Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Linear And Nonlinear Postural Stability Measurements Following Concussion, Kelsey Evans

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sport related concussions affect nearly 1.6 to 3.8 million athletes annually in the United States. A large number of these athletes suffer from postural instability following concussion. Postural control assessment has become a recommended tool to determine readiness to return to play. Measurement of postural control through the use of center of pressure (CoP) variables may provide a sensitive evaluation following concussion and throughout recovery. Purpose: To evaluate a unipedal and bipedal quiet stance protocol consisting of linear and nonlinear CoP measurements with varying durations in a concussed population throughout recovery. Methods: Thirteen NCAA Division I Collegiate Football players (age: …

The Effects Of Subconcussive Impacts On Postural Stability, Eric Shiflett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: The effects of concussions on postural stability, both acutely and chronically, have been well studied and noted. However, whether subconcussive impacts lead to these same impairments is not heavily investigated. Objectives: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of subconcussive impacts on postural stability in NCAA Division I football athletes. We hypothesized that all participants would show declines in postural stability following a single fall season. We also hypothesized that there would be no significant differences between groups from pre- to post-season measures. The secondary purpose was to predict deficits in postural stability based on …

History Of Concussion And Current Functional Movement Screen Scores In A Collegiate Recreational Population, Jordan M. Dorrien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: 1.6-3.8 million concussions occur annually related to sport.¹ Although neurometabolic alterations in the brain last 7-10 days following a concussion, an increased Cortical Silent Period (CSP) has been found to persist after 19 months.^2,3 Further, movement impairments have been noted years after injury.⁴ The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) assesses mobility and stability in the body.⁵ The purpose of this study was to assess if FMS scores correlate to history of a concussion in healthy college club sport participants. Methods: Health history and FMS score were collected on 55 participants (38 male, …

Determining The False Positive Rate Of A Concussion Battery In Healthy Division I Collegiate Athletes, Caitlynn S. Hellwig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: Athletic participation accounts for 1.6-3.8 million concussions, or mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) every year in the United States. Accurate assessment and diagnosis of concussions is critical to protect athletes from further injury. The Fourth International Conference on Concussion in Sport Consensus Statement recommends a multifaceted concussion assessment which includes symptom inventories, postural stability assessment, and neurocognitive testing. The accuracy of each test is vital in correctly diagnosing concussions. The Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC), and Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) are among the most commonly used assessment tools by NCAA athletic …

Utilization Of B-Mode Ultrasound As A Body Fat Estimate In Collegiate Football Players, Parker Hyde

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to validate a 7-site ultrasound imaging protocol to predict percent body fat (%BF) in a Division I football team. Body composition was estimated by ultrasound, seven site skinfolds (SKINFOLD), and the three compartment-water (3C-W) model of Siri (1961), using Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) to estimate total body water (TBW) and air-displacement plethysmography (BODPOD^®) to determine body density (Db). Pearson’s product-moment correlation analyses were run to determine between Σ_Ultrasound and the criterion 3C-W, and between the Σ_Skinfold and Σ_Ultrasound. Strong positive correlations were observed between Σ_Skinfold and Σ …

Provider Recommendations For Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (Hpv) Among Adolescent Males In Southwest Georgia Counties And The Associated Hpv Prevalence In This Population, Benjamin K. Poku

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this research study was to examine the variation in healthcare providers’ behavior in recommending the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to young male adolescents (aged 11-12), middle male adolescents (aged 13-17) and late male adolescents (aged 18-26) in rural Southwest Georgia counties. This research also aimed to identify factors associated with providers’ behaviors concerning HPV vaccination recommendation to youth in various age groups.

Methods: Upon IRB approval, secondary data were obtained from Albany Area Primary Care for a paper-based survey that was conducted in 2014 using a representative random sample of family physicians (n=12), pediatricians (n=6), and …

The Relationship Between Core Stability Related Measures And Performance In Adolescent All-Star Cheerleaders, Rachel S. Leitz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine if a relationship exists between core stability related measures (CSRM) and total cheer performance (TCP); including tumbling, jumping, and stunting. Secondly, to determine if TCP can be predicted by these CSRM.

Methods: Fifty female competitive cheerleading bases aged 10-18 from various all-star cheer programs in the southeastern region of the United States were included. Participants filled out a current health status questionnaire prior to participation. The CSRM included the timed sit-up test, trunk extensor endurance test, trunk flexion to extension range of motion, dominant limb single leg stance test, and normalized to height dominant limb single leg …