Sports Sciences Commons^™

Simulated Learning In Musculoskeletal Assessment And Rehabilitation Education: Comparing The Effect Of A Simulation-Based Learning Activity With A Peer-Based Learning Activity, Mark Hecimovich, Simone Volet

Faculty Publications

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders and diseases are leading causes of pain, physical disability, and doctor visits throughout the world. Health professionals must be trained to assess, treat through rehabilitation and monitor patients with these disorders. Yet, due to overcrowded curricula, some health education programs struggle to accommodate more than minimal training in musculoskeletal conditions. Consequently, educators in these professions must consider how traditional instruction could be complemented effectively to enhance students’ preparation for the diverse musculoskeletal disorders and pathologies they may encounter. The purpose of this study was to explore the benefits that can be obtained from laboratory practice in musculoskeletal …

The Effect Of Soft Tissue Oscillation Therapy On The Management Of Pain Associated With Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Jenifer Ann Shoultz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Context: Soft tissue oscillation therapy is utilized in the medical profession with limited research to support its use. This study evaluates the effectiveness of soft tissue oscillation therapy on musculoskeletal pain associated with DOMS, among a healthy, physically active population. Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of soft tissue oscillation therapy compared to a placebo in the management of pain associated with musculoskeletal injury. Design: Experimental Crossover, Repeated Measure Design. Participants: Thirty physically active volunteers with a mean age 21.30 ± 1.47. Methods: Participants were induced with delayed onset muscle soreness to their elbow flexors of the non-dominant arm. Participants were randomly …

Disordered Eating Habits And Extreme Weight Loss Techniques In Collegiate Wrestlers: A Qualitative Analysis, Jaime Marie Mayer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Wrestlers have often been targeted as high-risk athletes for developing eating disorders. Research has found that wrestlers do practice extreme weight loss and disordered eating behaviors that are consistent with eating disorders. However, little evidence suggests that wrestlers also possess the psychological aspect that is required in order for a person to be diagnosed with an eating disorder according to the DSM (2000).

Many times researchers conclude that few wrestlers meet the criteria for eating disorders, but they participate in many behaviors that put them at risk of developing an eating disorder in the future. Very few if any researchers …

Development Of An Ankle Function Model, Kelli R. Snyder

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Lateral ankle sprains (LAS) represent the most common orthopedic injury treated by athletic trainers, yet there is no consensus regarding the measurement of the effectiveness of care (e.g. outcomes). Further compounding this problem is the repetitive nature of LAS, often referred to as "functional" or "chronic" ankle instability (FAI, CAI, respectively). Although a common entity in practice and research, FAI is inconsistently defined and assessed. Essentially, athletic trainers are neglecting to address one of the most important issues identified in their profession (outcomes) for the most common injury for which they provide care (LAS). Therefore, the purpose of this research …

The Effects Of Bat Velocity And Bat Quickness On Offensive Statistical Performance In Ncaa Division I Female Softball Players, Thomas Manford Flack

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of bat velocity and quickness on offensive statistical performance of six members of the University of Northern Iowa's women's Division I softball team. Each of the participants was requested to engage in a warm-up and stretching routine to minimize injuries due to the high force generated during isometric contraction and maximal swings. Data collection procedures were performed in one session for each subject. Reflective spherical markers were placed on the distal end of the softball bat, the proximal end of the bat as well as an additional marker in the …

Post Exercise Massage: Effects On Next Day Performance Following Heavy Lower Body Resistance Training, Kristin Iehl

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine whether post-exercise massage improves next-day performance on an isometric peak force test after heavy lower body resistance training when compared to a placebo control of ultrasound at zero intensity. This was tested using students at the University of Northern Iowa who had been involved in a resistance training program over the past six months. The importance of this study is that if post-exercise massage improves recovery, even after a difficult resistance training day the athlete will still be able to perform at a high level so resistance training bouts can be more …

Substance Use And Injury With College Athletes: Does Injury Affect Perceptions?, Kristine Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Collegiate athletes may perceive the characteristics of substances differently following an injury. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine whether perceptions of substance use among collegiate athletes change after an injury occurs. The study also examined differences between sex, scholarship status, and academic level on perceptions of substance use. A total of 141 Division I college athletes participated in this study, with 96 completing the post-test. They were asked to complete a Perceptions of Substance Use Survey in the fall and again in the spring; participants' injury data was collected over a 6 month period from athletic trainers. …

Examining The Intrinsic Motivational Level Of Task And Ego Goal Oriented Athletes In The Xl Sports Acceleration Program, Kira Melisa Werstein

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Acceleration programs are a new and popular tool used by youth athletes to prepare for upcoming sports seasons. Acceleration programs train athletes in the areas of speed, agility, power, coordination, and strength. Each of these aspects is important in the development of an athlete and effects athletic performance. It is important that acceleration programs also consider intrinsic motivation, because it will help advance the performance of each athlete. The purpose of this study is to examine motivational levels in task and ego goal oriented athletes over the length of a session at the XL Sports Acceleration Program. The Task and …

The Effect Of Two Types Of Recovery On The Decline In Performance After Intense Bouts Of Exercise, Whitney Shindelar

Honors Program Theses

Anyone who is recreationally active, whether an athlete or someone in the general population, has some preferred action they choose to engage in after an extensive bout of intense exercise. According to Comparison of Two Strategies on Recovery after Exhausting Exercise, the common recommendation of raising your arms above your head in order to recover more quickly and thoroughly has been shown to not be the optimal recovery mechanism. The previously mentioned study has recently shown that a subject's heart rate decreased dramatically faster, which then decreased their over all recovery time, when they opted to bend at the …

Effects Of Acute Static Stretching On Anaerobic Performance Of The Upper Body In Collegiate Wrestlers, Karl Bratland

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Stretching prior to physical activity is common in sports and recreational exercise. Athletes, coaches, trainers, and physicians recommend stretching in an effort to both prevent injury and enhance performance. However, much of this information is based more on anecdotal evidence and intuition, rather than scientific evidence. Researchers have found that typical pre-exercise stretching protocols do not reduce the incidence of injuries (Pope, Herbert, Kirwan, & Graham, 2000). Studies have also found decrements in various performance measures such as maximal strength (Kokkonen, Nelson, & Cornwell, 1998) and explosive force and jumping performance (Young & Elliot, 2001; Young & Behm, 2003) after …

The Impact Of A C.A.R.E. Based Martial Arts Class On Students' Academic Achievement, Peer Relationships, And Social Interactions, David Hite Jr.

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

What is the goal of education in America today? Why is education so important to our society? Why do we spend millions of dollars each year towards the success of America's educational system? What processes and procedures should be employed to insure an efficient and effective education for all individuals? These questions and more arise as we consider the current academic, social, and economic climate of America, as well as the rest of the world; and the role education has played in shaping our past, impacting our present, and directing our future as individuals of a free society. Abraham Lincoln …

Season Long Evaluation Of Relationships Between Several Variables And Hitting Efficiency In Four Division I Volleyball Players, Patricia Raelyn Dietz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Throughout a collegiate volleyball season game performance fluctuates game to game and even match to match. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between several anthropometric and independent variables and hitting efficiency in four Division I athletes. Subjects were four female Division I volleyball players who participate in a hitting position. Subjects were tested weekly on vertical jump approach height (VJ), reactive strength index (RSI) using an AMTI force plate, BM (BM), and body composition (BF%). Pearson product moment correlations showed no significant correlations between hitting efficiency and each of the indpendent [sic] variables for each individual or …

Meeting The Interests Of Adolescent Females In Physical Education, Sarah Marie Huffer

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to compare the activities of interest of adolescent females in physical education with the types of activities that are provided in their present physical education curriculum at the representative high school. Creating a parallel between activities of interest and activities within physical education curriculums will provide females with more motivation to be physically active while in high school and after they graduate.

Development Of A Core Stability Model, Tricia Lynn Majewski-Haak

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The concept of core stability has transcended physical medicine as well as health and physical performance. It is now considered a fundamental component of general fitness and rehabilitation programming. However, the definition of core stability, its components, and the assessment techniques have not been established. The purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive core stability model addressing its definition, components, and assessment techniques. The methods utilized in this study incorporated the Delphi technique to develop a unified core stability model.

A group of 15 content experts from United States and Canada, representing a variety of disciplines, participated in …

The Effect Of Three Rest Intervals After A High Intensity Training Protocol On Speed And Strength Variables In Division I Track And Field Sprinters And Jumpers, Eric Lee Hanenberger

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of three different recovery periods (2, 4 or 6 days) after a high intensity strength training protocol on speed and strength variables in Division I track and field sprinters and jumpers. Methods: Research participants (RP) were assessed in a lower body strength test using a back squat one repetition maximum (lRM). A week of recovery was administered following the lower body strength test. A pre-test was administered to establish baseline values on speed and strength variables. Speed variables included 18.3, 36.6 and 54.9 m sprint times and SPLIT 1 (18.3 …

The Contribution Of Socio-Economic Status And Maturity On Injury Risk In Youth Soccer, Kristin Noel Stoneberg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Soccer is considered the universal sport as it is played by youth in nearly every nation around the world. With such a large number of children involved in soccer, injury is inevitable. Many possible risk factors have been identified, but very little current data address other risk factors such as maturity and socio-economic status (SES). The purpose of this study was to determine injury rates and the association between injury, maturity, socio-economic status, and other risk factors in youth soccer players. There were 440 youth soccer players ages 6-18 years involved in the cohort sample and a sub-sample of 102 …

The Relationship Of Time Spent Training At Three Physiological Loads And Performance In Endurance Athletes, Nicholas L. Maas

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between time spent at three training loads and running performance during a Division I collegiate cross-country season. Subjects were fifteen collegiate level male and female runners all with competition experience of ≥3 years.. Subjects HRmax was determined during a treadmill run to exhaustion. After the completion of maximal testing, the following HR zones were determined; 1) light intensity(< 80% of HRmax), 2) moderate intensity (between 80-90% of HRmax), and 3) High intensity (> 90% of HR max). During the training season, the amount of time spent at in each heart rate zone was determined for each runner. Correlations between the amount of time spent in …

The Relationships Between Four Strength Qualities And Sprint Performances In Division I Sprinters And Jumpers And Recreationally Active Subjects, Steven Eugene Blocker Jr.

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to compare four separate strength and speed qualities between Division I sprinters and jumpers and recreationally trained athletes. Nine Division I sprinters and jumpers and 9 recreationally active males participated in the study. Methods: Subjects performed 54.9-m timed trials. The 0-18.3 m (Split 1) time and 36.6-54.9 m (Split 2) time were recorded. Subjects performed multiple strength related tests. Back squat one repetition maximum ( 1 RM), 1 RM relative to body mass (}RM-Rel), peak power during jump squats with 10 and 30% of lRM (PPl0 and PP30), PP 10 and PP30 relative to …

Effects Of A Skilled Videotape Model With Or Without Attention-Focusing Cues On The Performance Of A Basketball Foul Shot, Steven Edward Beard

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a skilled videotape model with or without attention-focusing cues on the performance of a non-dominant hand basketball foul shot. It was hypothesized that attention-focusing cues of a skilled videotape model would have no significant effect on the non-dominant hand basketball foul shot performance of adolescents. Thirty participants (22 male, 8 female) were randomly assigned and stratified by gender into one of two groups: skilled videotape model with cues and skilled videotape model without cues. Each participant completed 22 blocks of 50 trials each, with the first and last block …

Relationship Of Effective Serve Reception Passing To Side Out Offense In Iowa City West Volleyball Matches, Craig A. Pitcher

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to indicate the relationship of effective serve reception to side out offense in Iowa City West volleyball matches. Subjects were member of the 2002 Iowa City West varsity volleyball team. Iowa City West volleyball team was selected for the study based on availability of game tapes throughout the 2002 season. All taped varsity matches were viewed for the study analysis. All reception passes were given a pass value of three, two, one, or zero. Each pass was also categorized into offensive outcomes, kill, play on, or error. The results of the Person correlation test …

The Effect Of Music On Pre-Competitive Cognitive Anxiety, Somatic Anxiety, And Self-Confidence In Male Basketball Players, Jamie Jean Blome

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of personally-selected music on pre-competitive cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, and self-confidence. Intramural athletes from a collegiate university (N = 97) were randomly assigned to a music group, white noise group, or control group. The Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) and was used to measure trait anxiety, and the modified version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAl-2) was administered to measure state anxiety and self-confidence. It was hypothesized that differences would be found in precompetitive cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, and self-confidence among groups. Results indicated that the music group …

The Effect Of Life Stress And Coping Resources On The Occurrence And Severity Of Athletic Injuries In Female Collegiate Athletics, Susan E. Stoker

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was designed to investigate the effects of life stress and coping resources on the occurrence and severity of athletic injuries for female collegiate athletes. Subjects from the university's women's volleyball and soccer team were classified as either injured or non-injured, depending on whether injury occurred during the athletic season. A further separation of the injured players divided them according to the severity of their injuries (minor, significant, and major). The LESCA and Coping Resources section of the Stress Audit Questionnaire were used to test life stress and coping resources athletes have for dealing with stress. Psychometric data was …

Effect Of Strength Training And Other Activities On Physical Self-Concept Of Females, Denise Cooksley Glew

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The past few years have seen an increased interest in the psychological benefits of exercise. The personality factor of self-concept typically remains relatively stable throughout adulthood unless a person's life experiences cause it to change. Physical self-concept, a dimension of self-concept, deals with how an individual views themselves and has been found to be affected by exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of strength training on the physical self-concept of female college students. The study used a pretest, post-test, quasi-experimental design. The Physical Self-Concept Subscale of the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale was used to measure physical …

A Descriptive Study Of Non-Accredited Athletic Training Programs, Donald Lee Bishop

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to describe the current status of non-accredited athletic training programs at four-year colleges and universities in relation to receiving future accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Since it was first organized, the National Athletic Trainers' Association, Inc. (NATA) has continually sought to elevate the standards of its members. There were no certification or education requirements for athletic trainers until 1970. These requirements, once very broad and open-ended, have since been refined and delimited to ensure the highest quality for athletic trainers. The NATA has once again raised their …

The Effect Of Stride Angle On Ball Velocity And Stride Length In Softball Pitching, Jeanna Marie Foster

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine differences in stride length and ball velocity which occur as a result of changes in the stride angle in the underarm fastball pitch. All subjects were female collegiate level softball pitchers who pitched windmill style. Each pitcher's preferred stride angle, stride length, and ball velocity were recorded. Stride lengths and ball velocities for predetermined stride angles were then recorded. An artificial environment was designed with a grid marked to measure stride length and stride angle. A radar gun was used to measure ball velocity. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to calculate …

A Comparison Of The Speed Of Two Defensive Step Patterns By Women Volleyball Players, Sergei Y. Sherstnev

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to compare the speed of two defensive step patterns in volleyball. The shuffle step and long step were evaluated in terms of the speed of the shift of the center of gravity and stability. Subjects were 14 former female collegiate volleyball players. Each subject performed both the shuffle step and the long step in both directions. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in speed of the two step patterns, movement time, and height of the center of gravity (p >.05). There was a significant difference in displacement (F = 15.3687, p <.0001). The long step showed significantly greater distance from the line of gravity to the center of the base in the direction of the step than did the shuffle step (F = 24.2806, <.0001). The long step showed significantly greater size of the base of support as compared to the shuffle steps on both sides {F = 55.1042, p <.0001). The long steps demonstrated more mobility in the direction of the step, and the shuffle step showed more stability in the final position.

The Effects Of Ibuprofen On Exercise-Induced Muscle Soreness And Performance, Atta Kofi Osei

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was designed to investigate whether the ingestion of ibuprofen prior to or after a 30-min bout of downhill (-10%) treadmill running would result in reduced sensation of soreness. A secondary purpose was to investigate whether ibuprofen would augment the diminished muscle performance following downhill running. Subject consisted of 21 males (age= 20.3 ± 1.7 years; weight= 77.4 ± 7.8 kg). Each subject was randomly assigned to either a control group, a prophylactic group which received 600 mg of ibuprofen 1 hour prior to the 30-min treadmill run and (200 mg every 3 hr postexercise up to 24 hours), …

Assessment Of Weight Control Strategies Between Athletes And Nonathletes, Linda K. Buehler

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the present study was to assess motivation factors from a cognitive/social learning model for choosing a particular dieting style based on athletic status. One hundred ten athletes and 119 nonathletes were asked to fill out a series of questionnaires which included: A demographics inventory, an experimental questionnaire containing eight dieting methods (5 pathogenic dieting methods and 3 nonpathogenic dieting methods), the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Bulimia Test. The significant findings were: (a) nonathletes smoked to lose weight more often than athletes and athletes exercised to lose weight more often than nonathletes; (b) …

The Relationship Between Flexibility, Vertical Jump, And Skill In Female High School Volleyball Players, Julia Ann Gerstenberger

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between flexibility, vertical jumping ability, and volleyball skill, in female high school volleyball players. Subjects were 112 females ages 14 through 18 years attending a volleyball camp at Arkansas State University. The research approach employed by this study was a correlational design with ANOVA. Flexibility measurements were taken with a goniometer on both the right and left sides for ankle, knee, and hip flexion and extension. The Sargent vertical jump test was used to measure vertical jumping ability, and skill assessment was determined by an objective rating test designed by …

A Profile Of Susceptibility To Decompression Sickness Among Sport Divers In The Islands Of Micronesia, Timothy Lee Thompson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of sport divers' susceptibility to decompression sickness in the islands of Micronesia. Results of this study are based on demographic data from accident reports related to decompression sickness that were collected and analyzed from January 1, 1988 to December 31, 1992. Data related to eight variables were analyzed to construct a divers' susceptibility profile which will assist dive instructors, charter operations, and dive industry personnel in briefing the diving public about safe diving practices. They included the gender of the divers, age of the divers, residence, computer or dive table …