Sports Sciences Commons^™

The Influence Of Exercise Environment And Gender On Mood And Exertion, Thomas G. Plante, Marily A. Opezzo, L. Aislinn Diaz, Selena Pistoresi, Michael Santos, Jacqueline E. Fahey, Elizabeth Kay, Briana Britton, Suheel Khan

Psychology

This study examined the influence of exercise environment and gender on post-exercise mood and exertion. College student participants (55 females, 49 males) were instructed to pedal a stationary bike at a moderate pace for 20 minutes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three laboratory conditions: (1) exercising in front of a mirror and posters showing ideal fit body types (i.e., celebrity male and female personal trainers), (2) exercising in front of a mirror only, or (3) a control condition in which participants exercised without a mirror or posters. The Activation- Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD-ACL), measuring exercise-induced mood states, …

An Exploratory Examination Of Families Engaged In An Adventure Running Kids Program, Heather Isnor

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Academics and practitioners have only just begun to delve into the health benefits of outdoor activities in the last few years. In general, the forested settings of these activities have been documented to decrease stress levels, increase recovery rates from disease, and lessen the symptoms of mental illnesses (Kuo & Faber Taylor, 2004). It is believed that the natural environment acts as a setting where humans can engage in physical activity, aesthetic experiences, and social interactions that, in turn, release stress and lead to improved well-being (Bird, 2012). Currently, however, children are experiencing limited exposure to nature and which has …

Results From Ireland's 2014 Report Card On Physical Activity In Children And Youth, Deirdre M. Harrington, Sarahjane Belton, Tara Coppinger, Muireann Cullen, Alan Donnelly, Kieran Dowd, Teresa Keating, Richard Layte, Marie Murphy, Niamh Murphy, Elaine Murtagh, Catherine Woods

Publications

Background: Physical activity (PA) levels are a key performance indicator for policy documents in Ireland. The first Ireland Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Youth aims to set a robust baseline for future surveillance of indicators related to PA in children and youth. Methods: Data collected between 2003-2010 on more than 35,000 7- to 18-year-old children and youth were used and graded using a standardized grading system for 10 indicators. Results: Grades assigned for the indicators were as follows: overall physical activity levels, D-; sedentary behavior (TV viewing), C-; organized sport participation, C-: physical education, D-; active play, …

Effect Of Acute L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine (Sustamine) And Electrolyte Ingestion On Cognitive Function, Multiple Object Tracking And Reaction Time Following Prolonged Exercise, Gabriel Pruna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Changes in physiological function occurring during a body water deficit may result in significant decrements in performance, cognitive function and fine motor control during exercise. This may be due to the magnitude of the body water deficit. Rehydration strategies are important to prevent these deleterious effects in performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the changes before and after prolonged exercise of an alanine-glutamine dipeptide (AG) on cognitive function and reaction time. Twelve male endurance-trained runners (age: 23.5 [plus or minus] 3.7 y; height: 175.5 [plus or minus] 5.4 cm; weight: 70.7 [plus or minus] 7.6 kg) participated …

Effect Of Acute L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine (Sustamine) And Electrolyte Ingestion On Plasma Electrolytes, Physiologic Measures, And Neuromuscular Fatigue During Endurance Exercise, William Mccormack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of two dose levels of L-Alanyl-LGlutamine in a commercially available sports drink to the sports drink only on time to exhaustion, neuromuscular fatigue and physiological measures during prolonged endurance exercise. Twelve endurance-trained males (23.5±3.7 yrs; 175.5±5.4 cm; 70.7±7.6 kg) performed four trials, each consisting of 1 hr treadmill runs at 75% of VO2peak followed by a run to exhaustion at 90% of VO2peak. The trials differed in type of hydration. One trial consisted of no hydration (NHY), another required ingestion of only a sports drink (ET), and two trials required …

Perspectives Of Female Leaders In Athletic Training, Kyle Matthew Momsen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Previous research has found that women face barriers in athletic training and it appears that they are not represented in leadership positions in numbers equal to the demographics of athletic training. The purpose of this research was to explore the leadership experiences and perspectives of female athletic trainers who have earned a leadership position at the highest levels in athletic training. This qualitative investigation utilized semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 12 women that held national leadership positions in athletic training. The data from this investigation suggests that many of the barriers that previously faced women in athletic training have decreased or …

Iron Status And The Acute Post-Exercise Hepcidin Response In Athletes, Peter Peeling, Marc Sim, Claire E. Badenhorst, Brian Dawson, Andrew D. Govus, Chris R. Abbiss, Dorine W. Swinkels, Debbie Trinder

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study explored the relationship between serum ferritin and hepcidin in athletes. Baseline serum ferritin levels of 54 athletes from the control trial of five investigations conducted in our laboratory were considered; athletes were grouped according to values 100 mg/L (SF>100). Data pooling resulted in each athlete completing one of five running sessions: (1) 8x3 min at 85% vVO2peak; (2) 5x4 min at 90% vVO2peak; (3) 90 min continuous at 75% vVO2peak; (4) 40 min continuous at 75% vVO 2peak; (5) 40 min continuous at 65% vVO2peak. Athletes from each running session were represented amongst all four groups; hence, …

Changes In Muscle Damage Markers In Female Basketball Players, Alexandre Moreira, Ken Nosaka, Joao Antonio Nunes, Luis Viveiros, Athanasios Z. Jamurtas, Marcelo Saldanha Aoki

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in muscle soreness, blood muscle damage markers, muscle strength and agility following an official basketball match. Eleven elite female professional basketball players (27.4 ± 4.8 years, 179.5 ± 5.5 cm, 72.0 ± 7.8 kg) of a team participated in this study. The official match was the seventh match of the season in the first phase of the Brazilian National Female Basketball Championship. Muscle soreness, plasma creatine kinase activity (CK), and myoglobin concentration (Mb) were determined before and after the match (post-match, 24 and 48 hours after the match). The 1RM …

Influence Of Age And Sex On Pacing During Sprint, Olympic, Half-Ironman And Ironman Triathlons. Part B, Sam Shi Xuan Wu, Jeremiah J. Peiffer, Jeanick Brisswalter, Wing Y. Lau, Kazunori Nosaka, Christopher Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of biological sex and age on the pacing strategies adopted by non-drafting top triathletes during the cycle and run disciplines of a Sprint, Olympic, half-Ironman and Ironman triathlon. Split times of the top 20% non-elite males (n=468) and females (n=146) were determined using official race transponders and a video capture system for pre-determined sections of the cycle and run disciplines of four triathlon distances. Indices of pacing were calculated to compare between sexes and age-groups. Results of this study indicated that different pacing strategies were adopted between athletes of different …

Self-Efficacy, Self-Determination, And Self-Regulation: The Role Of The Fitness Professional In Social Change Agency, Joshua M. Garrin

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Current epidemiological data reported by governing health authorities reveal the biopsychosocial complexity of health maintenance in the 21st century. As statistics reflect the insidious, worldwide impact of chronic disease and psychosocial stress, the medical domain continues to endorse multidisciplinary approaches to support the myriad systems that underpin health and well-being. With their scope of practice continually expanding to accommodate such needs, fitness professionals (FPs) have become a mainstay on the front lines of health behavior management in recent years. Beyond their role in facilitating physical health gains, contemporary FPs undertake the challenge of instilling health self-efficacy beliefs, reinforcing autonomy and …

The Regulation Of Skeletal Muscle Mass And Mitochondrial Biogenesis By Gp130/Stat3 Signaling During Cancer Cachexia, Melissa Puppa

Theses and Dissertations

Cachexia affects nearly 70% of all cancer patients depending on the cancer, and decreases cancer survival. Cachexia is associated with muscle mass loss that is accompanied by a loss in muscle oxidative capacity, a decrease in protein synthesis and an increase in protein degradation. While progress has been made in understanding some of the mechanisms underlying the cachectic condition, there are currently no approved pharmaceutical interventions to slow or stop cachexia progression. The purpose this study was to determine the role of skeletal muscle gp130 and STAT3 signaling in the regulation of cachexia induced muscle atrophy and mitochondrial loss. Specific …

Differential Effects Of Fatigue On Movement Variability, N. Cortes, J. Onate, S. Morrison

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

When individuals perform purposeful actions to fatigue, there is typically a general decline in their movement performance. This study was designed to investigate the effects exercise-induced fatigue has on lower limb kinetics and kinematics during a side-step cutting task. In particular, it was of interest to determine what changes could be seen in mean amplitude and all metrics of signal variability with fatigue. The results of the study revealed that post-fatigue there was an overall decrease in absolute force production as reflected by a decline in mean amplitude and variability (SD) of the ground reaction forces (GRF_V and GRF …

Landing Technique Assessment Utilizing Laboratory-Based Landing And Simulated Basketball Landing Tasks, Hiromi Kowata

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Context: The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) is a two-dimensional landing technique assessment tool that is readily available to clinicians. However, the LESS merely assesses a contrived landing, rather than dynamic, complex movements that may occur during actual athletic performance. Objective: To compare the LESS scores and knee joint kinematics between the LESS vertical-drop jump (DVJ), and two simulated basketball landing performances, jump-stop jump shot (JS) and rebounding (RB). Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study. Setting: An intramural basketball court. Participants: Twenty-five female recreational basketball players (Age: 20.96±1.70, Height (cm): 166.07 ± 9.10, Weight (kg): 68.54 ±12.17). Intervention(s) …

Investigating The Effects Of Endurance Training On Heart Rate Variability In Female Swimmer Athletes, Joshua G. Beck

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

It is important for elite endurance athletes to have practical and reliable means of measuring fatigue throughout their training. Variations in Autonomic Nervous System activity (ANS) may provide an effective marker of fatigue and of recovery. ANS control of heart rate is well known to be affected by exercise training, and those adaptations can be determined using measures of heart rate variability (HRV). Previous research has examined the effect of training on HRV and ANS control of heart rate in males, there is a lack of any comprehensive studies that address adaptations in female athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this …

An Interval Training Bout On Cognitive Performance In Healthy Adults, David Young

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Cognitive performance has been shown to improve with regular aerobic exercise training. Despite this, most Americans do not adhere to current exercise prescription guidelines. High intensity interval training (HIIT) has been suggested as a lower time commitment, more enjoyable alternative to regular aerobic exercise. Twenty nine apparently healthy college-aged adults were recruited and administered a high intensity interval training session with a pre- and 24 hours-post-exercise cognitive performance test. No changes were found in performance following the bout of high intensity interval training. No significant interactions were observed when comparing performance to gender, training age, training goal, or intra-exercise rating …

Concussion Reporting Rates At The Conclusion Of A Collegiate Athletic Career, Frances C. Gilbert

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Context: Concussions are common sports-related head injuries, with an estimated 1.6-3.8 million sport-related traumatic brain injuries occurring each year. Proper diagnosis of a concussion often lies in self-reporting symptoms, however, an estimated 50-80% of concussions remain unreported. More than half of college athletes indicate they have no head injury knowledge including potential consequences, however, more than 80% would have reported a head injury if they had understood the potential risks. This lack of knowledge may create the potential for unrecognized concussive injury, therefore causing vast underreporting. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current reported …

An Examination Of Behavioral And Temporal Consistency Of Pre-Performance Routines In Ncaa Division I Basketball Free Throw Shooting – A Naturalist Observational Investigation, Jacob Blumberg

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Research has shown that pre-performance routines positively influence performance of closed and self-paced skills (Boutcher & Crews, 1987; Cohn, 1990; Otto et al., 2011). Boutcher and Crews (1987) suggested that pre-performance routines improve performance by helping reduce anxiety along with helping athletes’ retain mental sharpness and focus. Furthermore, several quantitative studies have examined the influence of both behavioral and temporal consistency of pre-performance routines on the success of a skill, yielding inconsistent results (Boutcher & Crews, 1987; Lobmeyer & Wasserman, 1986; Lonsdale & Tam, 2008; Jackson, 2003). However, research examining this phenomenon from a qualitative and naturalistic observational perspective is …

Comparing Calorie Expenditure And Rating Of Perceived Exertion Between The Curve And A Motorized Treadmill, Nicholas Robertson

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

The purpose of this study was to determine if any difference in Calorie expenditure and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) exists when walking on the Curve or a motorized treadmill. Recruitment of participants was done through recruitment flyers placed on campus. After indicating interest, participants’ eligibility was determined by the PAR-Q and being unfamiliar with walking on the Curve. Twelve participants volunteered for the study (five males, seven females). The mean age of participants was 22.58 years ± 2.31 and mean weight was 76.96kg ± 16.19. On testing days, each participant was fitted with a polar heart rate monitor and …

Trunk Coordination In Dancers And Non-Dancers, Danielle N. Jarvis, Jo Armour Smith, Kornelia Kulig

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Variability, or how a task changes across trials, may reveal differences between athletes of differing skill levels. The purpose of this study was to examine trunk and lower extremity (LE) single joint kinematic variability and inter-segmental coordination variability in dancers and non-dancers during bipedal vertical dance jumps (sautés). Twenty healthy females, ten with no formal dance training and ten professional dancers, performed 20 consecutive sautés. Single joint kinematic variability was assessed using mean standard deviation of angular displacement, and inter-segmental coordination variability was assessed using angular deviation of the coupling angle between segments. Within the context of the standard error …

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 …

Factors Influencing Pacing In Triathlon, Sam Shi Xuan Wu, Jeremiah P. Peiffer, Jeanick Brisswalter, Kazunori Nosaka, Chris Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Triathlon is a multisport event consisting of sequential swim, cycle, and run disciplines performed over a variety of distances. This complex and unique sport requires athletes to appropriately distribute their speed or energy expenditure (ie, pacing) within each discipline as well as over the entire event. As with most physical activity, the regulation of pacing in triathlon may be influenced by a multitude of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The majority of current research focuses mainly on the Olympic distance, whilst much less literature is available on other triathlon distances such as the sprint, half-Ironman, and Ironman distances. Furthermore, little is …

The Creation And Validation Of A Youth Fundamental Hitting Scale: The Assessment Of Youth Baseball And Softball Hitting Fundamentals And The Perceived Psychological Barriers To Hitting A Pitched Ball, Andrew Walsh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The primary purpose of the thesis was to create a hitting scale for youth players that assess the fundamentals of a baseball swing. Secondly, the purpose of this thesis was to determine the interactions between the changes in anxiety, perceived competence and fear variables have with actual hitting competence over a four week sport specific training program.

Relative Importance And Plasticity Of Anatomical And Neuromuscular Factors Affecting Joint Torque Production, Joanne C. Trezise

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The present research aimed to determine (i) the relative influence anatomical and neuromuscular variables on maximal isometric, concentric and eccentric knee extensor torque (Study 1); (ii) whether the change in strength following a 10-week strength training program is associated with changes in specific anatomical and neuromuscular variables (Study 2a); (iii) whether anatomical and neuromuscular adaptations are dependent on their pre-training magnitudes; and (iv) whether it is possible to ‘predict’ an individual’s adaptation to strength training based on their anatomical and neuromuscular pre-training magnitudes (Study 2b).

The variables assessed throughout the studies include muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), fascicle length and angle …

Muscle Damage After A Tennis Match In Young Players, Rodrigo Vitasovic Gomes, Ricardo Santos, Ken Nosaka, Alexandre Moreira, Elen Miyabara, Marcelo Saldanha Aoki

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The present study investigated changes in indirect markers of muscle damage following a simulated tennis match play using nationally ranked young (17.6 ± 1.4 years) male tennis players. Ten young athletes played a 3-hour simulated match play on outdoor red clay courts following the International Tennis Federation rules. Muscle soreness, plasma creatine kinase activity (CK), serum myoglobin concentration (Mb), one repetition maximum (1RM) squat strength, and squat jump (SJ) and counter movement jump (CMJ) heights were assessed before, immediately after, and 24 and 48 h after the simulated match play. All parameters were also evaluated in a non-exercised group (control …

Factors Influencing Peripheral Skin Temperature Circadian Rhythm In Young Adult Males, Hannah Tranel

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Periodic cues, including scheduled exercise, social interactions, sleep habits, and feeding time, have been shown to alter the circadian system. A disruption in circadian rhythms has been shown to have negative effects on health. Frequent skin temperature measures have been shown to be a valid method of assessing circadian rhythm parameters. The purpose of this study was to determine group mean differences in temperature amplitude, stability and lag measures among groups of young men of varying (optimal, fair and poor) adiposities. The strength of the association among the temperatures parameters and measures of body composition, physical fitness and activity, nutritional …

The Effect Of Tactical Tasks And Gear On Muscle Activation Of Swat Officers, Jason M. Keeler

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers constitute a subgroup of specialized law enforcement officers that perform a variety of tactical operations while wearing approximately 40 kg of tactical gear. Lower back pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal injury suffered by SWAT officers. Tactical gear places significant stress on the lower back. Thus, it is important to quantify the effect that tactical gear has on muscle activation levels of torso musculature while performing occupational tasks. Electromyography was evaluated on 20 male subjects (age: 34.7±4.5 yr.; height: 1.79±.10 m; body mass: 91.53±17.32 kg; mass of gear: 13.82±1.90 kg) while performing four tactical tasks …

Pain Assessment And Possible Mechanism Of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Wing Yin Lau

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Muscle pain is felt during exercise or daily activities for several days after performing unaccustomed exercise, which is referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Many people experience DOMS, but its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. One of the challenges in the investigation of DOMS is its subjective nature, which makes the assessment ambiguous, thus establishing a standardised protocol is necessary. The present thesis scrutinised muscle pain assessments (Study 1, Study 2), developed a new assessment of muscle pain focusing on muscle fascia (Study 3), and investigated why DOMS is reduced after the second than the first bout …

Neuromuscular Fatigue Following A Singles Badminton Match, Zengyuan Lin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

A typical badminton singles match involves numerous intense and high impact movements. Lunges were accounted for approximately 15% of overall movements and were believed to presumably induce significant muscle damage following a match. However, no previous study has investigated changes in knee extensor muscle function after a badminton match.The present study investigated changes in knee extensor neuromuscular function and muscle soreness after a simulated 1-h badminton singles match in relation to the number of lunges performed in the match.

Ten state-level male badminton players were recruited (n=10), with each player played a total of eight simulated 1-h matches under the …

Neuromuscular Factors Affecting Stretch-Induced Torque Loss, Gabriel Siqueira Trajano

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The mechanisms underpinning the immediate torque loss induced by acute, static muscle stretching are still not clear. The current research was designed to examine the neuromuscular factors influencing this torque loss. In Study 1, the contributions of central versus peripheral factors to the stretch-induced torque loss were investigated. Measures of central drive, including the EMG amplitude normalised to the muscle compound action potential amplitude (EMG:M), percent voluntary activation (%VA) and first volitional wave amplitude (V:M), and measures of peripheral function, including the twitch peak torque and 20:80 Hz tetanic torque ratio were made before, and immediately and 15 min after …