Sports Sciences Commons^™

From Zero To One Hundred: Assessing Discomfort In Different Cuff Widths Following Use Of Blood Flow Restriction, Raksha Chatakondi

Honors Theses

Purpose: To examine the impact of cuff width, pressure, and sex on the perceptual response to blood flow restriction through a series of six experiments. Methods: Experiment One (n=50), Experiment Two (n=105), and Experiment Three (n=105) took place in the upper body, and Experiment Four (n=100), Experiment Five (n=100), and Experiment Six (n=100) took place in the lower body. Perceptual discomfort was measured following each condition. Results: Results are expressed as mean (+ SD). In Experiment One, there were no differences in discomfort. In Experiment Two, the wide cuff resulted in more discomfort [43 (20) AU] compared to the narrow …

Effects Of Prolonged Downhill Running On Upper Body Muscle Functions, Robert J. Benton

Honors Theses

Downhill running exercise has shown damaging effects on the lower body muscles. However, its effects on the remote nonlocal upper limb muscle’s neuromuscular functions are not well studied. Purpose: To examine the potential effects of a 1-hour downhill running exercise on the elbow flexor muscle neuromuscular functions and performance. Methods: Seventeen healthy and physically active young adults (Control: n = 9; Running: n = 8) participated in and completed this study. The Control group rested for 30 minutes while the Running group performed 1-hour of downhill running at a 10% decline on a treadmill. Before (Pre), immediately after (Post), 24 …

The Efficacy Of A Verification Stage For Determining Vo2max And The Impact Of Sampling Time, Emily J. Kontos

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Purpose: Verification phases may improve the validity of maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) measurements during maximal graded exercise testing (GXT). It is not known whether VO₂ sampling times influence the necessity of a verification stage. Methods: 15 female and 18 male test subjects (18 – 25 y) completed a treadmill incremental GXT. Speed was increased from 3.0 mph by 0.5 mph every minute until 6.0 mph was reached. Elevation was then increased by 3% every minute until volitional fatigue. Subjects then walked for five minutes at 3.0 mph and 0% grade; after which time the verification stage began …

The Effects Of Generalized Stress And Anxiety On Clinical Athletic Training Students: A Qualitative Study, Morgan E. Dumont

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Stress and anxiety are present and acknowledged on our society as seven out of 10 United States adults deal with moderate stress or anxiety on a daily basis (Beiter et al., 2015). Sport research has primarily focused on student-athletes, how they struggle, and the resources that can be provided to help this population cope and manage their stress. However, there is lack of research about stress and anxiety among those individuals who provide the care to student-athletes, specifically the athletic training students within their clinical assignments. Athletic training students lead similar schedules to student-athletes by devoting time to prepare for …

Swim Instruction For Individuals With Developmental Coordination Disorder, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Almost every swim teacher has encountered an individual who had difficulty learning to swim, whose movements appeared dissimilar from peers, or who needed to repeat swim course instructional levels many times. That individual might have had difficulty with sport activities, handwriting, and been clumsy in gross and fine motor tasks. Difficulty with coordination and control of movement may suggest a diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Individuals experiencing DCD may feel left out, inadequate, unhappy, frustrated, and embarrassed by his or her ineptness. These feelings may result in an individual withdrawing or refusing to join in and participate in physical …

Staff Training In Aquatics For Individuals With Disabilities: The Quest, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Trained instructors in general programs have the ability and resources to initiate and follow through with developing water safe individuals who are capable swimmers. Specific staff training to prepare individuals to facilitate aquatic participation for individuals with disabilities is currently extremely limited. The purpose of this article is to examine the barriers to specialized staff training in aquatics for individuals with disabilities, to suggest necessary staff training content, and to propose topics for further research in the area of staff training. Seeking development of quality staff training programs for those working in aquatics for individuals with disabilities is the quest.

Unanticipated Stressful And Rewarding Experiences Engage The Same Prefrontal Cortex And Ventral Tegmental Area Neuronal Populations, Alberto Del Arco, Junchol Park, Bita Moghaddam

Faculty and Student Publications

© 2020 Del Arco et al. Brain networks that mediate motivated behavior in the context of aversive and rewarding experiences involve the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Neurons in both regions are activated by stress and reward, and by learned cues that predict aversive or appetitive outcomes. Recent studies have proposed that separate neuronal populations and circuits in these regions encode learned aversive versus appetitive contexts. But how about the actual experience? Do the same or different PFC and VTA neurons encode unanticipated aversive and appetitive experiences? To address this, we recorded unit activity and local field …

Efficacy Of An Audio-Based Biofeedback Intervention To Modify Running Gait In Female Runners 2020, Sarah Rothstein

Master's Theses

Introduction: Gait retraining interventions are used to modify foot strike parameters associated with musculoskeletal injuries. Such interventions may prove beneficial if gait modifications are maintained long-term and provide a physiological performance benefit. Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether female recreational runners can use a smartphone decibel app to self-modify gait mechanics associated with injury. The secondary purpose was to determine if such gait modifications are retained beyond the initial training session. The tertiary purpose was to determine if such gait modifications were associated with improved running economy. Methods: The peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), …

The Relationship Between Sport Commitment With Off-Season Training Time And Previous In-Season Playing Time In College-Aged Soccer Players 2020., Luke Zuber

Master's Theses

Sport commitment is defined as “…the desire and resolve to continue sport participation” (Scanlan, Carpenter, Schmidt, Simons, & Keeler, 1993, p. 6). Since the first definition, the concept has been further refined to reflect a more multidimensional paradigm. Overall, sport commitment is thought to be comprised of the dimensions of enthusiastic commitment and constrained commitment (Scanlan, Chow, Sousa, Scanlan, & Knifsend, 2016). Those constructs can be broken down further to 12 subconstructs that are represented in the Sport Commitment – 2 (SC; Scanlan, Chow, Sousa, Scanlan, & Knifsend, 2016), in order to evaluate the source and level of an individual’s …

The Effect Of Learning Styles On Strength Training Perceptions And Satisfaction, Shayna Covington

Graduate Theses

Objectives: To examine learning styles and training perceptions in NCAA Division I student-athletes and determine if perceptions of training differ among learning styles.

Participants: The participants of this study consisted of 99 student-athletes from a NCAA Division I university in the southeastern United States during the 2019-2020 school year.

Methods: Data was collected using the online survey system Qualtrics. Learning styles were surveyed using the VARK Questionnaire- Student-athletes Version and training perceptions were collected utilizing the Training Information Survey.

Results: The majority of student-athletes studied identified as predominantly visual learners (n = 42). Overall, perceptions of training were positive (M …

The Effect Of Attentional Focus Instructions On Single Leg Balance Performance 2020., Cory Monahan

Master's Theses

Balance and postural control exercises are often a part of exercise programs. During exercise programs, movement practitioners can provide instructions to facilitate performance and learning. Instructions can be used to direct attentional focus, which has been found to affect the performance and learning of motor skills, including balance and postural control tasks. However, no known studies to date have investigated the effect of both internal and external attentional focus instructions on static single leg balance performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of attentional focus instructions on static single leg balance performance as reflected by the …

Language, Motor, And Cognitive Outcomes Of Toddlers Who Were Born Preterm, Diane Frome Loeb, Caitlin M. Imgrund, Jaehoon Lee, Steven Barlow

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the language, motor, and cognitive abilities of children born preterm in four categories: (a) healthy preterm infants, (b) infants of diabetic mothers, (c) infants with respiratory distress syndrome, and (d) infants with chronic lung disease when the children were 30 months, uncorrected age. Comorbidity of language, motor, and cognitive skills was examined, along with predictor variables.

Method: A total of 148 children who were born preterm participated and were assessed using bivariate tests and logistic regression on standardized assessment scores.

Results: Controlling for the children’s gestational age (GA), overall language ability …

Transformation Leadership And Youth Development Soccer Coaches: Behaviors That Enhance Coaching Performance, Diego Barros Dos Santos

Leadership Education Capstones

This quantitative study investigated the potential relationship between youth development soccer coaching style and transformational leadership behaviors. An anonymous survey was the source of data for this study. Participants responses were categorized into the four factors of transformational leadership which include (1) intellectual stimulation, (2) inspirational motivation, (3) idealized influence, and (4) individualized considerations. Recommendations for future research encompass expanding the demographics, sample size and field observations. Additionally, further research could include a contrast and comparison between coaches perspective x athletes perspective about transformational leadership behaviors. Furthermore, transformational leadership workshop and post survey intervention might expose how coaches leadership style …

Influences Of Coach Leadership Related To Nutrition On Collegiate Student Athletes Dietary Choices, Maria Fruechte

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this study is to better understand how coach leadership related to nutritional information influences collegiate student athletes’ acquisition and application of nutrition. This will be followed up to consider how the information and expectations of coaches influences athletes’ knowledge and dietary choices.

Indices Of Metabolic Stress Following Resistance Exercise, Steven Alexander Long

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was twofold: 1). to evaluate the metabolic responses to varying volume load (VL), manipulated through relative training intensity and 2). to evaluate the metabolic response to training via direct and indirect methods to assess the application potential of non-invasive methods. Recreationally trained male weight lifters (n = 11) volunteered to participate in this resistance training (RT) study. During three separate testing sessions, participants completed three sets of repetitions of the barbell bicep curl exercise to technical failure with short inter-set rest intervals (60 seconds). Participants were randomly assigned one of three training intensities immediately prior …

Pre-Exercise Hydration Status Changes In Females Throughout The Menstrual Cycle, Kristen A. Splaine

Honors Scholar Theses

In the field of athletics, research including females is limited. Oftentimes, research that only included male subjects is generalized and is later used to incorporate guidelines for both male and female athletes. This study focused on how the menstrual cycle, a female exclusive bodily process, could change hydration status. Participants within the study were between the ages of 18 and 35 and only data from females was analyzed. The study was designed as a crossover subject trial over the span of two months. Subjects participated in a total of four trials that were divided into phase-hydration groups. Two trials were …

Validity And Reliability Of Temperature Sensing Devices During And Following Exercise In The Heat, Olivia Covin

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Validity and Reliability of Temperature Sensing Devices During and Following Exercise in the Heat

Covin, O., McDermott, B., Ganio, M., Vandermark, L.: Exercise Science Research Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Background: Exertional heat stroke is a danger for athletes that participate in outdoor and indoor sports and can be fatal if not recognized and treated properly. Oral temperature is commonly used to assess an athlete’s temperature during exercise, but previous research suggests it may be an invalid and unreliable measurement of core temperature. A company recently designed a mouth guard prototype that changes color when core temperature reaches a …

The Relationship Between Glucose Levels And Physical Activity, Rebecca Eberle

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract: Background/Introduction: Elevated glucose levels can increase the risk of diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes. Thus, knowing glucose levels is important to indicate the likelihood of future health complications. Unfortunately, many young adults do not know their glucose levels. Purpose: The purpose of this research study was to complete a cross- sectional study and determine associations between fasting glucose with physical activity, and fitness. I hypothesized more physical activity, and higher fitness, will result in a lower, fasting glucose level. Methodology: This study examined 26 participants aged 18-25. The participants completed an 8-hour fasted glucose measurement, …

A Phenomenological Approach On Communication Experiences Between Strength And Conditioning Coaches And Head Sport Coaches, Benjamin Charles

Leadership Education Capstones

This study investigates communication experiences between Strength and Conditioning Coaches and Head Sport Coaches using a phenomenological approach. Sixteen Strength and Conditioning Coaches were surveyed, via Qualtrics, to obtain basic demographics and answer open-ended questions to understand communication experiences and strategies Strength and Conditioning Coaches use to have effective relationships, teamwork, and athletic performance with Head Sport Coaches. Participants were required to be currently working for a DI-DIII 4-year University in the United States, have at least 1-year of Strength and Conditioning experience, an accredit certification related to training athletes at the college level, and be at least 21 years …

Changes In Countermovement Jump And Sprint During A Congested Match Schedule In Female Youth Soccer Players, Joanne Spalding

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Youth soccer players are required to play multiple matches within a short period of time. Participation in congested match schedules like youth soccer tournaments can result in fatigue and a decline in physical performance. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in countermovement jump height variables and sprint time to determine if physical performance was altered. Fourteen youth female soccer players performed countermovement jump testing pre, post-match, and post-tournament, and sprint testing pre and post-tournament. Jump height differed significantly (p

A Comparison Of Vertical Ground Reaction Forces In Single-Leg Jump Take-Offs And Double-Leg Jump Take-Offs In Indoor Collegiate Volleyball Players, Margaret Elisabeth Latchford, Maggie Mcdermott, Austin Deshner, Moroni De Moors, Will W. Peveler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences in vertical ground reaction forces (vGRFs) exist between single-leg take-off approaches (SL) and double-leg take-off approaches (DL) and if sex or positional differences existed in vGRFs in SL- or DL-style approaches. It was hypothesized that DL jumps would generate greater vGRFs, males would generate greater vGRFs in both styles, and middle blockers would have higher SL vGRFs while pin hitters would have higher DL vGRFs. Nine collegiate volleyball players (4 female; 5 male) (age: 20.44 ± 1.42 years; height: 186.02 ± 6.44 cm; body mass: 78.21 ± 10.63kg; body fat: …

Golf Director Competencies, Human Resource Management Practices And Customer Retention Within The Malaysian Golf Clubs, Partanian Samira

Student Works (2020-2029)

Golf is a popular sport worldwide. Many studies have described management competencies in several sport contexts and have revealed that human resource is the most common denominator for successful sports club practice. However, little work has been done to identify and explain contemporary Human Resource Management (HRM) practices of staff, including directors of golf clubs related to member retention. The purpose of this study was to examine the current level and the participants' quality perceptions in the relationship among competencies of directors, HRM practices of staff, and member retention within the Malaysian Golf Clubs to advance the causal relationships among …

Treatment Of Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy With Active Release Technique In Collegiate Track Athletes: A Case Series, Madison Hagedorn

Honors Program Theses

It is imperative that healthcare professionals implement evidence-based practice into their professional practice to provide the best patient-centered care. Evidence-based practice is a systematic approach to making decisions about patient care that includes patients’ preferences and values, clinical expertise acquired through clinical experience and practice, and relevant research evidence in making decisions about patient care. A common challenging condition for clinicians to treat is a chronic injury. Proximal hamstring tendinopathy (PHT) is a common chronic condition among running athletes that is often characterized by pain in the upper hamstring or buttocks during repetitive activities. Proximal hamstring tendinopathy is typically treated …

Effects Of A Sport Nutrition Education Intervention On Nutritional Knowledge, Dietary Behaviors, And Self-Efficacy In Ncaa Division I Softball Players, Kylie Wilson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Optimal nutrition is vital in sport. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a sport nutrition education intervention (SNEI) on nutritional knowledge, dietary behaviors, nutritional self-efficacy, body composition, and performance in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female softball players, and to measure retention and effects of this knowledge after the SNEI period. Seven participants were assessed using a Dietary Behaviors and Nutritional Knowledge questionnaire, Self-Efficacy questionnaire, BodPod measurement, exit velocity, and weekly intention surveys. Two-way mixed repeated ANOVAs were used to determine the impact of a five-week SNEI on an intervention group as compared to …

Mouthguard Efficacy In Baseball Pitching Velocity, Nathan Iskowitz

Longwood Senior Theses

Successful pitching in baseball may be due to several factors including the mechanics of the motion, the strength, power, flexibility of the athlete, as well as their intent and fatigue levels. The pitching motion is a very powerful, violent, complex and abnormal range of motion of the body. In recent studies, it has been widely evidenced that the ability to produce instantaneous high peak force outputs is related to success in sport. Therefore, the ability to produce higher peak force may be related to the ability to pitching in baseball. Mouthguards have been shown to significantly increase power production in …

Effect Of Different Music Genres On Cognitive Task Performance After High Intensity Interval Training, Derek Jones

Longwood Senior Theses

The effects of high intensity exercise on cognitive performance are not fully understood. Music can affect physiological responses to exercise which may also impact cognitive performance. The aim of this study was to determine if music could impact cognitive performance after a bout of high intensity exercise. METHODS: Twelve subjects (n=7 males, n=5 females, 20.3 ± 1.7 y; 72.2 ± 14.9 kg; 1.70 ± 0.09 m) completed the Stroop test after a short (12 min) bout of high intensity interval exercise while listening to either Classical, Rock, or No Music. Subjects completed the Brunel Music Rating Inventory after listening to …

The Effects Of Fatigue On Lower Extremity Neuromuscular Control, Matthew Thomas Marcen

Theses and Dissertations

Lower extremity injuries and pathologies are amongst the most common issues recreational athletes face. Fatigue is a factor that may impact how the lower extremity performs on a neuromuscular level. Neuromuscular control is a vital aspect of athletic performance and everyday life, that when hindered, may produce pathological results. The research is contradictory on whether or not fatigue produces a significant impact during neuromuscular performance. The purpose of this study is to assess neuromuscular control following a lower extremity fatigue protocol.

This study was a randomized a controlled trial. Twenty-one recreationally active subjects, 10 males and 11 females, between the …

Internal Training Load In Collegiate Basketball Players: Effort Ratings Vs. Heart Rate Measurements In Ncaa Dii Players, Amber Stephens

Honors College Theses

BACKGROUND: College basketball is an intense team sport that utilizes both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems to play a 40-minute-long game and cover around 2-3 miles on average per game (Narazaki et al 2009). The high workloads can lead to fatigue, which increases injury risk (Garbenytė-Apolinskienė et al 2019). The purpose of this study is to compare subject ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) with objective measures of heart rate during pre-season training.

METHODS: Male and female basketball players from a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II school wore a heart rate monitor (Firstbeat™) during the first …

Integrating The Functional Movement Screen ® Into Strength And Conditioning Programs, Quincy Johnson, Chantel C. Coleman, Timothy Baghurst

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

• The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS®) and how it can be integrated into strength and conditioning programs of all levels.
• We utilized current literature and previous FMS ® field experience to develop and recommend approaches for implementing FMS® protocols into strength and conditioning programs.
• Description of FMS® Movements: The FMS® is a comprehensive biomechanical efficiency screen which is comprised of seven movements that have been deemed fundamental to athletic performance (7). Those movements include the; deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight-leg raise, trunk stability push-up, and …

The Effects Of Lower Body Positive Pressure Treadmill Running On Acute Femoral Cartilage Deformation, Megan Graff, Kenneth P. Clark, John J. Smith, Nicole M. Cattano

Sports Medicine Student Work

Purpose: Examine and compare the acute response of femoral cartilage in healthy individuals after running at full bodyweight (BW) (100%) and 80% BW on a lower body positive pressure treadmill. Methods: Crossover study consisted of 20 total healthy participants (10 males, 10 females). Femoral cartilage width was assessed using ultrasonography before and after the assigned running conditions. The control condition consisted of running at 6mph for 30 minutes at 100% BW, while the experimental condition consisted of running at 6mph for 30 minutes at 80% BW. Each participant ran both BW conditions, exactly one week apart. The order of conditions …