Exercise Science Commons^™

Career Termination: The Collegiate Athletes' Self-Identity With The Transition Through The Grief And Loss Cycle, Dylan B. Street

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The research seeks to understand and explain the impact, if any, on the transition out of sport, based on the level of commitment to sport being a Collegiate Athlete. Interest for this study came from personal experience as an athlete, as well as knowing numerous athletes who have gone or are going through, questioning their Identity once their playing days came to an end. This study includes extant literature discussing Athletic Identity. It offers a different perspective than other studies working through grief and loss after losing the ability to play a sport.

The purpose of this study is to …

Examining The Effects Of Exercise-Induced, Physical Stress Overtraining On Stress Biomarkers In Adolescent, C57bl/6 Mice, Curtis Scotty Davis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Exercise has long been established as a therapeutic modality to improve health and related physical fitness, sports performance, and injury/risk reduction in both adults and adolescents (Haff & Triplett, 2015; Kaminsky, 2010). Nonetheless, there is a lack of research investigating the negative effects of exercise overstress (i.e., overtraining syndrome) in these populations, particularly adolescents (Brenner & American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2007; Matos & Winsley, 2007). The objective of this study was to examine hormone biochemical markers, anthropometric markers, and behavioral traits, which are associated with overtraining syndrome, in adolescent C57BL/6 mice. A total of …

The Acute Effects Of Continuous And Intermittent Blood Flow Restriction On Sprint Interval Performance And Muscle Oxygen Responses, Aaron Wizenberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of intermittent and continuous blood flow restriction (BFR) during sprint interval training (SIT) on muscle mitochondrial function and perceived effort. Fifteen men volunteered to participate in this investigation and were randomly assigned to complete SIT with CBFR, IBFR, and NoBFR. Each SIT session consisted of 2, 30s maximal sprints on a cycle ergometer with a resistance of 7.5% of body mass. Peak power (PP), total work (TW), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), sprint decrement score (Sdec), and muscle oxygen responses were measured during each sprint. Before (pretest) and after (posttest) …

A Qualitative Report Of The Perceptions Of The Covid-19 Pandemic From Collegiate Student-Athletes, Dylan C. Rowe, Zachary K. Winkelmann, Shawn M. Arent, Michelle A. Arent, Alexa J. Chandler, Nancy A. Uriegas, Toni M. Torres-Mcgehee

Faculty Publications

CONTEXT: The COVID-19 pandemic led to an abrupt disruption in access to services and personnel for collegiate student-athletes in the spring and summer of 2020. We sought to identify the effects of this unprecedented change by examining the psychological well-being, changes to normal routines, and return-to-play considerations of current student-athletes in order to guide support for both current and future student-athletes who may face similar situations. METHODS: We utilized a phenomenological approach to interview a purposeful sample of eighteen collegiate student-athletes (7 males, 11 females; mean age = 20 years) from across the United States. The participants were interviewed using …

Aerobic Vs. Anaerobic Exercise: The Role Of Exercise Attitudes, Frequency, And Perception Of Effort In Cognitive And Psychological Benefits, Khalil Dabdoub, Michael Oliver

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Exercise has been shown to have numerous benefits. Benefits often depend on the type and duration of exercise. Existing research focuses primarily on long-term aerobic exercise with studies showing 20-30 minutes of exercise to be beneficial. What remains unknown is how little exercise can show benefits. Anaerobic exercise has not been studied much, and when it has, findings have been mixed. Research is needed to elucidate the potential cognitive and psychological benefits of anaerobic exercise of different durations. In addition to exercise type, factors such as one’s attitude towards exercising, exercise frequency, and perception of effort may play a role …

The Effects Of Neural And Mechanical Interventions On Muscle Size Versus Function During Short Term Immobilization Of The Lower Limb, Kylie Harmon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Limb immobilization is a commonly used therapeutic intervention during periods of recovery from injury. To improve rehabilitation outcomes, interventions that curtail the severe decrements in muscular size and strength that occur during immobilization are critically needed. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of two distinct interventions during one week of knee-joint immobilization on muscular size, strength, and neuromuscular function. Thirty-nine healthy, college-aged adults (21 males and 18 females) participated in this study. Participants were randomized into one of four groups: immobilization only (n = 9) , immobilization + action observation/mental imagery (AOMI) (n = 10), immobilization …

Effects Of Various Golf Bag Loading Strategies On Perceived Exertion And Vertical Jump Performance, Austen Arnold

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: The sport of golf is increasing in popularity among both novice and skilled players alike. A round of golf necessitates players to cope with a range of physically demanding movement patterns. At the collegiate level, golfers must transport their clubs by loading them onto the body. Previous literature has yet to determine how different golf bag carrying positions influence periodic, unloaded jump performance and perceived exertion of the load carrying task. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate how different golf bag load carriage methods may influence vertical jump performance and perceived exertion. METHODS: Five golf bag …

Iranian Parents' Perceptions On Physical Activity For Their Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sarvin Salar, Justin A. Haegele, Hassan Daneshmandi

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic is a remarkable health crisis that enforced most people to stay at home and quarantine for a period of time and seems to be having negative impacts on physical activity and mental health worldwide. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a deficit in social interaction characteristics, relationships, and stereotyped behaviors. This study examined Iranian parents’ perceptions of physical activity for their children with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: In this study, an explanatory qualitative methodology was used and data were collected via semi-structured phone interviews. The samples included 40 Iranian parents (aged …

Meeting The 24-H Movement Guidelines And Health-Related Outcomes Among Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Seven-Country Observational Study, Chunxiao Li, Justin A. Haegele, Fenghua Sun, Maria Luiza Tanure Alves, Stefanie Hwee Chee Ang, Jihyun Lee, Kwok Ng, Isabella Dos Santos Alves, Sean Healy, Wendy Yajun Huang, Pauli Rintala, Jernice Sing Yee Tan, Yandan Wu, Hannah Yang, Eija Kärnä, Hyokju Maeng, André Lisandro Schliemann

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: Meeting daily guidelines for physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration is associated with a host of health indicators for youth. In this cross-sectional observational study, we investigated the associations between adherence to the movement guidelines and health-related outcomes among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: Parents of youth with ASD (10-17 years) from seven countries and regions were invited to provide online proxy-reports for child's movement behaviors (i.e., physical activity, sleep and screen time), and health-related outcomes (i.e., body mass index [BMI], general health, and quality of life). A series of multiple linear regression analyses were used …

Twelve Week Calcium Collagen Chelate Or Calcium Plus Vitamin D Supplementation Does Not Affect Bone Metabolism In Trained Cyclists, Beau K. Greer, Christopher Mojock, Bahram Arjmandi, Jeong-Su Kim, Michael Ormsbee, Lynn Panton

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether 12 weeks of calcium collagen chelate (CCC) supplementation during habitual training would affect body composition, bone mineral density (BMD), and biomarkers of bone metabolism in competitive cyclists. Twenty trained (maximal aerobic capacity > 50 ml/kg/min, mean training volume: 28 h/wk) male cyclists performed maximal exercise testing and 40-km time trials (TT) on an electronically braked cycle ergometer. BMD of the whole body, lumbar spine (L1-L4), and both hips were measured via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The cyclists were assigned to one of two groups: 1) 6 g/d of CCC with 600 …

Changes In Physical Activity And Relationships To Submaximal Exercise Capacity And Cardiac Function During Breast Cancer Therapy, Moriah P. Bellissimo

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Breast cancer (BC) survivors are at high risk for heart failure due to curative cancer therapies. In non-cancer populations, physical activity is a first line treatment for preventing cardiovascular disease. This study examined whether more physical activity was associated with better submaximal exercise capacity and cardiac function during the first three months of cancer therapy.

Methods: Participants included 223 women with stage I-III BC before therapy and after three months of undergoing treatment and 126 controls. Leisure time physical activity was reported using the Godin Sheppard leisure time exercise questionnaire. Cardiac function was assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance, and …

The Effect Of Post-Meal Walking On 24-Hour Central Blood Pressure In Young Women With And Without Excess Adiposity, Maison P. D'Amelio, Bilal A. Chaudhry, Ciana B. Lazu

Honors Theses and Capstones

Post-meal walking (PMW) performed after breakfast, lunch, and dinner has been demonstrated to reduce blood glucose. However, no studies have examined the potential additive benefits of post-meal walking exercise on daytime central blood pressure (BP) in young women. METHODS: Thirteen physically inactive, non-hypertensive women (Age: 20±1 years; percent body fat: 28.2±13%) completed the study during the early follicular or placebo phase of their contraceptive cycle. Participants completed a control day (CON; no exercise/excess physical activity) and PMW day (3 bouts x 15 minutes of brisk walking) over five days in random order. Daytime ambulatory BP and accelerometry data (to estimate …

Umass Boston Bike Share Survey Instrument And Dataset, Philip Troped

Exercise and Health Sciences Faculty Publication Series

This site contains the survey instrument and survey data that were collected in the fall of 2014 from students, faculty, and staff at the University of Massachusetts Boston. These data were used for a manuscript to be published in PLOS ONE in 2022. The publication is entitled, “Correlates of bike share use and its association with weight status at an urban university” and the authors are Lawrence H. Stahley, Sarah M. Camhi, Julie A. Wright, and Philip J. Troped.

Sex Based Differences In Muscle Quality Recovery Following One Week Of Lower Limb Immobilization And Subsequent Retraining, Ryan Girts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The present project represents the second part of a two-phase clinical trial designed to comprehensively examine the effects of knee joint immobilization and recovery on skeletal muscle size, strength, and central nervous system plasticity in healthy males and females. The purpose of this study was to examine differences between sexes in the recovery of muscle quality, size, and strength in response to a resistance training-based rehabilitation program following one week of knee joint immobilization. Twenty-seven participants (males: n = 16, age = 22 ± 3 years, BM = 81.3 ± 14.8 kg, BMI = 25.0 ± 3.4 kg/cm2; females: n …

The Test-Retest Reliability Of Single Leg Jump Performance Using The Drift Protocol In Division I Baseball Pitchers, Amy Bergquist

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability of the Drift protocol with and without utilizing an arm swing, and to establish if this is an effective assessment tool for single leg vertical jump. Thirteen male Division I Baseball pitchers (18-35 yrs.) completed four testing visits where a single leg hopping protocol was assessed. Visit one consisted of the consent process and familiarization with the Drift protocol. Visits two, three, and four involved two trials of the protocol, with and without an arm swing. The protocol consisted of five single leg hops on both the stride and …

Effects Of Post-Exercise Recovery Drink Composition On Subsequent Performance In Masters Class Athletes, Erica Goldstein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Carbohydrate (CHO) and carbohydrate-protein coingestion (CHO-P) have been shown to be equally effective for enhancing glycogen resynthesis and subsequent same-day performance when CHO intake is suboptimal (≤0.8 g/kg). Few studies have specifically examined the effect of isocaloric CHO vs CHO-P consumption on subsequent high-intensity aerobic performance with limited time to recover (≤2 hours) in masters class endurance athletes. Participants (n = 22) were assigned to consume one of three beverages during a 2-hour recovery period: PLA (electrolytes and water), CHO (1.2 g/kg bm), or CHO-P (0.8 g/kg bm CHO + 0.4 g/kg bm PRO). All beverages were standardized to one …

The Effects Of Body Tempering On Force Production, Flexibility And Muscle Soreness In Collegiate Football Athletes, Christopher B. Taber, Roy Colter, Jair J. Davis, Patrick A. Seweje, Dustin P. Wilson, Jonathan Z. Foster, Justin J. Merrigan

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

There has been limited research to explore the use of body tempering and when the use of this modality would be most appropriate. This study aimed to determine if a body tempering intervention would be appropriate pre-exercise by examining its effects on perceived soreness, range of motion (ROM), and force production compared to an intervention of traditional stretching. The subjects for this study were ten Division 1 (D1) football linemen from Sacred Heart University (Age: 19.9 ± 1.5 years, body mass: 130.9 ± 12.0 kg, height: 188.4 ± 5.1 cm, training age: 8.0 ± 3.5 years). Subjects participated in three …

Comparing Mean & Peak Barbell Velocity During Traditional And Accentuated Eccentric Loaded Back Squats, Zach S. Schroeder, Lauren K. Marshall, Lea C. Katanick, Brookelyn A. Campbell, Conor J. Cantwell, Christopher B. Taber, Timothy J. Suchomel

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

MV: There were statistically significant main effects present for both condition (p = 0.002; g = 0.10-0.23) and load (p < 0.001; g = 0.95-3.93). However, the condition x time interaction effect was not statistically significant (p = 0.259). • PV: There were statistically significant main effects present for both condition (p = 0.016; g = 0.11-0.23) and load (p < 0.001; g = 0.42-1.6), but there was no statistically significant condition x time interaction effect (p = 0.101). • Post hoc analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between MV (p = 0.006) and PV (p = 0.032) between the traditional and 100% AEL conditions. • Moderate effect sizes were found with MV between the traditional and 100% AEL conditions at both 70% CON (g = 0.55) and 80% CON (g = 0.70). • No practically significant differences were found for PV.

Evaluation Of Air Consumption And Work Efficiency In Structural Firefighters, Emily Lynn Langford

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

INTRODUCTION: For safe and efficient fireground performance, firefighters (FF) must consume air supplied by the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) efficiently while sustaining high work rates. Firefighter research and fire department physical ability assessments typically quantify performance solely on task completion time (i.e., work rate), failing to consider the critical element of air consumption efficiency, which subsequently impacts the SCBA’s functional work duration. PURPOSES: (Arm 1, Aim #1) To examine variability in air consumption (AC) between FF during standardized pace tasks; (Arm 1, Aim #2) To evaluate AC efficiency (ACE) against a recognized metabolic-work rate concept of economy; (Arm …

The Correlation Between Acl Injury & Concussion, Brandon Michael Phillips

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Concussion (also known as mild traumatic brain injury) is a neurological injury that occurs after a blow to the head or neck area and can have affects to movement based on the severity of the injury. Mild traumatic brain injury has possible linkage to an increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The purpose of this thesis was to assess the impact of prior concussion on lower extremity mechanics that are associated with risk of ACL injury. A total of 11 individuals with prior history of concussion and 11 healthy individuals without prior history of concussion (56.5 months since …

Effect Of An Acl Tear On Bone Density And Muscle Mass Contralaterally, Rebecca Beitko, Carly Anenson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The research question that this experiment aims to answer is: "How does bone density and muscle mass of the upper and lower leg differ contralaterally in individuals who have had an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear?" This project will examine how an ACL injury affects the bone density and muscle mass of both the upper and lower leg by comparing these values in the injured vs. the uninjured leg. We will acquire bone density and muscle mass values using a DEXA scan (x-ray imaging). In comparing the contralateral values, we will be able to identify if individuals who have suffered …

Impact Of Sleep And Training On Game Performance And Injury In Division-1 Women’S Basketball Amidst The Pandemic, Samah Senbel, S. Sharma, S. M. Raval, Christopher B. Taber, Julie K. Nolan, N. S. Artan, Diala Ezzeddine, Kaya Tolga

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

We investigated the impact of sleep and training load of Division - 1 women’s basketball players on their game performance and injury prediction using machine learning algorithms. The data was collected during a pandemic-condensed season with unpredictable interruptions to the games and athletic training schedules. We collected data from sleep monitoring devices, training data from coaches, injury reports from medical staff, and weekly survey data from athletes for 22 weeks.With proper data imputation, interpretable feature set, data balancing, and classifiers, we showed that we could predict game performance and injuries with more than 90% accuracy. More importantly, our F1 and …

A Comparison Of Stress, Symptoms, Physical Activity, And Adiposity Among Women At Midlife Before And During The Pandemic, Lynnette Leldy Stevert, Sofiya Shreyer, Ashley Boudreau, Sarah Witkowski, Daniel E. Brown

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges that disproportionately impacted women. Household roles typically performed by women (such as resource acquisition and caretaking) became more difficult due to financial strain, fear of infection, and limited childcare options among other concerns. This research draws from an ongoing study of hot flashes and brown adipose tissue to examine the health-related effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among 162 women aged 45–55 living in western Massachusetts.

Methods: We compared women who participated in the study pre- and early pandemic with women who participated mid-pandemic and later-pandemic (when vaccines became widely available). We collected self-reported symptom …

The Influence Of Menopause And Cardiorespiratory Fitness On Lipoprotein Particles In Midlife Women, Corinna Serviente, Melody Chalvin, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Lipoprotein particles may provide better information about cardiovascular risk than standard cholesterol measures for women. Whether lipoprotein subclasses change with menopausal stage is unclear. Given the high prevalence of low cardiorespiratory fitness in midlife women and benefit of cardiovascular disease risk, it is also important to understand the effect of fitness on lipoprotein profiles. This study evaluated the influence of menopausal status and fitness on lipoprotein particles in healthy midlife women. Lipoprotein particles were measured in high-(n = 25) and low-(n = 13) fit perimenopausal and late postmenopausal women, and in high-fit premenopausal (n = 10), perimenopausal (n = 12), …

Nutrition Education And The Effects On Athletic Performance In Collegiate Athletes With Low Energy Availability, Karleigh Sudenga

Health and Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students Plan B Capstone Projects

Current research suggests that collegiate athletes lack nutritional knowledge needed for optimal athletic performance. The absence of basic nutritional knowledge in college athletes puts them at an increased risk for RED-S and its sports performance consequences. The objective of this narrative review is to evaluate the literature on low energy availability in collegiate athletes and determine if nutrition education can improve athletic performance. Multiple studies concluded that nutrition education may improve dietary intake in collegiate athletes, while there was one contradicting study that found that athletes improved nutritional knowledge but did not improve dietary intake. 3 studies found that low …

Beginnings, Elizabeth Becker

Dance (MFA) Theses

Researcher Elizabeth Becker uses personal experiences of pregnancy alongside scholarly research on the developmental movement patterns of the human embryo, fetus, and newborn’s first year of life to explore the multiplicity of these movement patterns within and outside the womb. Becker explores the relationship between the fertilization, germinal, embryonic, and fetal stages in relation to a newborn and its mother. These movement patterns within the beginning stages of life are valuable to research because they simulate neurodevelopmental patterns, which help wire the central nervous system in early childhood. These movements also help lay the foundation for sensory-motor development and life-long …

The Impact Of Gloves And Simulated Occupational Tasks On Handgrip Strength In Structural Firefighters, Sarah Lanham

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Adequate handgrip strength (HGS) is important to safely and effectively perform fireground tasks. However, there is limited research describing the deleterious impact of glove use and fatigue from occupational tasks on HGS. Therefore, the aims of this investigation were to quantify the impact of glove use and occupational tasks on HGS, to explore the relationship between HGS versus the glove and task-induced decrement in HGS, and to evaluate the relationship between HGS and decrement in HGS versus occupational performance. Fourteen (Males: n=13) career structural firefighters performed a maximal isometric HGS assessment with and without gloves before and immediately following completion …

A Comparison Of The Magnitude Of The Mental Health Benefits Of Exercising Outdoors Vs Exercising Indoors: A Review, Greta M. Rueschmann

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Many people in the United States suffer from poor mental health which can lead to suicide, self-harm, or negative effects on job performance and relationships. Not everyone can afford traditional therapy nor feels comfortable with it. With a greater emphasis placed on taking care of one’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, there should also be a greater emphasis placed on finding alternative types of therapy that can be matched to individuals based on their personalities and preferences. One such alternative is outdoor exercise. This review was conducted to examine whether exercising or performing physical activity outdoors results in greater …

How Exercise Affects The Musculoskeletal System In The Biological Sexes: A Literature Review, Lauren Connolly

Honors Program Theses

Exercise has countless benefits for the human body. Physical activity increases overall health and reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases. While the entire body is impacted by exercise, the musculoskeletal system is perhaps targeted most directly. Muscle contraction is required to complete any form of exercise, which helps build muscle mass and consequently strengthens bones. The physiology of musculoskeletal growth after exercise is the same for all individuals. However, the magnitude of this growth is not the same for men and women. Men have a profound ability to gain muscle mass that most women are not capable of …

Positive Motivational Self-Talk: The Influence Of Gender On Performance, Perception Of Self-Talk, And Performance Anxiety During A Disc Golf Putting Exercise Before And After A Self-Talk Intervention, Samantha L. Hennessy

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.