Sports Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Experiences Of Runners With Visual Impairments And Sighted Guides, Lindsay E. Ball, Lauren J. Leiberman, Pamela Beach, Melanie Perreault, Jason Rich

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

: Running is a popular sport, and, with simple modifications, it can be accessible for individuals with visual impairments, particularly with a sighted running guide. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of runners with visual impairments and sighted running guides. Adopting a descriptive qualitative approach to guide data collection analysis and interpretation, seven runners with visual impairments and four sighted running guides were recruited and interviewed. The analysis identified four major themes: (1) benefits, (2) barriers, (3) advocacy, and (4) communication. The identified themes illustrate the influence of participation in running on the health and relationships …

A Survey Of The Mental Health Of Uk Olympic And Paralympic Sport Athletes., Sandra D. Leyland Dr, Alan Currie Prof, Elizabeth Board Dr, Amit D. Mistry Dr, Rod Jaques Dr, Craig Ranson Dr

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of psychological distress and well-being amongst elite athletes in the UK.

An online survey was emailed to 753 athletes within the English Institute of Sport. Response rate 52.3%. 371 participants (median age 25) completed measures of psychological distress and subjective well-being alongside demographics and sport-related variables.

High or very high psychological distress was reported by 23.7%. Poor subjective well-being was reported by 18.8%. Of those reporting psychological distress, 9% also reported good subjective well-being. The odds of psychological distress and poor well-being increased if the athlete was female (OR 2.03, distress; OR 2.00, poor …

Examining An Adapted Version Of Ryff’S Scales Of Psychological Well-Being In Sport, Despina Kouali, Craig Hall, Paige Pope

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background:‪In the sport literature, the majority of studies have failed to distinguish between general well-being and well-being specific to the sport context. This is partly because of a lack of sport specific measurement tools. The purpose of the present study was to adapt an existing eudaimonic well-being global instrument (i.e., Scales of Psychological Well-Being) for the sport context. Material and methods:‪The study included two phases. A panel of nine experts assessed the content relevance of each of the modified items of three scales of the SPWB in Phase 1 and a set of 19 items was retained with modifications. Four …

Influence Of Sport Activity On Satisfaction With Life And Sense Of Coherence Among Physically Disabled People, Artur Ziolkowski, Igor Zubrzycki, Aleksandra Blachnio, Pawel Drobnik, Barbara Zatanska, Waldemar Moska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The study discusses the differences in the levels of satisfaction with life (SWL) and a sense of coherence (SOC) in disabled sedentary people, disabled persons performing leisure sports and competitive disabled athletes. Material/Methods: The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance, Pearson-correlation and a linear regression. Results: The results indicate that sport elicits an insignificant increase in SWL and SOC. SOC correlates with SWL in sedentary disabled and competitive disabled athletes. In disabled persons performing leisure sports, the level of physical activity must be tuned in order to elicit a congruent increase in SWL and SOC. Conclusions: Continued research …

Analysis Of The Athlete Burnout Phenomenon: The Past, The Present And The Future Of Athlete Burnout Research, Alena Akhrem, Zuzanna Gazdowska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

The paper describes traditional and alternative conceptualizations of athlete burnout, measurement instruments, the most recent studies investigating athlete burnout and potential prevention and intervention strategies. Athlete burnout, being an extremely aversive experiential state, is a serious problem for athletes and their coaches. It needs special treatment and discussion because of the severe consequences it leads to. Burned-out athletes are likely to withdraw from sport despite time, efforts and money they invested into it. However, the decision to leave sport usually does not relieve symptoms of burnout, but may also worsen athletes’ moral state. Therefore, it is not surprising that this …

Dependence Between Body Image And Motivation In A Group Of Professional Swimmers And Track-Athletes, Aleksandra Budzisz, Monika Nawrocka

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The human body may be investigated on a variety of levels. This paper deals with the issue of self-perception of the body by sportsmen and motivation strategies they use. The aim of the study was twofold: firstly, to determine whether the sports discipline affects satisfaction with one’s own body and the level of motivation; and secondly, to establish if the type of sports motivation is dependent on the body image. Material and methods: The subject group comprised athletes (n = 42) and swimmers (n = 35). The subjects completed questionnaires. The research tools included the Body Esteem Scale (BES) …

Vertical Jump Peak Power Estimation In Young Male Gymnasts, Andrzej Kochanowicz, Bartłomiej Niespodzinski, Jan Mieszkowski, Kaizmierz Kochanowicz, Mariusz Zasada

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The course of match actions is definitely gaining pace and dynamics because offensive and aggressive styles of the game are preferred. So there is no doubt that an appropriate level of competitors’ physical preparation has a fundamental meaning. The goal of the research was to determine changes in special fitness efficiency. Material/Methods: The research was based on a group of 16 tennis players aged 10 training tennis in the annual training cycle. In order to evaluate the level of special fitness efficiency, two tests reflecting physical fitness were used: “The game against the wall” and “The test of 100 …

Systematic Review Of The Bioecological Theory In Sport Sciences, Marcio Domingues, Carlos Eduardo Barros Goncalves

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

The purpose of the present review was to provide an up-to-date summary of the bio ecological theory in sport literature. Systematic reviews can facilitate decision-making in areas where randomized control trials (RCTs) have not been performed or are inappropriate. In order to appreciate the status of current knowledge and understanding and to identify potential future directions, the authors conducted a synthesis of published work in sports science using a systematic-review methodology. Published since 1977, Bronfenbrenner’s model of human development provided an ecological lens for identifying and synthesizing barriers to sport participation. From a search of electronic databases, findings comprised 1120 …

Study Regarding The Role Of Motivation In The Sport Performance Activities, Paul Florian Dragos

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: What does it mean to be motivated? This is a question often formulated by psychologists and other researchers of human behavior. However it is a question which interests more or less managers and coaches, but the produced effects can be determinative for the activity of sports performance at all levels. Material/Methods: The present work aims to analyze the measurements in which the actions connected to athletes’ motivation , undertaken by sports organizations, influence and support their activities in order to increase performance. For this purpose we used the literature survey, a questionnaire, data analysis and data processing. This research …

The Views Of Women Practising Artistic Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics And Acrobatics Gymnastics On Their Disciplines, Anna Perzynska-Biskup, Leon Biskup, Stanislaw Sawczyn

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Physical culture covers a number of forms of physical activity, with sport being the most specialized form of participation. Rapid development of sport in recent years has contributed not only to the rise in the level of competitive sport but it also made the processes of social transitions to be reflected on a wider scale. The goal of this study is to demonstrate the views on professional sports from two generations of women who have practiced gymnastics. The main focus was on the presentation of gymnastics in the perspective of other disciplines and its place in everyday life of …

Application Of The Eeg Biofeedback Method In Attention Deficits Therapy In Young Sports People - A Pilot Study, Malgorzata Artymiak, Michał Niewiadomy, Malgorzata Pielecka-Sikorska, Agnieszka Weiner

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: While working with contestants, sports psychology has been successfully applying the biofeedback (neurofeedback) method since 1970s, noticing its potential in the field of attention concentration, decrease in destructive tension hindering achievement of the expected results in various sports disciplines. The researchers aimed at demonstrating to what extent the EEG Biofeedback method may prove useful in correcting attention concentration deficits in young sportspeople). The presented research project was of a pilot character, and the studies undertaken may be extended and modified. Material/Methods: The research project included young sportspeople (16–17 years old) who were students of the Academic Secondary School of …

The Value Of Education And Work In The Representatives Of Gymnasts’ Opinion, Anna Perzynska-Biskup, Stanislaw Sawczyn

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Sports professional activity has been an unusually absorbing domain of human life. This is particularly noticeable in so-called sports of early specialization, including gymnastics. The specialization in gymnastics occurs at the moment of girls’ acquisition of knowledge and preparation for future professional careers. Therefore, the authors decided to look further into the process of combining school and sports duties and to reveal possible conflicts. Material/Methods: Research material was a group of 482 athletes who are professionally involved in three gymnastics disciplines: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and acrobatic gymnastics in Polish clubs. Results: An analysis of the results revealed that …

The Application Of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins In Medicine, Dentistry, Sport And Rehabilitation: A Review Of Literature, Aleksandra Jaron, Elzbieta Grzywacz, Natalia Kerber-Wyka, Sara Zacharska, Michal Lobacz, Grzegorz Trybek

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Bone tissue is a mineralized structure with a complicated metabolism and due to its mechanical functions its structure must be adapted to the bone function. The BMP protein group stimulates the formation of bone and cartilage and influences numerous non-osteogenic processes. As a result of their osteogenic effect, BMP proteins are used in numerous areas of medicine, including dentistry and orthopaedics, as well as sport and rehabilitation. The publications used in this paper were sourced from the PubMed and the Google Scholar databases. The index entries used to search the databases included BMP, bone morphogenetic proteins, medicine, dentistry and sport. …

Sport, Masculinity And Gender Relations, Arnaldo Spallacci

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

The ideological and cultural approach towards sport has changed over time and must be linked with the changes in gender relations especially in the Western society. Therefore, the present paper brings to attention the relationship between men and exercise and discusses sport as an important practice for the cultural and physical construction of masculinity. The paper is a narrative analysis of the concept of sport and its socio-cultural significance over time, all presented in the context of gender relations. The analysis is based on information from European documents regarding sport and on statistical data at European level regarding the engagement …

A Comparative Study Of Anthropometric Measurements And Body Composition Between Junior Football And Basketball Players From The Serbian National League, Dusko Bjelica, Bojan Masanovic, Dragan Krivokapic

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe anthropometric characteristics and body composition of junior football and basketball players as well as to make comparisons between them. Material and methods: In this study 70 males were enrolled, divided into three groups: 25 football players, 13 basketball players and 32 healthy sedentary subjects. All subjects were assessed for the anthropometric measures required to calculate body composition variables, using the standardized procedures. Descriptive statistics were expressed as a mean (SD) for each variable. To detect the effects of each type of sport ANOVA and LSD Post Hoc tests were carried out. …

A Sense Of Social Affiliation Of Homeless People Participating In A Soccer Tournament, Dariusz Jacek Olszewski-Strzyzowski, Raluca Buhaș, Sorin Buhaș

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: One of the ways of including homeless persons (especially young people) into society is to enable them to actively participate in sports activities. Implementation of an event of international importance entitled the Homeless World Cup is an excellent example of such activities. Material and methods: The main source of data for this article is the research conducted with the participants of the "Homeless World Cup" Tournament in Poznań in 2013. The study was conducted with the use of the questionnaire technique (direct – the tool was a questionnaire containing 21 questions). The survey was anonymous. The respondents had an …

Profile Of Sport Competition Anxiety Trait And Psychological Coping Skills Among Secondary School Athletes In Enugu State, South East Nigeria, Tochi Emmanuel Iwuagwu, Joshua Emeka Umeifekwem, Samuel Ndubuisi Igwe, Okechukwu Kingsley Oforka, Oluchukwu Precious Udeh

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The study investigated the profile of sport competition anxiety trait and psychological coping skills (PCS) among secondary school athletes in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. Material/Methods: A total number of 420 secondary school athletes participated in a cross-sectional study. The profile of sport competition anxiety trait and psychological coping skills of the participants were measured using a 46-item questionnaire consisting of three socio-demographic factors as part I, a 15-item Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) as part II and a 28-item Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI) as part III. Mean, standard deviation and linear regressions were used for analyses. Results: …

Positive Body Image Among Polish Elite Athletes, Aleksandra Budzisz, Krzysztof Sas-Nowosielski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This study aimed to analyze factors differentiating body appreciation among Polish elite athletes. Material and Methods: Participants were athletes, both men and women (N=408), who completed questionnaire BAS-2. Results: In general, men had a better perception of their body than women (p<0.01). Higher appreciation of the body was visible among women sprinters, opposite to volleyball players (p <0.03). Indirect competition for women was connected to higher body appreciation (p<0.05). Gender and individual/team sport also significantly differentiated appreciation of the body (p<0.02). Furthermore, training frequency in a week differentiated body appreciation (p<0.03), as well as characteristic of sports performance [indoor sports, and higher in water sports (p<0.02)]. Conclusions: Results suggest that not only the common category of the sport type – aesthetic, technical, strength – differentiates the body image. Equally important for differences in body appreciation is also gender, sport discipline, and background of sport training: frequency per week, the character of competition (direct-indirect), individual/non-individual competition, or characteristic of sports performance.

Improving The Technical And Tactical Training Of Sambo Wrestlers At The Stage Of In-Depth Specialization, Shukurjon Shukhrat Ugli Gaziev

Eurasian Journal of Sport Science

Purpose: improvement of technical and tactical readiness of sambo wrestlers among 12-14 age at performing technical and tactical actions during the wrestling.

Methods: The study uses methods of analysis of scientific and methodological literature, questionnaires; pedagogical observations; biomedical methods, control tests characterizing special preparedness, pedagogical experiment, mathematical and statistical data processing.

Results: According to the results of the scientific experiment, it can be seen that the use of the largest increase was shown only by the number of throws in the control group, and in the experimental group for all indicators of the analysis. In addition, tests used not only …

Instrumental Method For Monitoring Speed-Strength Preparedness In Sports, Olga Viktorovna Goncharova

Eurasian Journal of Sport Science

Purpose: The purpose of the work is to develop a measuring complex for monitoring of athletes’ speed-strength preparedness.

Methods: The following research methods were used in this work: educational literature analysis, pedagogical testing, pedagogical observation, pedagogical experiment, methods of mathematical statistics.

Results: The necessity of taking into account the nature of the relationship between the level of physical, particular, speed-strength preparedness and dynamometric measuring device indicators. Summing up, we can state the followings: according to the testing and pedagogical observations’ results, a correlation analysis was carried out; a quantitative assessment of the relationship between the level of physical preparedness and …

The Influence Of The Social Determinants Of Health On Para-Sports Involvement Throughout The Caribbean And Americas, Laura Misener

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

As the number of individuals with a disability grows worldwide, the Paralympic Games and para-sports have seen a growth in participation (WHO, 2011). However, international sporting competitions including the Paralympic Games remain dominated by developed countries (Andreff, 2001). In the last Paralympic Games, the USA, Canada, and Brazil made up nearly 70% of participants from the North and South American region with 17 of the 28 committees sending five or less participants (Maleske & Sant, 2020). The present study investigates the social and cultural determinants in the Caribbean and Americas of para-sport participation in the region and their relation to …

Optimization Of Training Tools For Sambo Wrestlers At The Stage Of Sport Improvement, Shukurjon Shukhrat Ugli Gaziev

Eurasian Journal of Sport Science

Purpose: The purpose of our research is to increase the level of pre-competitive readiness of highly qualified sambo wrestlers at the stage of sports improvement .

Methods: The study uses methods of analysis of scientific and methodological literature, questionnaires; pedagogical observations; medical and biological research methods; control tests on a five-stage program for increasing general and special physical fitness; pedagogical experiment; mathematical and statistical analysis of the data obtained.

Results: The Dynamic of the number of turns in a series of fights in the experimental group at the beginning of the study also had a tendency to a sharp decrease …

Exploring The Perceived Barriers And Benefits Of Physical Activity Among Wounded, Injured, And/Or Sick Military Veterans, Robert Walker, Caroline Limbert, Paul M. Smith

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Wounded, injured, and/or sick (WIS) military veterans face significant physical and psychosocial challenges following discharge from service. Physical activity can have many positive effects on the holistic wellbeing of such individuals. However, little knowledge exists regarding the perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity within this population, creating challenges surrounding physical activity promotion. Therefore, this study was designed to identify key barriers and benefits among this population, so that informed approaches to encourage participation in physical activity can be developed. A questionnaire related to the perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity was completed by 105 WIS British military veterans. …

Psychological Predictors Of Injury In Collegiate Cheerleaders, Alexander Marchand

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

According to the revised stress-injury model (Williams & Andersen, 1998), greater life stress predicts greater vulnerability to athletic injury, with this relationship being strongest among athletes exhibiting competitive anxiety, less social support, and non-adaptive coping skills. This study tested the validity of this model among collegiate cheerleaders, an injury-prone athlete group. Ninety-two collegiate cheerleaders recorded instances of injury over 12 weeks. Measures of life stress, competitive anxiety, coping style, social support, and previous injury were obtained. Heightened negative life stress did not coincide with greater injury. A positive stress-injury relationship was observed among cheerleaders reporting high avoidance coping. A negative …

The Impact Of Partners In Doubles Racquet Sports And Interpersonal Emotional Regulation, Sarah J. Deck

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to understand the impact that partner play has in doubles racquet sports (tennis, badminton and squash) on emotions, coping and emotional regulation. Study 1 laid the groundwork to understanding the impact (positive or negative) that the different types of partner play (playing well, playing normal, or playing poorly) has in these dyads. Participants (N=103) were randomized into one of three scenarios (written vignettes) designed to manipulate partners play and asked to fill out a questionnaire packet based on the scenario read. Findings of Study 1 showed that there was a difference in the …

Sport In The Face Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Towards An Agenda For Research In The Sociology Of Sport, Adam B. Evans, Joanna Blackwell, Paddy Dolan, Josef Fahlén, Remco Hoekma, Verena Lenneis, Gareth Mcnarry

Articles

These are extraordinary times. Less because we are currently in the midst of a global pandemic; humanity has been here multiple times in the past, sometimes with even more devastating results (the ‘Black Death’ of 1346–1353, or Cocolitzli Epidemics in the 16th Century, for example). Rather, these are extraordinary times due to both the huge shutting down of industry, travel and borders, and the enormous level of coverage and discussion of the crisis through both traditional and social media formats (Stevens & Prins, 2020). Moreover, global, regional and national comparisons and discussions have become commonplace with regards to everything …

Injury Surveillance In Community Cricket And The Exploration Of Insurance Claims Systems, Geordie Mcleod

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aims of this industry funded PhD thesis were 1) To understand the injury causes, trends and burden in community cricket and 2) To examine the Cricket Australia National Club Risk Protection Program (NCRPP) insurance scheme for suitability as an injury surveillance tool for community cricket.

This thesis sought to identify and understand the injury profile of community cricketers through existing literature and injury datasets, being, Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU) hospital data, Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and NCRPP insurance claims data. This thesis also undertook a novel assessment of data validity and completeness from various sources, against industry standards …

Hemoglobin A1c Levels And Sport Participation In Children With Type 1 Diabetes., Amy Kozerski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study’s purpose was to determine a possible difference in hemoglobin A1c levels and sport participation in children with type 1 diabetes. Patients with provided consent via an iPad electronic informed consent/assent (preamble) completed a physical activity and sport participation survey. The survey was linked to their medical chart including demographic and diabetes medical history (e.g. HbA1c). The analyses provided a sample of 120 participants, 40 in the no sport participation group and 78 in the sport participation group with 56 females and 64 males, with an average age12.94±2.8 years. An independent sample t-test, removing one outlier from the …

Strong Side, Weak Side: Goal Generating Tactics In Ncaa Men's Water Polo, Joey Gullikson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

In the game of water polo, it is generally accepted that the shooting position of the offensive player and the tactic employed are both important in generating goals. Despite their importance, little is known about the relationship between shooting position and offensive tactics and their impact on the probability of goal scoring. In this research, a sequence of hierarchical mixed logistic regression models is applied to a unique data set from 2016 and 2017 NCAA men’s water polo seasons to analyze the relationship between goal generating tactics and different shooting positions. The primary result reveals that the closer a player …

Laterality In The Power Five And Group Of Five Conferences In Women's College Softball, Jon C. Nachtigal

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Females in sport are under-represented in data and analysis when compared to their male counterparts. This disparity also applies to women’s softball in comparison to men’s baseball. To help fill this gap, this study evaluated the extent and impact of laterality in women’s college softball’s Power Five and Group of Five conferences from 2015-2017.

This study focused on the extent of a left-sided lateral preference in women’s college softball, possible interactions between throwing hand and batting preference, to what extent the platoon effect exists in the sport, and the extent of positional bias in the sport. As one of the …