Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Do Dance Floor Force Reduction And Static Stiffness Represent Dynamic Floor Stiffness During Dance Landings?, Luke S. Hopper, Jacqueline A. Alderson, Bruce C. Elliott, Timothy R. Ackland, Paul R. Fleming

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Dance training on floors that are not 'sprung' are assumed to have direct implications for injury. Standards for dance floor manufacture in Europe and North America quantify floor force reduction by measuring the impact forces of drop masses. In addition, many studies of human mechanical adaptations to varied surfaces, have quantified test surfaces using measures of static stiffness. It is unclear whether these methods for the measurement of floor mechanical properties actually reflect dancer requirements or floor behaviour under dancer loading. The aim of this study was to compare the force reduction, static stiffness and dynamic stiffness of a range …

Iron Status And The Acute Post-Exercise Hepcidin Response In Athletes, Peter Peeling, Marc Sim, Claire E. Badenhorst, Brian Dawson, Andrew D. Govus, Chris R. Abbiss, Dorine W. Swinkels, Debbie Trinder

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study explored the relationship between serum ferritin and hepcidin in athletes. Baseline serum ferritin levels of 54 athletes from the control trial of five investigations conducted in our laboratory were considered; athletes were grouped according to values 100 mg/L (SF>100). Data pooling resulted in each athlete completing one of five running sessions: (1) 8x3 min at 85% vVO2peak; (2) 5x4 min at 90% vVO2peak; (3) 90 min continuous at 75% vVO2peak; (4) 40 min continuous at 75% vVO 2peak; (5) 40 min continuous at 65% vVO2peak. Athletes from each running session were represented amongst all four groups; hence, …

Factors Influencing Peripheral Skin Temperature Circadian Rhythm In Young Adult Males, Hannah Tranel

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Periodic cues, including scheduled exercise, social interactions, sleep habits, and feeding time, have been shown to alter the circadian system. A disruption in circadian rhythms has been shown to have negative effects on health. Frequent skin temperature measures have been shown to be a valid method of assessing circadian rhythm parameters. The purpose of this study was to determine group mean differences in temperature amplitude, stability and lag measures among groups of young men of varying (optimal, fair and poor) adiposities. The strength of the association among the temperatures parameters and measures of body composition, physical fitness and activity, nutritional …

Alterations And Specifications Of Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption: A Review, Genevieve Kocoloski, Anne R. Crecelius

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

This review describes oxygen consumption, both in terms of a goal of weight management and aerobic training. It introduces excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and the benefits that can come from it. EPOC can aid in weight management as a means to continue to expend energy even after exercise has ceased. This review also discusses the many determinants of EPOC and analyzes the effects of various conditions on the elevated consumption. Such conditions include duration and intensity of exercise, training status, and supplementation. Later discussed are the possible underlying mechanisms and how they are responsible for EPOC. Although they have …

An Exploratory Examination Of Families Engaged In An Adventure Running Kids Program, Heather Isnor

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Academics and practitioners have only just begun to delve into the health benefits of outdoor activities in the last few years. In general, the forested settings of these activities have been documented to decrease stress levels, increase recovery rates from disease, and lessen the symptoms of mental illnesses (Kuo & Faber Taylor, 2004). It is believed that the natural environment acts as a setting where humans can engage in physical activity, aesthetic experiences, and social interactions that, in turn, release stress and lead to improved well-being (Bird, 2012). Currently, however, children are experiencing limited exposure to nature and which has …

The Effect Of Stretching And Strengthening On Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Heather Hollinger

Departmental Honors Projects

Although there is considerable research on stretches and strengthening exercises that could help improve function, pain, strength, and flexibility associated with the symptoms of patellofemoral pain, more research on how beneficial stretching and strengthening is compared to just stretching is needed. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of stretching and strengthening as compared to just stretching alone on flexibility, strength, function, and pain in participants with at least 50% of the symptoms and predispositions associated with patellofemoral pain. The design consisted of a control group that completed basic stretching, while the treatment group received stretching and …

Development And Psychometric Evaluation Of Scales To Measure Professional Confidence In Manual Medicine: A Rasch Measurement Approach, Mark D. Hecimovich, Irene Styles, Simone E. Volet

Faculty Publications

Background: Health professionals in athletic training, chiropractic, osteopathy, and physiotherapy fields, require high-level knowledge and skills in their assessment and management of patients. This is important when communicating with patients and applying a range of manual procedures. Prior to embarking on professional practice, it is imperative to acquire optimal situation-specific levels of self-confidence for a beginner practitioner in these areas. In order to foster this professional self-confidence within the higher education context, it is necessary to have valid and reliable scales that can measure and track levels and how they change. This study reports on the development and psychometric analysis …

Peroneal Reaction Time After Ankle Sprain: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Matthew C. Hoch, Patrick O. Mckeon

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: Many studies have examined the temporal response of the peroneal muscles to sudden inversion perturbation in patients with a previous ankle sprain. The purpose of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to synthesize the evidence and determine whether peroneal reaction time (PRT) impairments are present after ankle sprain. Methods: An electronic search was conducted using PubMed Central and EBSCOhost (1965-January 2013). Articles were included if they 1) examined the PRT to sudden inversion perturbation in patients with a history of ankle sprain using a mechanical tilt platform, 2) made comparisons with a control group or contralateral limb with no …

Effectiveness Of Diathermy In Comparison With Ultrasound Or Corticosteroids In Patients With Tendinopathy: A Critically Appraised Topic, Philip A. Szlosek, John Taggart, Julie M. Cavallario, Johanna M. Hoch

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Clinical Scenario: Many therapeutic modalities have been used to treat the pain and inflammation commonly associated with tendinopathies. One modality that has been used to treat patients with tendinopathies is diathermy. Focused Clinical Question: Is there evidence to suggest that diathermy is more or equally as effective at reducing pain in patients with tendinopathy when compared with ultrasound or corticosteroid treatments? Summary of Search, "Best Evidence" Appraised, and Key Findings: The literature was searched for randomized control trials (RCTs) that investigated the effects of diathermy treatments in comparison with ultrasound or corticosteroid treatments on pain in patients with tendinopathy. Three …

The Effect Of Soft Tissue Oscillation Therapy On The Management Of Pain Associated With Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Jenifer Ann Shoultz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Context: Soft tissue oscillation therapy is utilized in the medical profession with limited research to support its use. This study evaluates the effectiveness of soft tissue oscillation therapy on musculoskeletal pain associated with DOMS, among a healthy, physically active population. Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of soft tissue oscillation therapy compared to a placebo in the management of pain associated with musculoskeletal injury. Design: Experimental Crossover, Repeated Measure Design. Participants: Thirty physically active volunteers with a mean age 21.30 ± 1.47. Methods: Participants were induced with delayed onset muscle soreness to their elbow flexors of the non-dominant arm. Participants were randomly …

Concussion Reporting Rates At The Conclusion Of A Collegiate Athletic Career, Frances C. Gilbert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: Concussions are common sports-related head injuries, with an estimated 1.6-3.8 million sport-related traumatic brain injuries occurring each year. Proper diagnosis of a concussion often lies in self-reporting symptoms, however, an estimated 50-80% of concussions remain unreported. More than half of college athletes indicate they have no head injury knowledge including potential consequences, however, more than 80% would have reported a head injury if they had understood the potential risks. This lack of knowledge may create the potential for unrecognized concussive injury, therefore causing vast underreporting. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current reported …

An Examination Of Behavioral And Temporal Consistency Of Pre-Performance Routines In Ncaa Division I Basketball Free Throw Shooting – A Naturalist Observational Investigation, Jacob Blumberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that pre-performance routines positively influence performance of closed and self-paced skills (Boutcher & Crews, 1987; Cohn, 1990; Otto et al., 2011). Boutcher and Crews (1987) suggested that pre-performance routines improve performance by helping reduce anxiety along with helping athletes’ retain mental sharpness and focus. Furthermore, several quantitative studies have examined the influence of both behavioral and temporal consistency of pre-performance routines on the success of a skill, yielding inconsistent results (Boutcher & Crews, 1987; Lobmeyer & Wasserman, 1986; Lonsdale & Tam, 2008; Jackson, 2003). However, research examining this phenomenon from a qualitative and naturalistic observational perspective is …

Differential Effects Of Fatigue On Movement Variability, N. Cortes, J. Onate, S. Morrison

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

When individuals perform purposeful actions to fatigue, there is typically a general decline in their movement performance. This study was designed to investigate the effects exercise-induced fatigue has on lower limb kinetics and kinematics during a side-step cutting task. In particular, it was of interest to determine what changes could be seen in mean amplitude and all metrics of signal variability with fatigue. The results of the study revealed that post-fatigue there was an overall decrease in absolute force production as reflected by a decline in mean amplitude and variability (SD) of the ground reaction forces (GRF_V and GRF …

Investigating The Effects Of Endurance Training On Heart Rate Variability In Female Swimmer Athletes, Joshua G. Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is important for elite endurance athletes to have practical and reliable means of measuring fatigue throughout their training. Variations in Autonomic Nervous System activity (ANS) may provide an effective marker of fatigue and of recovery. ANS control of heart rate is well known to be affected by exercise training, and those adaptations can be determined using measures of heart rate variability (HRV). Previous research has examined the effect of training on HRV and ANS control of heart rate in males, there is a lack of any comprehensive studies that address adaptations in female athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this …

An Interval Training Bout On Cognitive Performance In Healthy Adults, David Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive performance has been shown to improve with regular aerobic exercise training. Despite this, most Americans do not adhere to current exercise prescription guidelines. High intensity interval training (HIIT) has been suggested as a lower time commitment, more enjoyable alternative to regular aerobic exercise. Twenty nine apparently healthy college-aged adults were recruited and administered a high intensity interval training session with a pre- and 24 hours-post-exercise cognitive performance test. No changes were found in performance following the bout of high intensity interval training. No significant interactions were observed when comparing performance to gender, training age, training goal, or intra-exercise rating …

Landing Technique Assessment Utilizing Laboratory-Based Landing And Simulated Basketball Landing Tasks, Hiromi Kowata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) is a two-dimensional landing technique assessment tool that is readily available to clinicians. However, the LESS merely assesses a contrived landing, rather than dynamic, complex movements that may occur during actual athletic performance. Objective: To compare the LESS scores and knee joint kinematics between the LESS vertical-drop jump (DVJ), and two simulated basketball landing performances, jump-stop jump shot (JS) and rebounding (RB). Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study. Setting: An intramural basketball court. Participants: Twenty-five female recreational basketball players (Age: 20.96±1.70, Height (cm): 166.07 ± 9.10, Weight (kg): 68.54 ±12.17). Intervention(s) …

The Relationship Of Force Production Asymmetry And Performance In Athletes Of Different Strength Levels, Christopher A. Bailey, Caleb D. Bazyler, Chieh-Ying Chiang, Kimitake Sato, Michael H. Stone

ETSU Faculty Works

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between force production asymmetry and performance of athletes with differing strength levels in males and females. Collegiate athletes (n=129) from various sports were ranked according to isometric mid-thigh pull peak force and the top (‘strong’) and bottom (‘weak’) 25% were used for analysis. Symmetry index (SI) scores were calculated and correlated with their respective force-time characteristics using bivariate correlations. For the weaker males, several negative moderate correlations were observed; however, no statistically significant correlations were observed for the females in either group. These findings indicate that force production asymmetry is …

Quantification Of Eccentric Load Using Accelerometer Imbedded In Gps, Chow Chea Yeo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Global positioning system (GPS) with a triaxial accelerometer is widely used to monitor movements of athletes in games and training, and “body load” (BL) representing the accumulation of the rate of changes in three planes of movements is obtained to determine the training load of a session. Deceleration, change of directions and stopping require eccentric contractions of leg muscles, potentially causing muscle damage and affecting athletic performance. Thus, it is important to monitor eccentric loading in games and training. A variable known as “eccentric index” (EI) purports to be a better representation of eccentric loading than BL. However, it is …

The Creation And Validation Of A Youth Fundamental Hitting Scale: The Assessment Of Youth Baseball And Softball Hitting Fundamentals And The Perceived Psychological Barriers To Hitting A Pitched Ball, Andrew Walsh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The primary purpose of the thesis was to create a hitting scale for youth players that assess the fundamentals of a baseball swing. Secondly, the purpose of this thesis was to determine the interactions between the changes in anxiety, perceived competence and fear variables have with actual hitting competence over a four week sport specific training program.

Acute Physiological Effects And Perceived Enjoyment Of A Single Bout Of Aerobic Interval And Continuous Moderate-Intensity Cycling In Overweight And Obese Individuals, Fujie Koh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aerobic interval training, a form of high intensity interval training, is commonly prescribed to both the general and clinical populations. However, the acute physiological effects from a single bout of aerobic interval session are not fully understood. In training studies, these acute physiological effects may confound actual training adaptations when they occur following the final training session [1]. Furthermore, while recreationally active men perceived aerobic interval training to be more enjoyable than continuous moderate-intensity exercise [2], the preference of overweight and obese individuals has not been extensively researched. Since overweight and obese individuals tend to have lower exercise tolerance, it …

Relative Importance And Plasticity Of Anatomical And Neuromuscular Factors Affecting Joint Torque Production, Joanne C. Trezise

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The present research aimed to determine (i) the relative influence anatomical and neuromuscular variables on maximal isometric, concentric and eccentric knee extensor torque (Study 1); (ii) whether the change in strength following a 10-week strength training program is associated with changes in specific anatomical and neuromuscular variables (Study 2a); (iii) whether anatomical and neuromuscular adaptations are dependent on their pre-training magnitudes; and (iv) whether it is possible to ‘predict’ an individual’s adaptation to strength training based on their anatomical and neuromuscular pre-training magnitudes (Study 2b).

The variables assessed throughout the studies include muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), fascicle length and angle …

Lower Limb Fatigue Asymmetry Of Preferred And Non-Preferred Legs After A Repeated-Sprint Test In Football Players With Previous Hamstring Injury, Cameron Lord

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Football is the most widely played sport in the world and is thus associated with the highest total number of injuries of all sports. 12% of all football injuries are to the hamstrings, as this muscle group is subjected to constant stress during training and match play performance (Ekstrand, Hägglund, Waldén, 2011; Woods, Hawkins, Maltby, Hulse, Thomas & Hodson, 2004). While the influence of limb dominance has been extensively examined as a risk factor for injury in upper limb-dominant sports (e.g. badminton, tennis and baseball), little research has focussed on the dominance in the lower limbs. Since almost all footballers …

Comparison Of The Physical, Physiological And Perceptual Demands Of Small-Sided Games And Match Play In Professional Football Players, Stephen Hissey

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The physical and technical requirements of a range of small-sided football (soccer) games (SSGs) have previously been examined in order to compare their requirements to competitive match play. SSGs are used to combine the technical, tactical and physical components of normal match play in training in order to make the training sessions specific to football. However, most previous research has focused on youth players and it is known that the playing patterns, and thus session outcomes, are different for elite players. Consequently, research examining elite players is required in order to improve our understanding of the use of SSGs in …

The Regulation Of Skeletal Muscle Mass And Mitochondrial Biogenesis By Gp130/Stat3 Signaling During Cancer Cachexia, Melissa Puppa

Theses and Dissertations

Cachexia affects nearly 70% of all cancer patients depending on the cancer, and decreases cancer survival. Cachexia is associated with muscle mass loss that is accompanied by a loss in muscle oxidative capacity, a decrease in protein synthesis and an increase in protein degradation. While progress has been made in understanding some of the mechanisms underlying the cachectic condition, there are currently no approved pharmaceutical interventions to slow or stop cachexia progression. The purpose this study was to determine the role of skeletal muscle gp130 and STAT3 signaling in the regulation of cachexia induced muscle atrophy and mitochondrial loss. Specific …

Trunk Coordination In Dancers And Non-Dancers, Danielle N. Jarvis, Jo Armour Smith, Kornelia Kulig

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Variability, or how a task changes across trials, may reveal differences between athletes of differing skill levels. The purpose of this study was to examine trunk and lower extremity (LE) single joint kinematic variability and inter-segmental coordination variability in dancers and non-dancers during bipedal vertical dance jumps (sautés). Twenty healthy females, ten with no formal dance training and ten professional dancers, performed 20 consecutive sautés. Single joint kinematic variability was assessed using mean standard deviation of angular displacement, and inter-segmental coordination variability was assessed using angular deviation of the coupling angle between segments. Within the context of the standard error …

Neuromuscular Fatigue Following A Singles Badminton Match, Zengyuan Lin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

A typical badminton singles match involves numerous intense and high impact movements. Lunges were accounted for approximately 15% of overall movements and were believed to presumably induce significant muscle damage following a match. However, no previous study has investigated changes in knee extensor muscle function after a badminton match.The present study investigated changes in knee extensor neuromuscular function and muscle soreness after a simulated 1-h badminton singles match in relation to the number of lunges performed in the match.

Ten state-level male badminton players were recruited (n=10), with each player played a total of eight simulated 1-h matches under the …

Neuromuscular Factors Affecting Stretch-Induced Torque Loss, Gabriel Siqueira Trajano

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The mechanisms underpinning the immediate torque loss induced by acute, static muscle stretching are still not clear. The current research was designed to examine the neuromuscular factors influencing this torque loss. In Study 1, the contributions of central versus peripheral factors to the stretch-induced torque loss were investigated. Measures of central drive, including the EMG amplitude normalised to the muscle compound action potential amplitude (EMG:M), percent voluntary activation (%VA) and first volitional wave amplitude (V:M), and measures of peripheral function, including the twitch peak torque and 20:80 Hz tetanic torque ratio were made before, and immediately and 15 min after …

Understanding And Improving Pacing Strategies During Standard Distance Triathlons In Age Group Athletes, Sam Shi Xuan Wu

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Pacing is an integral aspect of performance during all exercise, including multi-sport events such as triathlon. However, to date, the optimal pacing strategies to adopt over an entire triathlon, as well as during each specific discipline (i.e. swim, cycle and run), is not well understood. Therefore, the primary purpose of this thesis was to identify and understand current pacing strategies adopted by highly performing triathletes across different triathlon distances. This research aids in identifying pacing strategies that may improve overall performance during triathlon.

In the first study, the influence of sex and race distance on the age-related declines in the …

Role Of Physical Exercise In Reducing Depression And Improving Mental Health In Cancer Survivors, Gregory Levin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Cancer survivors are more than twice as likely as the general population to suffer the debilitating effects of depression. This comorbid condition is associated with several negative consequences, such as reduction in compliance with cancer treatments, and hastened mortality. Recent research has examined the therapeutic effect of exercise on depression and reported excellent results of similar magnitude to those achieved with pharmacotherapy or psychological intervention. However, no research, to date, has examined the effectiveness of exercise on reducing depression in depressed cancer survivors. In order to address this important question this thesis reviewed previous literature in the area of cancer …

An Investigation Of Technique And Equipment Factors Associated With Clubhead Speed In Golf, Christopher Joyce

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

If golfers achieve long hitting distances whilst maintaining their accuracy they will gain a competitive advantage. To increase hitting distance, faster clubhead speed is required and this can potentially be achieved through a number of factors. Firstly, anthropometric factors such as height and physical factors such as trunk rotational power have been previously considered to be of importance. However, biomechanical factors such as; the X-factor (separation of the trunk-pelvis alignment when viewed in the transverse plane), have been a major focus of recent research. Further, the interaction of the golfer with the implement they hit with i.e. the golf club …