, particularly as plant-based diets become more common among athletes and physically active individuals. The debate surrounding plant-based versus animal-based protein sources primarily focuses on differences in protein quality, amino acid composition, digestibility, and potential long-term health implications. This paper examines current evidence comparing the effectiveness of plant and animal protein sources in supporting muscle protein synthesis (MPS), resistance training adaptations, recovery, and performance, while also considering broader health and environmental outcomes.

Protein supports muscle growth by …

Investigating The Cardiovascular And Autonomic Responses To Energy Drink Consumption: The Role Of Energy And Calorie Content, Sophia Schmidt

Honors Theses

Energy drinks (EDs) are among the most consumed functional beverages, often marketed to enhance focus, alertness, and physical performance. Despite their popularity, the combined cardiovascular and autonomic effects of caffeine and sugar during exercise remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute cardiovascular, metabolic, and autonomic responses to sugar-sweetened (ED-S), non-nutritive sweetened (ED-NNS), and placebo beverages during submaximal cycling in healthy young males.

Nine male participants (age 22.2 ± 2.4 yrs; BMI 26.2 ± 2.9 kg/m²) completed three experimental visits in a randomized, repeated-measures design. Each visit involved ingestion of one drink (ED-S, ED-NNS, or …

Nutrition, Sleep, And Training Habits Enhance Endurance Race Performance, Anna F. Breed

Honors Theses

In recent years, marathon and ultra-marathon participation has grown substantially. Past research has shown that a range of variables influence the performance of endurance athletes. This study included participants of the Forgotten Florida 50-mile and 100-mile race and the Chattanooga Erlanger Half-Marathon and Marathon. These athletes were questioned about their sleep, nutrition, and training habits implemented for the races they completed. The results show the significance of carbohydrate consumption throughout the race for energy maintenance and shortened race times. Also, it was found that hill repeats and tempo runs brought about more successful race times for the runners who implemented …

The Effects Of Limb Occlusion On The Slow Component Of V̇O2 During Intermittent, Heavy-Intensity Cycling, Sela Lomascolo

Honors Theses

This study examined the physiological responses to continuous, heavy-intensity (CONT), intermittent, heavy-intensity (INT), and intermittent, heavy-intensity cycling with limb occlusion (INT-LO). METHODS: Five young (23.2 ± 5.5 yrs.), healthy subjects participated in this study and completed a total of seven visits. Three conditions were completed by each subject: CONT, INT, and INT-LO. Each condition consisted of a 4-minute warm-up (20 W), 6 minutes of exercise, followed by 5 minutes of recovery cycling. For CONT, exercise was performed at Δ50% for the entire 6 minutes. INT and INT-LO alternated between 15 seconds of work at Δ50%, and then 3 seconds of …

Does Kinesiology Taping Support Lateral Ankle Sprains And Provide Stability To The Injured Ankle?, Lilianna Giacalone

Honors Theses

Lateral ankle sprains (LAS) are prevalent among athletes and can lead to chronic instability and re-injury. Kinesiology taping (KT) is a treatment modality aimed at providing support, pain management, and prevention of further injury. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of KT in supporting lateral ankle sprains and providing stability to the injured ankle. A comprehensive search yielded seven studies, including randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, and case-control studies. The studies investigated the immediate effects of KT on injuries, compared KT with other treatment modalities, and assessed the long-term outcomes of KT use. The findings from the reviewed …

Impact Of Body Image Ideals On Form And Frequency Of Exercise In College Students, Isabella Dipippo

Honors Theses

Objective: Body image issues are very prevalent among college students and can cause a variety of physical and mental health problems as determined by previous research. The SUNY Cortland student population, which tends to have a higher active student population than other campuses, may have a unique correlation between exercise and body image. This study aims to examine the impact of body image ideals in SUNY Cortland students in relation to exercise habits.

Methods: This study was conducted through survey-based methodology and distributed to various classes and organizations of undergraduate SUNY Cortland students through Google Forms. A total sample of …

The Effects Of Acute Exercise Intensity On Memory: State-Dependent Learning, Lauren E. Fuglaar, Rylie S. Mangold, Sierra N. Petty

Honors Theses

The Encoding-Specificity Paradigm states that memory recall will be enhanced when contextual factors are congruent between memory encoding and memory retrieval (i.e., state-dependent learning). However, minimal research has evaluated this paradigm in the exercise domain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute exercise intensity on memory while considering these potential state-dependent effects. Forty-eight university students completed a within-subject experiment involving seven laboratory visits, during which they encoded a list of 15 words and were subsequently asked to free-recall as many of these words as possible. The encoding and retrieval phases were matched or mismatched by …

The Effects Of Acute Exercise On Memory: Considerations Of The Testing Effect, Philip Christian

Honors Theses

This study had three main objectives. The first objective was to determine whether or not there was evidence of a testing effect being present when a short-term memory assessment is included along with a long-term memory assessment. The second objective was to determine whether acute exercise can improve long-term memory recall over a control condition. The third objective was to determine if the potential effects of acute exercise on long-term memory are confounded by the inclusion of a short-term memory assessment. Participants were 54 undergraduate students at the University of Mississippi, with an age range of 18-22 years old. Participants …

Impact Of Training Volume On Female Athlete Triad Risk For Female Collegiate D1 Track And Field Athletes, Sarah Parnell

Honors Theses

iv ABSTRACT The Female Athlete Triad is the joint-presentation of three intertwined conditions (i.e., low energy availability (LEA), low bone mineral density (BMD), and menstrual dysfunction) that range in severity across affected individuals and have been known to affect the mental, emotional, and physical health of female athletes in a number of sports, especially those that are leanness-orientated and feature a high prevalence of disordered eating. The purpose of this study is to assess the potential relationship between increasing amounts of training volume and individual Triad risk factors in women’s collegiate track and field. Online Qualtrics surveys were administered to …

The Physiological And Psychological Benefits Of Rock Steady Boxing And Their Implications For The Management Of Parkinson’S Disease., Riley Hobson

Honors Theses

According to the American Parkinson’s Disease Association (ADPA), there are an estimated 1 million people in the U.S. living with Parkinson’s disease, and over 10 million people worldwide. Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive movement disorder that is characterized by motor symptoms such as tremor and bradykinesia, as well as non-motor symptoms such as sleep problems, fatigue, and depression (ADPA, 2023). Currently, there are no treatments for Parkinson’s disease, however, several interventions have been determined to provide symptom relief, slow the rate of disease progression, and improve one’s quality of life. These interventions range from medication to exercise participation. Rock …

Blood Flow Restriction Therapy As A Treatment In Rehabilitation, Sara Barr

Honors Theses

Blood flow restriction therapy, also known as BFR, is a treatment that is gaining popularity in the realm of rehabilitation and personal fitness. Commonly, BFR is used along with resistance training in physical therapy clinics for patients post-surgically, post injury, and for general muscle weakness (Congetti et al., 2022). BFR utilizes occlusion and pooling of blood, along with triggering the physiological processes of resistance training to decrease the hypertrophic threshold of a muscle (Congetti et al., 2022). This literature review aims to investigate the effects of BFR on patients in physical therapy after surgery by examining the history and origin …

Relationships Between Vertical Ground Reaction Forces And Clubhead Velocity In Ncaa Division I Female Golfers, Jared Bush

Honors Theses

Golf biomechanics research has focused on clubhead velocity (CHV) for over a decade with the intent of discovering the physical attributes that contribute the most to CHV. Previous research has displayed the significant correlations of strength and power attributes to CHV, giving evidence for practitioners to integrate training to improve these attributes. Recent studies have referenced vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) and how they affect CHV. In this study, vGRFs are tested for their correlations to CHV in NCAA Division I female golfers. Clubs of various lengths were used to determine correlations between each club and vGRFs. Correlations between CHV …

Effects Of Acute Exercise On True And False Memory, Hanna Watson

Honors Theses

Objective: The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the role of acute exercise timing on true and false memory performance. Methods: A randomized controlled, within-subject design, was employed (N=39). The five counterbalanced visits included a control visit, vigorous-intensity exercise (80% of HHR; heart rate reserve) before encoding, vigorous exercise during encoding with no delay before encoding, vigorous exercise during encoding with a delay before encoding, and light-intensity exercise (30% of HHR) during encoding. A recognition task using the DRM (Deese-Roediger-McDermott) paradigm was used to evaluate true and false memory performance. Results: With hit rate as the outcome, there was …

The Effects Of Acute Exercise Intensity On Retrieval-Induced Forgetting, Geoffrey Reliquias

Honors Theses

Previous research has indicated that aspects of cognitive inhibition may be enhanced after engaging in acute exercise. Notably, cognitive inhibition has been theorized as a potential mechanism for a form of active forgetting known as retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF). Given that cognitive inhibition may explain the RIF phenomenon, and is also influenced by exercise, it is plausible that acute exercise may directly influence RIF. To our knowledge, only one study has examined whether acute exercise has an effect on RIF. The findings of that study did not find a statistically significant effect for RIF; however, we believe that the rather small …

Effects Of Acute Exercise Intensity On Behavioral Pattern Separation, Sarah Amitin

Honors Theses

Prior work has demonstrated that acute exercise can improve memory performance. Less research, however, has determined whether this beneficial effect occurs through exercise reducing the influence of related or interfering stimuli. Thus, the present experiment evaluated if acute exercise can improve memory by reducing the interference of similar or conflicting information. A mnemonic similarity task was used where participants studied pictures of a wide variety of objects. The retrieval portion of the task displayed a set of objects in which they had to identify as old (already studied), new, or similar. The list of objects in the retrieval phase had …

Covid-19 Impact On The Hospitalization Rates For Eating Disorders, Jennifer Ess

Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact in a variety of ways. With the quarantine restrictions placed during this time, many individuals had turned to social media as an outlet to cope with the loss of intimate time with friends and outside family. This increase in social media use, especially Tik Tok and Instagram, can negatively impact a person's outlook on certain situations. Throughout this pandemic, mental health issues, specifically eating disorders, have shown a rise in cases during this time. Current research shows that numbers have more than doubled during pandemic times, and also shows many different factors that …

Effects Of Acute Exercise Intensity On Memory: Considerations Of Timing And Aerobic Endurance, William Meyers, Caroline Loeb, Mary Collins West, Bailey Bass

Honors Theses

The primary objective of this study was to find the optimal acute exercise intensity and post-exercise recovery time to enhance memory retention. A secondary objective of study was to evaluate the influence of aerobic endurance on memory and whether endurance capacity interacts with exercise intensity and post-exercise recovery period to influence memory performance. Participants were 54 undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Mississippi, with an age range of 18-23 years. Participants completed 13 visits in total. The first visit evaluated their aerobic endurance, with the remaining 12 visits including a 3 (Intensity: Control, Moderate, Vigorous) by 4 (Post-Exercise …

The Effect Of Foam-Rolling On Vertical Jump And Range Of Motion Of The Hip And Ankle, Katie Davis

Honors Theses

Foam-rolling (FR) has gained popularity among many fitness enthusiasts, but whether it is beneficial or not is still being investigated. A number of studies researched its effect on recovery for athletes such as runners and bodybuilders, but the effects of the foam-rolling process was only assessed following a workout. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of foam-rolling prior to activity and whether it enhanced performance for a vertical jump and/or range of motion (ROM) in the hip and ankle joints. Thirty-four subjects were recruited from Western Michigan University and performed all necessary conditions in the Human Performance Lab …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Physical Activity And Health Influences Among College Students, Rachael Larkin

Honors Theses

Objective: To assess the associations between physical activity, subjective well-being (SWB), and social media influences before, during, and after the 2020 COVID-19 period among college-aged students. Participants: Male and female students from the University of Mississippi who were between the ages of 18-25 volunteered to participate in this study. Out of 10,000 invitation emails distributed, a total of 290 individuals responded and were used for the subsequent analysis. Results: Almost half of the respondents (46.1%) noted a decrease in physical activity from before March-May (M-M) 2020 to during M-M 2020. In addition, 41% of the respondents reported an increase in …

Implementation Evaluation Of Blood Flow Restriction In The Clinical Setting, Madison Mccall

Honors Theses

Blood flow restriction (BFR) refers to a relatively new training/rehabilitation method consisting of a tourniquet system applied to a limb to partially inhibit blood flow to the muscles distal to the tourniquet. Though much research has been conducted concerning its use, there is little information addressing why clinicians may or may not implement it. Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory explains how a product or idea can spread to specific population groups, ending in adoption of it. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) consists of a set of constructs which can be used to determine the specific factors involved in …

Evaluation Of Whether Habitual Physical Activity Is Associated With An Attenuated Memory Interference Effect, Lilianne Belle Mckissack

Honors Theses

The relationship between exercise and memory is notable. Recently, there has been a sparked interest in studying the effects of exercise on attenuating memory interference. There have been several studies that have investigated whether acute exercise can attenuate memory interference. However, this thesis specifically studies the effects of habitual physical activity on attenuating the memory interference effect, which has been infrequently studied. One-hundred and nine young adults completed an online survey evaluating their physical activity behavior and memory interference, assessed via an AB/AC paradigm. We were effective in inducing proactive interference (p = .001), but physical activity was not …

Open Vs. Closed Skill Acute Exercise On Emotional Memory, Ashley Lovorn

Honors Theses

ABSTRACT ASHLEY LOVORN: Acute Open vs. Closed Skill Exercise on Emotional Memory (Under the direction of Dr. Paul D. Loprinzi)

Accumulating research suggests that acute exercise may influence emotional memory. However, there is limited research on this topic evaluating which modality of exercise elicits the greatest effects on emotional memory. The purpose of this thesis experiment was to evaluate if treadmill exercise (closed-skill) has a differential impact on emotional memory relative to racquetball exercise (open-skill). One-hundred and ninety- three participants were recruited and divided into three groups: closed-skill (N=65), open- skill (N=65) and control (N=64). Prior to exercise, each of …

Is Fitspiration Truly An Inspiration? How Social Media Accounts Dedicated To Fitness And Nutrition Affect Physical Activity Levels And Body Image Among College Students, Anna Bowles

Honors Theses

Fitspiration accounts on social media are established to influence those that view or follow them to live a healthier lifestyle. However, just because these accounts are being viewed does not mean that the individuals are following the advice of these influencers. The purpose of this study is to gather data on how physical activity levels and body image are affected by the use, or knowledge of “fitspiration,” or inspiration on fitness and nutrition, accounts on social media among students at the University of Mississippi. The participants were 361 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 25 at the University …

The Effects Of High-Intensity Acute Exercise On Implicit Memory And Face-Name Explicit Memory, Morgan Gilbert

Honors Theses

Objective: The majority of previous research evaluate the effects of acute exercise on memory function have focused on explicit memory tasks involving word-list paradigms. For more real-world application, the present experiment evaluates whether high-intensity acute exercise can improve implicit memory function as well as increase one’s ability to remember names associated with faces (face-name paradigm). Methods: A two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled intervention was employed. Participants (N=91; M_age= 20 yrs) were randomized into one of two groups, including an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group exercised for 20 minutes on a treadmill at a high-intensity …

Acute Exercise On Prospective Memory Function: Open Vs. Closed Skilled Exercise, Grace Burnett

Honors Theses

Background: Accumulating research suggests that acute exercise may enhance memory function. Limited research, however, has evaluated whether the movement patterns of acute exercise may have a differential effect on memory. Such an effect is plausible, as research demonstrates that open-skilled exercise (e.g., racquetball) may have a greater effect on memory-related neurotrophins (e.g., brain - derived neurotrophic factors) when compared to closed-skilled exercise (e.g. treadmill exercise). A key distinction between open- and closed-skilled exercise is that open-skilled exercises are those that require an individual to react in a dynamic way to a changing, unpredictable environment. The purpose of this study was …

Veridical And False Memory Performance As A Function Of The Timing Of High-Intensity Acute Exercise, Claire Sanderson

Honors Theses

Background: Our recent experimental work demonstrated that high-intensity acute exercise improved veridical (true) memories and also increased the rate of false memories. The present experiment was designed to re-evaluate these effects for replication purposes. We also extend this literature by evaluating whether these effects are influenced by the timing of acute exercise. Methods: The sample included young adults (N=37; M_age = 21.16 years). We employed a three-condition, within-group, counterbalanced controlled design, consisting of two exercise conditions and a control condition. The exercise conditions involved a 15-minute bout of high-intensity acute exercise. These conditions included the bout of …