Exercise Science Commons^™

Relationships And Sports: Mechanisms In Relational Motivation And Its Impact On Athletic Performance, Alexandra Szarabajko

Online Theses and Dissertations

Relationally-Autonomous Reasons (RARs) for pursuing goals are motives that take one’s own personal needs and the needs and desires of close others into account. These relational reasons motivate people in pursing health, school, or sports goals. The purpose of this study was to identify what mechanisms drive relational motivation that in turn affects athletic performance. Participants (n = 156) in this study were student-athletes from various sports, who completed a questionnaire. Athletic performance was obtained and standardized through each athlete’s performance statistics within their sport. The results of the study revealed that closeness, support, accountability, and shared values predicted relational …

Medical Claims At Ncaa Institutions: The Athletic Trainer's Role, Tyler P. Killinger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Context: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institutions are required to certify insurance coverage of medical expenses that result from athletically related injuries sustained while partaking in an NCAA event. This means that the student-athlete must be covered either by their parent’s/guardian’s insurance, their own personal insurance coverage, and/or the institution’s insurance program. Institutions assign this role to a variety of employees, including head athletic trainers (ATs), assistant ATs, athletic administrators, business managers, secretaries, or other institution employees. In 1994 Street, Yates, Lavery, and Lavery observed that the head AT was responsible for administering medical insurance/claims payment at 51% of the …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Barriers To And Facilitators Of Successful Weight Loss, Alyson Drooger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Along with the United States obesity epidemic comes extensive weight loss attempts. One way people are attempting to lose weight is through meal replacement programs. Much work has been done to study strategies of structured weight loss programs and examine their success. Limited work has been done to study the specific barriers and facilitators of the real life participants who join weight loss programs. The purpose of this study is to identify, through qualitative research methods, the barriers to and facilitators of weight loss while participating in a meal replacement program.

Methods: Twenty-nine members of a meal replacement program …

Icook 4-H: Report Of Accelerometer Derived Physical Activity In 9-10 Year Old Children From Baseline, Post, And Follow-Up, Chase Merfeld

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To examine the relationship between baseline, post, and follow-up accelerometer derived physical activity (PA) in 9-10 year old children participating in iCook 4-H, a 16-week, 5- state, randomized control family centered childhood obesity prevention program. This family focus intervention was designed to promote PA through lifestyle modifications. Between group differences in minutes-per-day and intensity of PA were determined on accelerometer compliant participants. All subjects wore an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X+) for 7 days at baseline, post, and follow-up intervention assessment. Mean daily minutes of accelerometer derived sedentary time (ST) and PA including light (LPA), moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA) and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) …

The Effects Of High Intensity Interval Training On Body-Esteem Among College-Aged Women, Chelsea K. Duncan

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT) on body-esteem among college-aged females. The study had four participants complete a pre-intervention questionnaire, which included BMI information and the Body-Esteem Scale (BES: Franzoi & Shields, 1984). The participants then completed 12 sessions of HIIT, three sessions each week for four weeks. After completing the HIIT protocol, participants filled out a post-intervention questionnaire, including BMI and the BES. The post-intervention questionnaires were then compared to the participants' pre-intervention questionnaires using a paired-samples t test with SPSS software. Small changes in BES scores occurred, however …

Longitudinal Examination Of Perceived Stress And Depression Symptomology In Division I Student-Athletes, Bobby Daigle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

CONTEXT: Concussions are all too prevalent in amongst athletes. Concussions make up almost 5 percent of all collegiate athletic injuries. Concussions have been linked with many long lasting effects including depression and increased stress or anxiety.

OBJECTIVE: To longitudinally examine post-concussion depression and stress levels in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 athletes.

DESIGN: Descriptive longitudinal study.

SETTING: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate athletics.

PARTICIPANTS: Concussed and uninjured Division I collegiate athletes, ages 18-22, competing in football, women’s soccer, baseball, softball, and women’s track.

INTERVENTION(S): Participants completed the CES-D at baseline, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months …

Successful Weight Management: Barriers And Facilitators To Maintaining Weight After Weight Loss Via A Meal Replacement Program, Hope D. Kleine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Meal replacement programs (MRPs) facilitate weight loss. Unfortunately, a large percentage of individuals that lose weight through MRP are not successful at maintaining their weight. Weight regain one year following weight loss via meal replacements has been as high as 40-50%, demonstrating a critical need to improve weight maintenance in MRP participants. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify barriers and facilitators of weight maintenance after reaching a goal weight in MRP participants.

Methods: Seven focus groups of ≤8 clients were conducted to discuss barriers and facilitators of weight maintenance prior to reaching a point of …

The Correlation Between Strength Levels Measured Through Dynamic Strength Exercises And The Incidence And Severity Of Injury Among Collegiate Athletes, Alex Jardine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Injury to athletes in sport occurs as a result of extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors. Mounting evidence points toward decreased strength as a predictor of injury in athletes. By comparing strength levels in functional movement patterns to injury, the strength and conditioning professional will be able to design effective training programs to reduce the incidence of injury in sport better. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between strength measured through dynamic strength exercises (power clean, the squat, and the bench press) among collegiate athletes and the incidence and severity of injury. We hypothesized that greater incidence …

Influence Of Cardiovascular Risk Factors On Remote Ischemic Preconditioning, Tiffany Trachte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A powerful therapy against microvascular endothelial ischemia-reperfusion injury is remote ischemic preconditioning (rIPC), which triggers tissue protection by exposing a limb to small cycles of vascular occlusion. Animal models indicate that CVD risk factors reduce the protective benefits of ischemic conditioning. However, there are no human studies investigating how a burden of risk factors interferes with rIPC to prevent endothelial injury. The purpose of the present study was to determine the influence of risk factor burden on the capacity of rIPC to prevent endothelial reperfusion injury in humans. Twenty-two (age: 45±14 yr., BMI: 31±8 kg/m2) sedentary adults (12 lower burden: …

Validity And Reliability Of The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (Cd-Risc) In Competitive Sport, Stephen P. Gonzalez, E. Whitney G. Moore, Maria Newton, Nick A. Galli

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

Objective: This study replicates and extends the work of Gucciardi and colleagues (2011) in relation to the validity of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC; Connor & Davidson, 2003) in sport. Three primary aims were explored: 1) Examine the factor structure and fit of three versions of the CD-RISC: the original 25-item CD-RISC, both as a 25-item five factor scale and as a 25-item unidimensional scale, and the 10-item CD-RISC-10; 2) examine gender invariance of the best fitting version of the CD-RISC; and 3) examine the validity of the best fitting CD-RISC by relating it to affect and performance anxiety …

Kinesiology 288 Exercise Physiology Spring 2016, Toni Burkhalter

Kinesiology Courses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Supportive Audience On A Handgrip Squeezing Task In Adults, Brianna L. Leitzelar, Selen Razon, Umit Tokac, Shannon Dieringer, Cindy Book, Lawrence W. Judge

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

The role of social facilitation by way of audience effect in select exercise-related variables during an isometric handgrip task was assessed using a mixed design. Fifty three moderately active participants (Mage= 21.76 + 5.27) were recruited from the Midwestern United States. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: supportive audience or control. Audience members provided positive verbal encouragement to participants in the experimental condition throughout the task performance. Participants in the control group performed the task in the absence of an audience and did not receive any verbal encouragement. Participants provided anxiety ratings pre- and post-task using the …

The Difference In Ventilatory Threshold Among Adolescent Males Based On Maturity Status, Dyane Loney

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous research has shown an inverse relationship between age and the relative intensity at which ventilatory threshold (VT) occurs in adolescent boys. However, no study has examined the effect of maturity status on VT in the differences in boys from the onset of puberty, adolescents. The purpose of this study was to compare VT among adolescent boys of different maturational groups. Methods: For this study, moderately active adolescent male participants (14 ± 3 y) completed this study. Maturational status of the participants was determined via years from peak height velocity (PHV), which is an estimation of somatic maturity status derived …

Online Learning And The Effects On Functional Health: A Pilot Study, Jessica Mangis

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Online learning presents a major risk on our emotional and physical health, otherwise known as functional health which results in a trend away from active leisure pursuits and recreational sports and leading us towards a sedentary lifestyle (Wang, Luo, Gao, & Kong, 2012). Sedentary behavior leads to many health risks and conditions such as cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death. A sedentary lifestyle is defined as someone who does not meet the minimum suggested levels of physical activity: 150 minutes of endurance training and two days of strength training a week (American College of Sports Medicine, 2011; …

Lifestyle Contributors To Cardiovascular Disease Risk, Adam J. Berrones

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Aortic stiffness is an independent risk factor that has prognostic value regarding future cardiovascular disease (CVD) events such as myocardial infarction, strokes, and heart failure. Although death rates due to coronary heart disease have declined in recent years, the leading global killer remains CVD and prevalence is still high. Understanding lifestyle contributors associated with aortic stiffness would provide the public with insight into targeting key health-related behaviors.

The purpose of this observational study was to examine the association of physical activity, physical function, and dietary quality as independent factors contributing to aortic stiffness in apparently healthy middle aged men. Fifty-two …

Central And Peripheral Weight Gain Affect Trunk Kinematics And Lower-Extremity Muscle Activation Differently During Sit-To-Stand, Michelle Christine Walaszek

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Background: Obesity-induced alterations in biomechanics and muscle recruitment during activities of daily living, such as sit-to-stand (STS) are often attributed to increases in adipose tissue (AT) mass. Central or peripheral distribution of AT may differently affect biomechanics and muscle recruitment.

Methods: Fifteen healthy, normal weight (BMI 22.4 ± 1.9 kg/m², 24.1 ± 4.2 years) subjects volunteered. External loads equivalent to a 5 kg/m² BMI increase were applied in three conditions: unloaded (UN), centrally loaded (CL), and peripherally loaded (PL). Subjects completed three successful STS movements in a backless chair under each load condition in random order. Motion …

A Non-Exercise Based Estimation Of The Critical Running Velocity And Anaerobic Running Capacity In Competitive Runners, Jonathan R. Switalla

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

This study examined: 1) if estimated performance times (ET_com) at four different distances can be used to accurately define the parameters of the critical velocity (CV) test [CV and anaerobic running capacity (ARC)]; and 2) if those parameters can be used to predict time to completion (PT_com) of distances performed at velocities greater than CV. Twelve subjects provided an ET_com for maximal-effort runs at 400m, 800m, 1600m, and 3200m. The CV and ARC were derived from the total distance (TD) versus ET_com relationship. The equation: PT_com = ARC / (velocity-CV) was used to …

Static Stretching And Preconditioning Exercise Augments Power Output In Recreational Athletes, Mark R. Mason

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The purpose of this study was to determine the independent and combined effects of performing a preconditioning exercise and antagonist stretching on vertical jump (VJ) performance. Twenty club rugby players performed a VJ in four conditions: control condition, following static stretching, following a preconditioning exercise, and following the combined treatment of static stretching and a preconditioning exercise. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured in the gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, and tibialis anterior during the VJ trials. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare VJ and EMG outcomes across conditions. A Bonferroni correction was used to account for multiple post-hoc …

A Non Exercise Based Estimation Of The Critical Velocity And Anaerobic Distance Capacity In Collegiate Swimmers, Howard H. Brim Iii

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

This study determined if the parameters of the critical velocity (CV) model could be obtained from estimated performance times at various swimming distances. Fourteen collegiate swimmers provided their actual fastest long-course times (AT_com) at standard distances and inquired completion times (IT_com) at non-standard distances. The total distance (TD) versus AT_com and IT_com relationships were used to estimate the parameters of the CV model. . . .

To read the remainder of this abstract, please download this thesis.

The Effects Of Exercise On Sleep Parameters Among Older Women, Charity B. Breneman

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep is a modifiable behavior that commonly fluctuates from night to night within the same individual and varies across the lifespan. Over the years, sleep research has identified physical activity (PA)/exercise as a non-pharmacological approach to improving sleep. The overall goal of this dissertation was to investigate the acute effect of exercise on sleep outcomes as well as examine the relationship between night-to-night fluctuations in sleep parameters with exercise training among healthy older women.

Two studies, both utilizing a longitudinal study design, were conducted to 1) understand how acute exercise affects both behavioral and physiological sleep outcomes during the corresponding …

Exploratory Analysis Of Ptsd Severity And Objective Measures Of Physical Activity Among Combat Veterans, Danny O. Sauceda

Theses and Dissertations

Strong levels of motivation, relatedness and self-determination support the likeliness of participating in habitual exercise. Compared to nationwide estimates, research has demonstrated fitness and performance is significantly lower among those suffering from PTSD. Meeting established recommended daily levels of physical activity (PA) for individuals with PTSD is critical for their physical and mental health status over a lifetime and factors supporting or hindering adherence to habitual exercise are lacking. Furthermore, regular PA among combat Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a viable and substantial treatment option to improve physical health status and cognitive well-being. The purpose of this exploratory …

Endothelial And Inflammatory Responses To Acute Exercise In Perimenopausal And Late Postmenopausal Women, Corinna Serviente, Lisa M. Troy, Maxine De Jonge, Daniel D. Shill, Nathan T. Jenkins, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Endothelial dysfunction and inflammation are characteristics of subclinical atherosclerosis and may increase through progressive menopausal stages. Evaluating endothelial responses to acute exercise can reveal underlying dysfunction not apparent in resting conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate markers of endothelial function and inflammation before and after acute exercise in healthy low-active perimenopausal (PERI) and late postmenopausal (POST) women. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), CD31+/CD42b- and CD62E+ endothelial microparticles (EMPs), and the circulating inflammatory factors monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured before and 30 min after acute exercise. Before exercise, FMD was …

Examining The Reliability, Validity And Factor Structure Of The Drs-15 With College Athletes, Leilani Madrigal, Diane L. Gill, Kent M. Eskridge

Athletic Performance Research

Hardiness, comprising feelings of commitment, control and challenge, is most frequently measured with the Dispositional Resiliency Scale (DRS), but little work has been done with the brief 15-item version. To examine the factor structure, reliability, validity, and item functioning for gender invariance of the 15-item DRS with 525 collegiate athletes from a wide range of sports. Convergent and divergent validity were examined through relationships with mental toughness, grit and competitive anxiety. Participants completed measures of mental toughness, optimism, grit, competitive anxiety, and the DRS-15. Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed a poor fit for the three-factor hardiness model, and subsequent exploratory factor …

Exploring Children’S Physical Activity Levels Through Structure And Measurement, Jessica L. Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was twofold: 1) to establish best practices for wrist-based accelerometry for 5-11 year old children and 2) to explore the contribution of activity structure to children’s physical activity (PA) levels.

The purpose of study 1 aimed to determine differences in counts/5second epoch produced by the dominant and non-dominant wrist during seated, sedentary activities in 5-11 year old children and ultimately create a cutpoint threshold to distinguish seated sedentary behavior from light physical activity. 167 children, ages 5-11 years, performed up to 8 sedentary activities for 5 minutes while wearing ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers on both wrists. …

How Feedback And Goal-Setting Impact Children's Recess Physical Activity, Ryann Koufoudakis, Heather Erwin, Aaron Beighle, Michelle L. Thornton

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

In recent years, schools desire to promote physical activity (PA) for their students but are restricted due to resources being expended in other areas of their curriculum, including standardized testing preparation. Recess/lunch periods have potential to contribute important amounts of PA to youth’s overall levels. Interventions to maximize PA during recess are warranted. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the impact of feedback and goal-setting on students’ PA during recess. A sample of 136 (67 females, 69 males) 4^th and 5^th grade students in the Southeast United States wore unsealed Walk4Life pedometers during recess for one …

A Comparison Of American Football Cleats And Soccer Cleats On Measures Of Force In A Countermovement Vertical Jump, Jessica Hiskey

Honors Theses

The configuration of cleats has been reported to affect force production in several performance-related tasks such as running and cutting, and it may have the ability to alter vertical jump performance. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of cleat configuration in American football and soccer cleats on force production resulting from a maximal countermovement vertical jump. Ten recreationally trained male participants (age: 21.6 ± 1.35 years; height: 180.0 ± 4.51 cm; mass: 83.89 ± 6.74 kg) volunteered to participate in one three-hour testing session. A counterbalanced, controlled cross-over design was utilized for the three footwear conditions, …

A Comparison Of Warm-Up Modalities On Upper Body Force Production Measures, Mary G. Langford

Honors Theses

Warm-ups are often initiated before an athletic event in order to prepare the athlete's body for competition by increasing blood flow to the working muscles. When a warm-up also activates nerve-muscle function, producing a level of high-intensity power even after the muscle contraction occurs, it is known as post-activation potentiation (PAP). Most PAP warm-ups include high-load, low-velocity conditioning contractions whereas a low-load, high-velocity conditioning contraction may be a more user-friendly warm-up. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of PAP after low-load, high-velocity conditioning contractions on subsequent upper body power exercises. Ten recreationally trained males (age: …

Exercising Independently And Exercising Independence: A Phenomenological Study Of Physical Activity And Choice Among Adults With An Intellectual Disability, Sheila O'Sullivan

Theses

Aim/Background: This study examines how adults with intellectual disabilities choose the physical activities they engage in, inside and outside of the day service they attend. Of particular relevance are the benefits derived from physical activity which promotes wellbeing, inclusivity, new opportunities and social acceptance for people with intellectual disability. This is timely in light of current policy with regard to New Directions 2012-2016 which is directed towards moving people with ID from congregated to community settings and the enactment of the recent Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act (2015) which supports decision-making for all citizens.

Methodology: The study used phenomenological analysis …

Glucose And Acute Exercise Influence Factors Secreted By Circulating Angiogenic Cells In Vitro, Sarah Witkowski, Gayatri Guhanarayan, Rachel Burgess

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Circulating angiogenic cells (CAC) influence vascular repair through the secretion of proangiogenic factors and cytokines. While CAC are deficient in patients with diabetes and exercise has a beneficial effect on CACs, the impact of these factors on paracrine secretion from CAC is unknown. We aimed to determine whether the in vitro secretion of selected cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) from CAC is influenced by hyperglycemia and acute exercise. Colonyforming unit CAC (CFU-CAC) were cultured from young active men (n = 9, 24 ± 2 years) at rest and after exercise under normal (5 mmol/L) and elevated (15 mmol/L) glucose. Preliminary …

Stress And Exercise In Undergraduate Health Professions Students, Kristin R. Weismantel, Meghan G. Brickner, Leah N. Rosler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Background: Stress is prevalent among undergraduate students, especially students in health professions majors. Exercise as a health promoting behavior decreases stress. At the same time, increased stress may decrease exercise. This study described exercise and stress among undergraduate health professions students. More specifically this study described the intensity and duration of each exercise and the frequency of exercise during a typical week of the semester for students in health professions majors.

Theoretical framework: Pender’s Health Promotion Model guided this study.

Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive survey.

Methods: A convenience sample of 437 undergraduate students in a college of health professions (N =2,700) …