Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Risk Of Position-Based Concussions Among Collegiate Men And Women Soccer Players, Devin Hauenstein

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Limiting the incidence of concussions has become a foremost concern among collegiate athletes and coaches. This study aimed to determine if the soccer position played, and minutes played during a game predict the incident of concussion among college soccer players. If concussion risk can be predicted, it may lead to mitigating actions to minimize risks. Data from 208 male and female soccer players from the North Coast Concussion Program (NCCP) were assessed to predict the incidence of concussion based on total minutes played and position(s) played. A logistic regression analysis and predictive modeling technique were used to determine whether the …

The Relationship Between Gluteus Maximus Activation And Running Economy In Recreational Distance Runners, Carlos Hernandez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Within the running community, there are strategies that a trainer will utilize to improve the performance of an athlete. One of these strategies suggests that an increase in activation of the Gluteus Maximus (GM) muscle will result in an increase in the efficiency of runners. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between GM activation and running economy (RE).

Methods: Three female and seven male recreational runners (27±8 yrs) from California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt and the local community. A Pearson product-correlation was used to determine the strength of the relationship between Gluteus Maximus activation and …

Absolute And Relative Reference Values Of College-Aged Men And Women For The Ymca Bench Press Test For Muscular Endurance, Skye H. Choi

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Young Men’s Christian Association Bench Press Test (YMCA-BPT) is accepted as an assessment of absolute dynamic upper-body muscular endurance. However, the normative values for the YMCA-BPT, is over 30 years old and outdated. The normative values utilized for comparisons of performance were reported with no information on the total number and characteristics of the participants beyond age and gender.

The purpose of this study was to establish and compare the absolute and relative reference values for upper-body muscular endurance using the YMCA-BPT in men and women.

The YMCA-BPT was performed by 420 college-aged individuals (237 men; 183 women). Repetition …

The Influence Of Biological Sex, Athletic Identity And Pressure On Collegiate Athlete's Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Playing Through Pain And Injury, Margaret Anne Willis

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Injuries are to be expected when participating in all levels of collegiate sports (e.g., recreation, elite, club, intermural). It is common among collegiate athletes to continue practicing or competing despite being in pain/injured. This willingness to play hurt can cause negative consequences for athlete’s future health. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of biological sex, athletic identity and pressure on collegiate athlete’s attitudes and behaviors toward playing through pain and injury. Student-athletes involved in NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division II sports completed two questionnaires and one measurement scale: demographic questionnaire, Risk, Pain and Injury Questionnaire …

Effects Of A Dual-Task Paradigm On Tandem Gait Performance, Courtney Angela Perry

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In concussion management, a variety of cognitive and motor control tests, like the tandem gait, have been used for assessing the presence of a concussion injury at the sideline and through recovery. More recently, research suggests that introducing a secondary cognitive retention task during tandem gait (i.e., dual task) may provide a better assessment of concussion. The purpose of this study was to determine if a tandem gait test paired with a 6-digit retention is a valid and reliable tool. Participants completed three trials of both the single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) tandem gait tests, and their average (MEAN) and …

Training Postural Control With Eyes Closed Vs. Eyes Open And Effects On Postural Control Improvement, Mark D. Ulbricht

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Introduction: Ankle sprains are one of the more common injuries in an athletic population. Postural control training can be used in prevention and rehabilitation for ankle sprains. When used preventively postural control training can decrease the risk of sustaining an ankle sprain by 38% (McGuine & Keene, 2006). There are a variety of postural control training programs all emphasizing different aspects of postural control, such as eyes closed, or eyes open situations. Training protocols with either eyes closed or eyes open have been shown to improve both static and dynamic postural control (Zech et al., 2010). The purpose of this …

Wild Blueberries Increase Fat Oxidation Rate During Moderate Intensity Exercise, Jessie Armendariz

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Consumption of fruits high in anthocyanins, such as wild blueberries (WB)s, have been shown to influence lipolytic enzymes and increase fatty acid (FA) oxidation during rest. Purpose: Examine the effect of a WB drink on FA oxidation during moderate intensity exercise. Methods: Eleven aerobically trained males (26 ± 7.5 years, 74.9 ± 7.54 kg, 10.5 ± 3.2% body fat) completed an incremental cycling test to determine VO_2peak (55.1 ± 7.5 ml/kg/min) followed by a washout diet avoiding foods high in anthocyanins. After two weeks, subjects completed a control cycling protocol at 65% of VO_2peak for 40 minutes. Next, …

Performance Profile For Tabata Intermittent Training On Treadmill, Nathan Tamayo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study investigated the effect of supramaximal intensities on number of Tabata bouts performed by recreationally trained males. Eleven relatively trained men (mean age = 22.27 ± 1.74 years, height = 1.72 ± 0.07m, mass = 78.74 ± 15.77kg) were assigned the four intensities in a counterbalanced order. Subjects completed a warm up which was then followed by consecutive 20-second bouts of treadmill running with 10 second bouts of rest until fatigue given each intensity (110%,130%,150%,170% of VO_2max). Given that ideal number of Tabata bouts is ~8 with an intensity of 170% VO_2max, results suggested that …

Understanding The Intersection Of Cannabis And Physical Activity, Lukas E. Coppen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Cannabis use has been gaining wider social acceptance, and with increased legalization cannabis users are talking more openly about how and why they consume cannabis. Moreover, professional and non-professional athletes are openly discussing their cannabis use in training. There is a distinct lack of cannabis research in humans, particularly as it relates to physical activity (PA). PURPOSE: To understand how and why people use cannabis with PA as well as categorizing the preferred mode of PA users engage in. METHODS: Subjects (n = 101; with ages ranging from 18-55 years old) participated in an anonymous online survey if they reported …

The Effects Of Self-Adherent Taping On Peak Inversion Angle And Eversion Moment Upon Landing During A Maximal Vertical Jump And A Depth Drop, Christopher M. Gregoire

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Ankle injuries are the most common injury in physically active adults with roughly 15% to 30% of all physical activity injuries being ankle injuries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-adherent ankle taping in reducing peak ankle inversion angle and peak ankle eversion moment upon landing during a max vertical jump and depth drop compared to jumping without a prophylactic ankle stabilizer.

Twelve volunteers participated in testing procedure on two separate days. Day one consisted of orientation while day two consisted of experimental data collection. The participant’s peak inversion angle and eversion moment were …

The Effects Of Descending Resistance Sets Compared To Constant Resistance Sets On The Volume Completed During A High Intensity Free Weight Back Squat Exercise, Jason E. Meyer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Improving anabolic hormone production is an important training adaptation in resistance training; however, no previous research has developed optimized descending resistance sets to increase training volume. The purpose of this research was to compare two different loading protocols of constant resistance sets (CRS) and descending resistance sets (DRS) on the free weight back squat. Eleven resistance trained male participants (mean ± SD, age = 22 ± 3 yr, and back squat 1RM ratio (1RM/body weight) = 1.65 ± 0.2) completed 4 experimental sessions over 2 weeks, during which 4 sets of the back squat were performed with 85% 1RM and …

The Effects Of Ladder Training On Sprint And Change Of Direction Performance, Trevor Short

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Ladder training is a form of multidirectional lower limb plyometric training utilized by coaches and athletes in a variety of sports. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ladder training (LT) on sprint (20-m) and change of direction (COD) (L-drill) kinematics. Fourteen NCAA D-2 Basketball players were matched on baseline performance rankings and randomly assigned to a LT (n = 7) or conventional training (CT) (n = 7) group. The LT group performed all the CT exercises with the addition of 25-35 minutes of LT performed 3 times per week, for 4 weeks. Within-group …

The Effects Of Prophylactic Ankle Bracing On Collegiate Women's Basketball Ankle Range Of Motion, Static Balance, And Dynamic Balance, Damian Ignacio Aguilar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Ankle braces are often used by athletic trainers across the nation in hopes of preventing ankle related injuries. Since prophylactic ankle braces are widely used and accepted, it is critical to understand the effects prophylactic ankle braces are having on ankle functionality and postural control both in a braced and non-braced state. However, the effects of prophylactic ankle braces over the period of a season has limited research. Thirteen collegiate women’s basketball players, who are required to wear prophylactic ankle braces through a 20-week season, participated in this study. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of …

Dynamic Balance Of Experienced And Novice Rock Climbers, Brian G. Shea

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Climbing requires heavy use of the upper body muscles in the torso and arms to pull the body vertically or traverse horizontally. The upper body profile of climbers has been characterized, however there is little research that has examined the lower body and its contribution to climbing performance. There are studies that have examined postural control while climbing, but no study has evaluated the dynamic balance of the lower extremities in climbers. For this study, lower body dynamic balance was measured using normalized reach distances of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Eighteen adult, indoor climbers (n=12) and non-climbers (n=6) …

Restoration Of Attentional Deficits After Concussion, Katharine B. Earle

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Difficulties with concentration and attention are among the most prevalent symptoms experienced after concussion. Rest has been the most common form of recovery from concussion; however, new research is suggesting mild mental exertion to be an effective aid in recovery. Drawing from Attention Restoration Theory, this study evaluated the idea that cognitive engagement with natural environments can mitigate post-concussion directed-attention deficits. A between subjects repeated measures design was used to test directed-attention after video exposure to restorative/nature and nonrestorative/city environments. Measures of mood, connectedness to environment, and symptomology scores were also collected. No meaningful difference between exposure type was found …

Effects Of Active Versus Passive Recovery On Blood Lactate And Performance In Repeated Wingate Tests, Madison Kirkpatrick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of this study is to determine if an active recovery of a long duration at a moderate intensity or a passive recovery is more beneficial for subsequent anaerobic performance by tracking blood lactate and comparing anaerobic performance variables across Wingate tests. Currently, there is a lack of research on the effect of a longer duration active recovery protocol on blood lactate levels and power output in repeated Wingate tests as compared to passive recovery. A significant interaction was found between recovery and time for blood lactate (F = 6.935; p = 0.000). Blood Lactate levels were significantly …

Retrospective Analysis Of Contact Sport Participation On Cognitive Function In Healthy Athletes, Lisa C. Martinez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study explored the effects of contact and limited contact sport participation on neurocognitive function in non-concussed collegiate and adolescent athletes over time. Athletes participating in contact and limited contact sports have an increased risk of sustaining neurocognitive injuries, known as subconcussive blows, compared to non-contact sport athletes. We hypothesized that athletes participating in contact and limited contact sports, would exhibit a deficit in neurocognitive function following multiple seasons of play when compared to athletes participating in non-contact sports. Using a mixed repeated measures MANOVA statistical design, we analyzed computerized neurocognitive baseline ImPACT composite scores (verbal memory, visual memory, visual …

The Effects Of Incline And Resistance On Metabolic Cost And Muscle Activation In Elliptical Exercise, Megan K. Alfi

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Elliptical trainers are machines that were designed to mimic the motion of running while reducing the ground reaction forces and joint loading on the lower body. As a result, endurance runners commonly use it as a cross-training modality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ramp incline and resistance in elliptical exercise on metabolic cost and lower limb muscle activation patterns. A secondary purpose was to compare the metabolic cost and muscle activation patterns of elliptical exercise to running. Methods: Gross metabolic cost and muscle activation for eight muscles of the leg were measured during elliptical …

The Effect Of Rest Interval Duration On The Volume Completed During A High Intensity Bench Press Exercise, Dennis J. Hernandez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Between set rest intervals (RI) are one of the most important variables in resistance training; however, no known research has investigated the effects of RIs greater than 5-min during strength training (>85% of 1RM). The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of three different RIs (2, 5, and 8-minute) on training volume (kg, sets x reps x resistance) and repetition sustainability during a high-intensity bench press exercise (> 85% of 1RM). Fifteen resistance trained males (mean+sd, age = 26+5 yr, height = 161+6 cm, body mass = 79+6 kg, bench press 1RM ratio = 1.39+0.1) completed …