Sports Sciences Commons^™

Pathological Effects Of Repeated Concussive Tbi In Mouse Models: Periventricular Damage And Ventriculomegaly, Richard H. Wolferz Jr.

Honors Scholar Theses

Repeated concussive traumatic brain injury (rcTBI) is the most prominent form of head injury affecting the brain, with an estimated 1.7 million Americans affected each year (Kuhn 2012). Neurologists have been concerned about the danger of repeated head impacts since the 1920’s, but researchers have only begun to understand the long-term effects of rcTBI (McKee 2009). Although symptoms can be as mild as dizziness, current research suggests that multiple concussions can lead to a progressive degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) (Luo 2008, McKee 2009, Kane 2013). Research on the brain is just beginning to scratch the …

Changes In Sprint Kinetics Or Kinematics Following Static Or Dynamic Stretching, Kristyne Bartel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of static or dynamic stretching on hip kinematics and kinetics during intermittent sprinting. To achieve this aim, intermittent sprint athletes were asked to complete either a static or dynamic stretch, followed by a repeated-sprint protocol. Hip joint kinematics and performance measures were evaluated during the sprint, including changes that occurred in these variables over the course of the sprint protocol. In addition, hip flexion torque was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer. Ten male (age = 25±2.3 years, 175±3.2 cm, 76.2±2.7 kg) and female (age = 20±1 years, 166±1.3 cm, 60±1.1 …

Educational Practices And Attainment Of Competency In The Professional Preparation Of An Athletic Trainer, Julie M. Cavallario

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The professional education of athletic trainers will continue to evolve as the needs of the profession, and the healthcare system, change. In current educational practices the educational preparation of an athletic trainer can take place at the undergraduate or post-baccalaureate level. Additionally, there are no universally applicable outcome measures for comparison of student performance in the clinical education portion of existing curriculums.

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the existing education practices, especially relevant to clinical education, currently in place for athletic training (AT) at the professional level. The purpose of the literature review was to historically examine, …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Athletic Apparel And Equipment Sponsorship And Student-Athlete Recruitment At The Football Championship, Melissa J. Davies, Katharine A. Burakowski

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

The purpose of this study was to extend previous literature on student-athlete college choice by examining part of the recruitment process as a precursor to student-athlete decision-making. More specifically, this exploratory study aimed to empirically examine the extent to which apparel sponsorships affect student-athlete recruitment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten football players at a state-supported NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) institution in the Rocky Mountain region. An inductive approach was used in identifying three emergent themes. These themes suggest that football players at this institution did not hold the apparel and equipment sponsorship as a deciding factor for the …

The Association Between Critical Thinking And Scholastic Aptitude On First-Time Pass Rate Of The National Physical Therapy Examination, Daniel W. Suckow, C. Jayne Brahler, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Mary Insana Fisher, Philip A. Anloague

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objectives: 1) To investigate the relationships among critical thinking (CT) abilities, overall academic performance in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) program as measured by cumulative grade point average (GPA), and National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) licensure scores, and 2) To determine if NPTE scores were significantly different between groups of students who were classified as having low, moderate or high CT abilities.

Background: It is well-established that physical therapy practice requires good clinical reasoning skills. Passage of the NPTE is required for licensure. Research to date has been mixed as to whether CT abilities or GPA can predict success …

Spatial And Temporal Characteristics Of Error-Related Activity In The Human Brain, Maital Neta, Francis M. Miezin, Steven M. Nelson, Joseph W. Dubis, Nico U.F. Dosenbach, Bradley L. Schlaggar, Steven E. Petersen

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

A number of studies have focused on the role of specific brain regions, such as the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex during trials on which participants make errors, whereas others have implicated a host of more widely distributed regions in the human brain. Previous work has proposed that there are multiple cognitive control networks, raising the question of whether error-related activity can be found in each of these networks. Thus, to examine error-related activity broadly, we conducted a meta-analysis consisting of 12 tasks that included both error and correct trials. These tasks varied by stimulus input (visual, auditory), response output (button …

The Examination Of Upper Limb Ambidexterity In Wrestling Snap Down Technique, Nicholas Decastro, Tong-Ching Tom Wu

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to bilaterally examine the kinematic motions of the upper extremity in the snap down technique. Six male collegiate wrestlers were recruited and performed a total of ten snaps, five from each side. A standard two-dimensional kinematic analysis was conducted in the upper extremity. The results showed no significant difference between right and left side in the angular displacement, velocity and acceleration. These findings indicated that upper limb ambidexterity was achieved by these college wrestlers in the study. From further video analysis, the study found some wrestlers appeared to use their shoulder and elbow as …

Kinematic Comparisons Between Forward And Backward Skating In Ice Hockey, Tong-Ching Tom Wu, David J. Pearsall, Pamela J. Russell, Yuko Imanaka

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the kinematics of lower body and trunk between forward and backward skating. Seven male collegiate ice hockey players skated both forward and backward (C-cut) four times each. A standard two-dimensional kinematic analysis was conducted to examine the lower body extremity and trunk at the instants of weight acceptance and propulsion. No significant differences in the joint angles were found at the weight acceptance. At the propulsion, significant differences were found in the joint angles of hip, knee, ankle and trunk between forward and backward skating. Hence, these findings indicate the importance of …

The Effects Of Bag Style On Muscle Activity Of The Trapezius, Erector Spinae And Latissimus Dorsi During Walking In Female University Students, R. Hardie, R. Haskew, J. Harris, Gerwyn Hughes

Kinesiology (Formerly Exercise and Sport Science)

Back pain is common in adolescents which has been associated with carrying a bag. However, there is little research examining the effects of bag style in female adolescents. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different bag conditions on muscle activity of the trapezius, erector spinae and latissimus dorsi muscles in female university students during walking. Twelve female university students walked on a treadmill for 5 minutes at 1.1 m/s during five conditions; control, 1 strapped rucksack, 2 strapped rucksack, ipsilateral shoulder strap and contralateral shoulder strap, each containing 10% bodyweight. Electromyography for the trapezius, erector …

Oncology Section Edge Task Force On Prostate Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review Of Clinical Measures Of Strength And Muscular Endurance, Mary Insana Fisher, Claire Davies, Genevieve Colon, Hannah Geyer, Lucinda Pfalzer

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Strength deficits are a common morbidity following treatment for prostate cancer. Accurate assessment of strength and muscular endurance following prostate cancer treatments is essential to identify deficits and plan rehabilitation.

Purpose: To identify strength and muscular endurance outcome measures that possess strong psychometric properties and are clinically useful for examination of men treated for prostate cancer.

Methods: Multiple electronic databases were searched for articles published after 1995. Studies of tools used to assess strength and muscular endurance were included if they reported psychometric properties, were clinically feasible methods, performed on adults, and published in the English language. Each outcome …

Research Roundup From The Research Committee, Mary Insana Fisher, Shana Harrington

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

With the expectations of accountability by consumers and third party payors for the efficacy of physical therapy practice, there has been a significant increase in the push to develop outcome measures in rehabilitation. One type of these measures, patient-reported outcome measures (PROs), are becoming increasingly more common in clinical practice. The American Physical Therapy Association’s Guide to Physical Therapist Practice 3rd edition includes outcomes assessment as an integral part of the Patient and Client Management model, and delineates that appropriate tests and measures depend upon established psychometric properties of the measurement.1 The Section on Research formed the Evidence Database to …

Research Round-Up: Manual Muscle Testing, Mary Insana Fisher, Shana Harrington

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Manual muscle testing was developed in response to the need to assess muscle strength losses during the polio outbreak in early part of the 20th century. The development of this original method is credited to Wilhelmine Wright and Robert W. Lovett, MD. Wright presented this method in 1912 in the Boston Medical Surgical Journal, and Lovett expanded the description of the testing method in 1916 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The development of quantifying muscle strength by rating force generated against external resistance was an important development in objectifying assessment methods of the time.

Today, manual muscle …

The Need For Theory To Guide Concussion Research, Dennis Molfese

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

While the focus on concussion research has expanded greatly over the past decade, progress in identifying the mechanisms and consequences of head injury, the recovery path and the development of potential interventions to facilitate recovery have been largely absent. Instead, the field has largely progressed through an accumulation of data without the guidance of any systematic theory to guide the formulation of research questions or generate testable hypotheses. As part of this special issue on sports concussion, we advance a theory to describe the evolution of a neural network during the development of a cognitive process as well as the …

Resting-State Brain Connectivity After Surgical And Behavioral Weight Loss, Rebecca J. Lepping, Amanda S. Bruce, Alex Francisco, Hung-Wen Yeh, Laura E. Martin, Joshua N. Powell, Laura Hancock, Trisha M. Patrician, Florence J. Breslin, Niazy Selim, Joseph E. Donnelly, William M. Brooks, Cary R. Savage, W. Kyle Simmons, Jared M. Bruce

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Objective: Changes in food-cue neural reactivity associated with behavioral and surgical weight loss interventions have been reported. Resting functional connectivity represents tonic neural activity that may contribute to weight loss success. This study explores whether intervention type is associated with differences in functional connectivity after weight loss. Methods: Fifteen participants with obesity were recruited prior to adjustable gastric banding surgery. Thirteen demographically matched participants with obesity were selected from a separate behavioral diet intervention. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was collected 3 months after surgery/ behavioral intervention. ANOVA was used to examine post-weight loss differences between the two groups in …

Differences In Prefrontal Cortex Activation And Deactivation During Strategic Episodic Verbal Memory Encoding In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Joana B. Balardin, Marcelo C. Batistuzzo, Maria Da Graca Moraes Martin, Joao R. Sato, Jerusa Smid, Claudia Porto, Cary R. Savage, Ricardo Nitrini, Edson Amaro Jr., Eliane C. Miotto

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

In this study we examined differences in fMRI activation and deactivation patterns during episodic verbal memory encoding between individuals with MCI (n = 18) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 17). Participants were scanned in two different sessions during the application of self-initiated or directed instructions to apply semantic strategies at encoding of word lists. MCI participants showed reduced free recall scores when using self-initiated encoding strategies that were increased to baseline controls' level after directed instructions were provided. During directed strategic encoding, greater recruitment of frontoparietal regions was observed in both MCI and control groups; group differences …

Lower Limb Coordination During A Land-Cut Task Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction And Rehabilitation, Sarah B. Clarke, Ian Kenny, Andrew Harrison

Conference Presentations

No abstract provided.

Gait Intervention For Improvements In Human Top Speed Running, Michelle Buechner

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Between individuals faster sprinting speeds are achieved by applying greater stance average forces against the running surface. Recent evidence further indicates that elite level performers also strike the ground with leg kinematics that differ from those of non-elites and that these leg movements act to enhance the force transients occurring in the milliseconds following foot-ground impact. I investigated whether sprint performance could be enhanced through a short term gait intervention, consisting of 3 laboratory training sessions wherein subjects (n = 6) completed 5 high-speed runs on an instrumented force treadmill at 90% of their measured top sprint. The subjects received …

The Effects Of Kinesio Tape On Sports Performance: Vertical Jump And Shuttle Run Performance In Women's College Basketball Players, Holly Wohltman

Masters Theses

Introduction: Since Kinesio tape (KT tape) was invented in the mid-1970s, studies have been lacking in producing strong evidence to support the claims of its ability to enhance performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of KT tape at enhancing sports performance, in the areas of vertical jump and shuttle run performance, in Illinois College Women's Basketball Team, participants ranged from 19-22 years of age.

Methods: There were eleven female basketball players ranging from the ages 19-22 years were recruited to participate in this study. All participants performed a vertical jump test and a shuttle run …

Intravascular Atp And The Regulation Of Blood Flow And Oxygen Delivery In Humans, Anne R. Crecelius, Brett S. Kirby, Frank A. Dinenno

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

Regulation of vascular tone is a complex response that integrates multiple signals which allow for blood flow and oxygen supply to appropriately match oxygen demand. Here, we discuss the potential role of intravascular ATP as a primary factor in these responses and propose that deficient ATP release may contribute to impairments in vascular control exhibited in aged and diseased populations.

A Comparison Of Two Gluteus Maximus Emg Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction Positions, Bret Contreras, Andrew D. Vigotsky, Chris Beardsley, John B. Cronin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background. The purpose of this study was to compare the peak electromyography (EMG) of the most commonly-used position in the literature, the prone bent-leg (90°) hip extension against manual resistance applied to the distal thigh (PRONE), to a novel position, the standing glute squeeze (SQUEEZE). Methods. Surface EMG electrodes were placed on the upper and lower gluteus maximus of thirteen recreationally active females (age = 28.9 years; height = 164 cm; body mass = 58.2 kg), before three maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) trials for each position were obtained in a randomized, counterbalanced fashion. Results. No statistically significant (p …

Oncology Section Edge Task Force On Breast Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review Of Outcome Measures For Functional Mobility, Mary Insana Fisher, Jeannette Lee, Claire Davies, Hannah Geyer, Genevieve Colon, Lucinda Pfalzer

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Breast cancer treatments in women with breast cancer often result in physical impairments that lead to activity limitations and participation restrictions. These limitations and restrictions manifest in impaired functional mobility skills that may impact survivorship. Thus, evaluation of functional mobility is an important part of survivorship care.

Purpose: To identify functional mobility outcome measures that possess strong psychometric properties and are clinically useful for examination of women treated for breast cancer.

Methods: Multiple electronic databases were searched for articles published after 1995. Studies were included if they reported psychometric properties, used clinically feasible methods, were performed on adults, and …

The Effects Of Home-Based Pilates In Healthy College-Age Females, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Mary Insana Fisher, C. Jayne Brahler

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objectives: To quantify and determine the effects of Pilates on core endurance, hamstring flexibility, balance, body composition/mass and perceived stress level in healthy college age females.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial design.

Background: Emerging research on the Pilates technique is inconclusive regarding benefits to core endurance, flexibility, balance, body mass, and perceived stress.

Methods and Measures: Female college students (n=57; 18-35 years old) were randomly assigned to a Pilates group, who exercised at home with a DVD, or a control group who did not engage in Pilates practice. Core endurance, hamstring flexibility, balance, body composition and stress measurements were taken …

Water Treadmill Versus Land Treadmill Training Effects On Leg Strength And Cardiovascular Endurance, Michelle E. Hudson Ms.

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Underwater treadmill running can be used as a means of reducing musculoskeletal loading while maintaining a training intensity equal to that of land running. A variety of cardiovascular benefits are seen in water running, such as greater increases in stroke volume and cardiac output than on land. Additionally, increased drag while water running can significantly improve force production. PURPOSE: To investigate if differences exist between underwater treadmill and land treadmill running on leg strength and cardiovascular endurance through a case study of two 22 year old sedentary males. METHODS: An 8-week aerobic training program was designed incorporating water …

Influence Of Directional Loading On The Metabolic Demands Of Running In A Lower-Limb Positive Pressure Treadmill, Brendan J. Rickert, Beau K. Greer, Matthew F. Moran

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

No previous scientific investigation has studied the influence of either increasing or decreasing levels of body weight (BW) support on oxygen consumption (VO2) while running in reduced BW conditions via a differential air pressure (DAP) treadmill. Moran et al. found rate of perceived exertion to be higher at the same BW conditions when moving from high BW support to low BW support but did not quantify the findings with VO2. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to both define the physiological changes, if any and perceived efforts, if any, between unloading and loading subjects on DAP treadmill to define …

Hip Strengthening Compared With Quadriceps Strengthening In Conservative Treatment Of Patients With Patellofemoral Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic, Chyrsten L. Regelski, Brittany L. Ford, Matthew C. Hoch

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Clinical Scenario: Patellofemoral pain is a common injury that affects both athletic and sedentary populations. Clinicians may treat patellofemoral pain more effectively through a comprehensive understanding of the most effective exercise protocols. Clinical Question: In patients with patellofemoral pain, are hip abductor and external rotator muscle strengthening exercises more effective in reducing pain and improving patient-reported function compared with isolated quadriceps strengthening? Summary of Key Findings: A comprehensive and systematic database search was conducted for studies of level 2 evidence or higher. The search yielded 253 studies; of these studies, four randomized control trials and one comparative control trial fit …

The Acute Effects Of Aerobic Exercise Durations On Arterial Compliance In Recreationally Active Males, Joe Angel Lopez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to 1) examine the acute effects of different aerobic exercise durations on large (LAC) and small (SAC) arterial compliance, 2) examine the acute effects of different aerobic exercise durations on central pulse wave velocity (cPWV), peripheral pulse wave velocity (pPWV), Aortic Index (AIx), and 3) to examine the acute effects of aerobic exercise durations on hemodynamics.

METHODS: Eighteen male subjects (age= 23.4±2.0) performed a maximal aerobic stress test (Bruce protocol) in order to estimate VO2max. Participants were required to meet in the lab fasted for at least 8 hours for three …

The Effect Of Fluid Periodization On Athletic Performance Outcomes In American Football Players, Christopher W. Morris

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

For decades strength and conditioning professionals have been seeking optimal training volumes and intensities to yield maximum performance outcomes without the onset of injury. Unfortunately, current studies apply experimental training techniques without considering the individuals’ response to the imposed training load. Due to the vast genetic variability and extraneous environmental factors that affect one’s ability to recover, results from such studies are controversial and inconclusive. Athlete monitoring systems offer an objective assessment that is purported to evaluate an individual’s physiological readiness to adapt to an overload stimulus and thus allow for daily manipulations in training loads (i.e., fluid periodization). However, …

The Effects Of Spinal Manipulative Therapy On Isokinetic Strength And Postactivation Potentiation, Grant D. Sanders

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is a therapeutic procedure employed by various healthcare practitioners for alleviating acute and chronic musculoskeletal complaints. This form of treatment is also delivered to enhance the performance and augment the rehabilitation of athletes. However, despite research findings alleging the strength-modulating effects of SMT alongside numerous professional athletes’ positive anecdotal claims concerning its results, the physiological processes to explain its effects remain largely unexplained. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of SMT in a college-aged sample population with two experiments.

The first study examined the effect of SMT targeting the lumbosacral region …

An Athletic Approach To Studying Perception-Action Integration: Does Sport-Specific Training, And The Impact Of Injury, Influence How Individuals Visually Guide Navigation?, Carmen Baker, Jennifer Campos Ph.D, Michael E. Cinelli Ph.D.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The objective of this thesis was to investigate perception-action integration capabilities of individuals during a choice navigation task. This task assessed navigation strategies in open space while individuals avoided colliding with two vertical obstacles that created a body-scaled, horizontal gap, at three varying obstacle distances from the starting location (3m, 5m, 7m). The two studies completed in this thesis employed the same paradigm to assess the hypothesized group differences. Gaze behaviours and kinematics of navigation strategies were compared between: 1) athletes specifically trained in navigating in open space versus non-athletes; and 2) athletes with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) versus non-concussed, specifically …

Aerobic And Resistance Training Improves Mood State Among Adults Living With Hiv., Jason R. Jaggers, Gregory A. Hand, Wesley D. Dudgeon, Stephanie Burgess, Kenneth D. Phillips, Larry Durstine, Steven N. Blair

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of combined aerobic and resistance exercise training among self-reported mood disturbances, perceived stress, frequency of self-reported symptoms, and symptom distress in a sample of HIV+ adults. For this purpose, 49 participants were randomly assigned into an exercise (EX) or control (CON) group. Those in the EX group completed 50 min of supervised aerobic and resistance training at a moderate intensity twice a week for 6 weeks. The CON group reported to the university and engaged in sedentary activities. Data were collected at baseline before randomization and 6 weeks post intervention. …