Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Twist On The Mechanical Properties Of The Intervertebral Disc, Maxine Harvey-Burgess

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Introduction: Intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation is a common injury to the IVD and a frequent source of low back pain. IVD herniation occurs when the nucleus pulposus migrates through both the inter- and intralamellar matrices of the annulus fibrosus (AF). There are a number of mechanical risk factors associated with herniation, including repetitive flexion and twist. In vivo, twist combined with repetitive flexion has been associated with increased experience of low back pain and herniation. Additionally, in vitro, when repetitive flexion is combined with twist, IVD herniation occurs more easily than repetitive flexion alone. However, the mechanisms behind …

The Effects Of A 12-Week Custom Foot Orthotic Intervention On The Intrinsic Muscles Of The Foot, And Dynamic Stability During Unexpected Gait Termination In Healthy Young Adults, Katrina Protopapas

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Introduction: Custom-made foot orthotics (CFO’s) are a commonly prescribed intervention to help individuals that are suffering from foot pain and foot disorders. However, the mechanisms of CFO’s are still poorly understood and are not well known. With the plantar intrinsic muscles of the foot being in direct contact with the CFO, it puts these structures at risk for disuse muscle atrophy as a result of being offloaded. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of a 12-week custom-made foot orthotic intervention on the intrinsic muscles of the foot and dynamic stability during unexpected gait termination. …

The Influence Of Hip Mobility And Fatigue On Spinal Flexion And Muscle Activation In Rugby Scrum Performance, Joshua D. Clayton

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Introduction: Rugby scrumming is a means of restarting play following a minor rule infringement that can occur up to 28 times per game. The scrum poses a significant injury risk, with more days missed due to injury per event than any other rugby activity. Rugby players also have a significantly higher rate of spine injury than the general population, perhaps due to flexion in combination with high compression forces, which has been cited as the main mechanism of injury. Flexion of the spine has also been associated with poor hip mobility and quadriceps fatigue in other athletic tasks and may …

The Effects Of A Lateral Ankle Sprain On Balance And Jumping Performance In Varsity Athletes, Jennifer Childs

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a lateral ankle sprain(s) on balance and jumping performance in varsity athletes. Clinicians often use subjective balance and jumping tasks during the rehabilitation process as criteria for returning an athlete to sport. There is a high recurrence rate of lateral ankle sprains with ongoing reports of mechanical and/or functional ankle instability often leading to chronic ankle instability. Perhaps including objective kinetic and kinematic measurements in the course of rehabilitating an ankle sprain injury may provide further information regarding the recovery process of the athlete.

Participants in this study …

Transient Trunk Flexion: The Potential To Alleviate Low Back Pain During Prolonged Standing, Danielle M. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The current study examined potential benefits of intermittent, short-term periods of full trunk flexion on the development of low back pain (LBP) over two hours of standing. Sixteen participants completed a 2-hour standing protocol, on two separate days. On one day, participants stood statically for 2 hours; on the other day participants bent forward to full spine flexion for 5 seconds every 15-minutes. During both protocols, participants reported LBP using a 100mm visual analogue scale every 15-minutes. During the flexion trials, erector spinae muscle activation was monitored. Ultimately, intermittent trunk flexion reduced LBP by 36% (10mm) at the end of …