Sports Sciences Commons^™

Youth Throwing Athletes Do Not Show Bilateral Differences In Medial Elbow Width Or Flexor Tendon Thickness, Rudolph M. Morrow, Gary Mcilvain, Jenifer Johnson, Mark Timmons

Kinesiology Faculty Research

Background: Medial elbow laxity develops in throwing athletes due to valgus forces. Medial elbow instability in professional, collegiate, and high school athletes is well documented; however, the medial elbow of young throwing athletes has received less attention. This study investigated the medial elbow and common flexor tendon during applied elbow valgus stress of youth baseball players.

Methods: The study included 15 participants. The medial elbow width and thickness of the common flexor tendon were measured on ultrasound images.

Results: No significant side differences in medial elbow width or common flexor tendon were found at rest or under applied valgus stress. …

The Athletic Identity Of Collegiate Athletic Trainers: A Descriptive Study, Christianne M. Eason, Stephanie H. Clines

Athletic Training Faculty Publications

Context: Empirical and anecdotal evidence suggest that many athletic trainers were former athletes and select the profession due to its affiliation with sport. Qualitative research has indicated that collegiate athletic trainers may have a strong athletic identity, but the concept of athletic identity has not been quantified in this population.

Objective: To quantitatively asses the athletic identity of collegiate athletic trainers and determine if group differences exist.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting: Collegiate clinical setting.

Patients and other participants: A total of 257 (n = 93 (37%) males, n = 162 (63%) females) athletic trainers employed in the collegiate setting …

Mental Health As A Predictor Of Bone Stress Fractures In Female Collegiate Athletes: A Literature Review, Phoebe Brown

University Honors Theses

Stress fractures are a common injury within collegiate athletics. Most athletes assigned female at birth will experience at least one stress fracture in their collegiate career. Eating disorders, amenorrhea, low energy availability, and low bone mass density all contribute to higher risks of stress fractures. However, one factor has been lacking within our stress fracture prevention practices in athletic departments: mental health.

Without screenings for anxiety, depression, or eating disorders, female athletes are left defenseless in a society where athletic bodies are judged and compared to each other. Underfueling in order for a body to look like another body leads …

An Interactive Game With Virtual Reality Immersion To Improve Cultural Sensitivity In Health Care, Paul J. Hershberger, Yong Pei, Timothy N. Crawford, Sabrina M. Neeley, Thomas Wischgoll, Dixit B. Patel, Miteshkumar M. Vasoya, Angie Castle, Sankalp Mishra, Lahari Surapaneni, Aman A. Pogaku, Aishwarya Bositty, Todd Pavlack

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

Purpose: Biased perceptions of individuals who are not part of one's in-groups tend to be negative and habitual. Because health care professionals are no less susceptible to biases than are others, the adverse impact of biases on marginalized populations in health care warrants continued attention and amelioration.Method: Two characters, a Syrian refugee with limited English proficiency and a black pregnant woman with a history of opioid use disorder, were developed for an online training simulation that includes an interactive life course experience focused on social determinants of health, and a clinical encounter in a community health center utilizing virtual reality …

High Definition Tdcs Effect On Postural Control In Healthy Individuals: Entropy Analysis Of A Crossover Clinical Trial, Diandra B. Favoretto, Eduardo Bergonzoni, Diego Carvalho Nascimento, Francisco Louzada, Tenysson W. Lemos, Rosangela A. Batistela, Renato Moraes, João P. Leite, Brunna P. Rimoli, Dylan J. Edwards, Taiza G.S. Edwards

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Converging evidence supporting an effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on postural control and human verticality perception highlights this strategy as promising for post-stroke rehabilitation. We have previously demonstrated polarity-dependent effects of high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) on weight-bearing asymmetry. However, there is no investigation regarding the time-course of effects on postural control induced by HD-tDCS protocols. Thus, we performed a nonlinear time series analysis focusing on the entropy of the ground reaction force as a secondary investigation of our randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial. Materials and Methods: Twenty healthy right-handed young adults received the following conditions (random order, …

Sources Of Information That Introduced Exercise Science Students To Their Major, Erin Vanderbunt, Doug Brtek

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 3: Issue 1, Article 3, 2022. This study examined the most influential sources of information that first introduced exercise science undergraduate students to their current major and sought to determine if any differences existed between demographic variables. An electronic questionnaire ranking the level of influence of 27 potential sources of information was completed by 131 exercise science students at a regional, midwestern university. Personal experience with the major, health care professionals in the major, and friend or family member in the major were among the highest non-college related sources, while college introductory courses …

Editorial: The Use Of Post-Exercise Cooling As A Recovery Strategy: Unraveling The Controversies, Mohammed Ihsan, Chris R. Abbiss, Robert Allan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Post-exercise cooling is a popular recovery strategy utilized by athletes, and of interest to many research groups. Significant body of research have examined the effects of post-exercise cooling on outcomes such as physical performance, regulation of inflammatory biomarkers, and psychophysical indices related to perceived fatigue, recovery and wellbeing. ...

Forecasting Neuromuscular Recovery After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: Athlete Recovery Profiles With Generalized Additive Modeling, Matthew J. Jordan, Nathaniel Morris, Jeremiah Barnert, Drew Lawson, Isabel Aldrich Witt, Walter H Herzog

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A retrospective analysis of longitudinally collected athlete monitoring data wasconducted to generate a model of neuromuscular recovery after anterior cruciateligament (ACL) injury and reconstruction (ACLR). Neuromuscular testing data in-cluding countermovement jump (CMJ) force‐time asymmetries and knee extensorstrength (maximum voluntary contractionext) asymmetries (between‐limb asymmetryindex—AI) were obtained from athletes with ACLR using semitendinosus (ST) au-tograft (n= 29; AI measurements: n= 494), bone patellar tendon bone autograft(n= 5; AI measurements:n= 88) and noninjured controls (n= 178; AI measurements:n= 3188). Explosive strength measured as the rate of torque development was alsocalculated. CMJ force‐time asymmetries were measured over discrete movementphases (eccentric deceleration phase, concentric phase). …

What Have We Learnt From Quantitative Case Reports Of Acute Lateral Ankle Sprains Injuries And Episodes Of 'Giving-Way' Of The Ankle Joint, And What Shall We Further Investigate?, Filip Gertz Lysdal, Yuehang Wang, Eamonn Delahunt, Dominic Gehring, Kyle B. Kosik, Tron Krosshaug, Yumeng Li, Kam-Ming Mok, Kati Pasanen, Alexandria Remus, Masafumi Terada, Daniel T. P. Fong

Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition Faculty Publications

Lateral ankle sprains are a commonly incurred injury in sports. They have a high recurrence rate and can lead to the development of persistent injury associated symptoms. We performed a quantitative synthesis of published case reports documenting the kinematics of acute lateral ankle sprains and episodes of ‘giving-way’ of the ankle joint to provide a comprehensive description of the mechanisms. A systematic literature search was conducted to screen records within MEDLINE® and EMBASE®. Additional strategies included manual search of specific journals, as well as contacting researchers in relevant communities to retrieve unpublished data. Twenty-four cases were included in the quantitative …

The Prevalence Of Wrist Wrap Use In Actively Competing Powerlifters, Dillon R. Harris, Thomas D. Cardaci, Harry P. Cintineo, Richard D. Pham, Kristen A. Dunsmore, Leslee K. Funderburk, Steven B. Machek

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Wrist wraps are often ergogenically employed by competitive powerlifters to improve bench press performance, but several product-specific variations may impact any potential benefits. Moreover, the prevalence of athletic wrist wrap use is hitherto undescribed. PURPOSE: to characterize the pervasiveness of wrist wrap use amongst competitive powerlifters with regards to style (flexible [F] or stiff [S]), length, and tightness amongst competitive powerlifters. METHODS: Powerlifters (n = 70; 27±6y) who competed in the last two years were randomly recruited at sanctioned meets across the USA. After providing consent and following a 5-minute seated rest, participant wrist wrap use descriptive data (wrap style …

Maintenance Of Muscle Size And Function Following In-Season Training Of Division I Football Athletes, Sofia Guerrero, Lyric Richardson, Amy Reira, Emma Bozarth, Micheal Luera

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

During in-season training for collegiate athletes, there are fewer metabolically demanding resistance training sessions compared to other seasons of the programmed macrocycle. The shift of training duration and intensity for the in-season mesocycle may hinder an athlete’s ability to maintain gains from prior training cycles. In-season training commonly focuses on maintaining muscle mass and reducing the probability of atrophy. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the potential adaptations following in-season training on muscle size and function in Division I (DI) athletes METHODS: Fifteen DI football athletes (mean ± sd; age, 20 ± 2 years; height, 189.6 ± …

Training Modifications In Endurance Athletes Due To Covid-19 Restrictions, Birinder Nijjar, Meena Shah, Kamiah Moss, Andreas Kreutzer, Austin J. Graybeal, Robyn Braun-Trocchio, Yan Zhang, Ryan R. Porter

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The COVID-19 pandemic created a situation that abruptly altered the life of nearly every individual, forcing them to adjust their daily habits. Adults who regularly engaged in daily physical activity, either as recreational, collegiate, or professional athletes prior to lockdowns had to subsequently adapt and change their training regimens. PURPOSE: To determine which characteristics (age, sex, education level, socioeconomic status, primary endurance sport, whether the athlete is being coached or following a training program, and prior competition medaling) of recreational, collegiate, and professional endurance athletes were associated with training changes due to COVID-19 safety restrictions. METHODS: A cross-sectional …

Novel Energy Drink Improves Mood And Raises Blood Pressure, But Has No Effect On Cardiac Qtc Interval Or Rate-Pressure Product In Young Adult Gamers, Nathaniel Helwig, Laura Schwager, Emily Rogers, Nile Banks, Chris Lockwood, Nathaniel D.M. Jenkins

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Novel energy drink formulations have been introduced to the market that are purported to have nootropic effects – including improving mood. Despite their rapidly growing popularity, especially among video gamers, there is minimal evidence supporting their efficacy or establishing their cardiovascular safety profiles. PURPOSE: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial to investigate the effects of acute consumption of a non-caloric, novel energy drink (NED) containing 200 mg caffeine, citicoline, tyrosine, B-vitamins, and carboxylic acids on mood and cardiovascular safety outcomes. We hypothesized that NED would improve mood without significant adverse cardiovascular effects when compared to placebo. METHODS: Forty-five …

The Gap Between Education And Retention Of Concussion Protocol, Symptoms, And Risks In Collegiate Athletes, Kathryn Smith

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

In the past 25 years, sports-related concussions (SRC) or traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have been increasing nationwide. TBIs have become an important public health issue because of the large number of concussions sustained, the generally young age of patients at the time of injury, and the potential cumulative effects of repeated injuries. PURPOSE: To determine if there is a gap between education and retention of concussion protocol, symptoms, and risks in collegiate athletes. METHODS: An IRB approved Google Form survey was collected from 167 student athletes to determine the specificity and extent of the gap between education and retention. Participants …

Laboratory Measurements Of Division 1 College Baseball Players To Predict Field Base Performance, Sebastian Ortiz, Lyric Richardson, Emma Bozarth, Amy Riera, Kase Pennartz, Micheal Luera

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Cross-sectional area (CSA) of skeletal muscle has been commonly used as a predictor of force production. Peak force (PF) production during maximal contractions of the lower body can be a primary indicator of an athlete’s potential to perform on the field. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to use CSA for the VL and RF and PF to predict 60-yard dash times. METHODS: Fifteen male athletes (20.64 yrs. ±1.54, 182.89 cm. ±5.74, 196.58 kg ±21.2.) participated in this investigation. Sixty-yard dash times were recorded from each athlete prior to laboratory testing. Skeletal muscle CSA were taken from the VL …

Monitoring Firing Behaviors Of Motor Unit Action Potentials During Low-Intensity Fatiguing Contractions, Dakota Harris, Lyric Richardson, Amy Riera, Emma Bozarth, Micheal Luera

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Motor Units (MU) are systematically activated from increasing size in accordance to the size principle. As muscle fatigue sets in, MU firing rate increases in response to sustaining whole-body force production during a low-loaded sustained contraction with respect to MU size and MU interspike intervals (ISI). PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare the motor unit firing behaviors during low-force isometric fatiguing contractions. Methods: Following 3 MVCs, eight lower-body resistance trained males (23.38 ± 2.88 yrs.; 178.38 ± 7.85 cm; 86.10 ± 11.88 kg) performed 60 second submaximal (30% MVC) isometric ramp contraction of the knee extension …

Bilateral Comparison Of Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Thickness In Division I Baseball Athletes, Cade M. Parrish, Brittany Dowling, Eli Williams, Mitchel Magrini, Quincy Johnson, Michael Luera

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

It has been established the mechanics of throwing a baseball contributes to ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury because of the repetitive valgus stress on the anterior band of the UCL, as it is the primary stabilizer of valgus stress in the elbow. This repetitive stress has been shown to cause adaptations in tensile properties leading to damage or failure of the UCL. Previous research has shown that ultrasound imaging may have the ability to detect changes in the UCL before the onset of symptoms in pitchers. PURPOSE: This study was performed to compare bilateral UCL thickness in Division I …

Challenges That Women In Athletic Training Face In Ncaa Athletics, Madison Vargas, Andi Johnston Green

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Athletic training was once known to be a male dominated profession however in more recent years the number of females in the profession has been increasing. According to the National Athletic Trainer’s Association 55% of its members identify as being a woman. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to seek the challenges that athletic trainers who identify as a woman have/or are currently facing while working in NCAA Athletics. There are many young women out there who aspire to be an athletic trainer one day but are hesitant about joining the profession because they want to have a …

Using Hba1c To Diagnose Diabetes In The Uc, Davis-Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rat Model, Yu Henry Huo, Jennice Herrera, Kimber L. Stanhope, James L. Graham, Peter J. Havel D.V.M., Ph.D., Audrey J. Stone, Michelle L. Harrison

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

With disease progression, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) leads to debilitating complications arising from damage to nerves and blood vessels. Importantly, investigations focusing on T2DM progression have the capacity to distinguish individuals at greater risk for these severe complications through the identification of predictive biomarkers. Hence, the accurate diagnosis of T2DM is critical to such investigations. UC Davis (UCD) T2DM rats are born without diabetes and develop the disease over time with a similar pathophysiology to that in humans. This unique rat model allows researchers to investigate predictive biomarkers linked to the progression of T2D; however, such investigations require an …

Prevalence And Differences Of Sport Concussion Symptoms And Severity Among Male And Female University Student Athletes, Tacey Howell, Kristen Mcalexander

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The prevalence of sport concussions continues to increase among university student athletes in the United States. Earlier methods of prevention, such as the Halo and modified football and hockey helmets, have not resulted in significantly fewer sport concussions. Further, even less is known about the differences between male and female university student athletes’ concussion symptoms and severity. PURPOSE: To measure sport concussion prevalence among university student athletes and compare the severity of self-reported symptoms among university male and female student athletes. METHODS: In the Fall of 2021, a modified version of the SCAT5 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, 5^th Edition) …

Effects Of 8-Week Ketogenic Diet On Anthropometrics, Body Composition, Metabolic Parameters, And Psychological Factors In Young Obese Population, Hayden G. West, Soon-Mi Choi, Frank B. Wyatt, Michael W. Olson

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Obese have a significantly higher Body Mass Index (BMI), which can be associated with poor nutritional intake and sedentary lifestyles. The ketogenic diet is a form of a dietary intervention which is often implemented for metabolic syndrome individuals such as obese populations. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of a ketogenic diet on anthropometrics, body composition, metabolic parameters, and psychological factors in young obese population. METHODS: Seven young obese participants (n=7, height (cm); 174.8 ± 10.9, weight (kg); 105 ± 20.7, BMI (kg∙m^-2); 34.6 ± 4.8) completed an 8-week intervention with …

The Big Hearts Program: Developing A Physical Activity Program For Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Kathryn A. Rorer, Vanessa Q. Mikan Phd, Edward K. Merritt Phd

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Less than one-third of the population of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) meet the World Health Organization's (WHO) weekly recommended physical activity (PA) requirements (Temple et al., 2006). This qualitative case study focused on a PA program for five women with IDDs. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to (a) engage participants in in-person encouragement via completing the tasks with participants and motivational words during activities and (b) assess the level of daily physical activity (via daily step count through an activity tracker). METHODS: Participants completed a month-long study, consisting of wearing a fitness tracker, …

Unilateral Handgrip Holds To Failure Result In Sex-Dependent Contralateral Facilitation, Caleb C. Voskuil, Taylor K. Dinyer-Mcneely, Pasquale J. Succi, Marilyn S. Campbell, Mark G. Abel, Haley C. Bergstrom

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

There can be differences in fatigue characteristics between men and women. In some cases, these differences may be manifested in unique strength responses in the fatigued and non-fatigued limbs following a unilateral fatiguing task. PURPOSE: This study examined changes in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) force following dominant (Dm) and nondominant (NDm) unilateral, isometric handgrip holds to failure (HTF) for the exercised ipsilateral (IPS) and non-exercised contralateral (CT) limbs. Sex- and hand- (Dm vs NDm) dependent responses in HTF time, performance fatiguability (PF, %D in MVIC) for the exercised IPS limb, as well as changes in MVIC force for the …

Associations With The Number Of Well-Known Grocery Stores, Gyms, And Parks To Median Household Income, Sara Le, Edward Merritt Phd, Vanessa Mikan Phd

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Segregated neighborhoods are linked to the environmental exposures, education and behavior of their residents. Access to exercise and nutrition resources are dependent on whether or not residents are able to afford it or not. PURPOSE: To identify the associations between the location of nutrition and exercise resources to household income. METHODS: Selective Zip codes in the Austin Area were used to identify the median household income through an online search where data is collected from the U.S. Census. Selective grocery store companies and gyms were found through an online search of their website “store locator.” Neighborhood parks were identified by …

Impact Of Menstrual Phases On Stress Markers: A Pilot Study, Bailey C. Weishaar, Hunter S. Waldman, Kyle T. Patek, Matthew J. Mcallister

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

PURPOSE: Previous research has shown that different phases of the menstrual cycle may impact biometrics such as markers of stress and inflammation [e.g., cortisol (CORT), interleukin-6] as well as body composition. However, there is scarce literature regarding markers of stress and oxidative stress such as salivary a-amylase (sAA), immunoglobin-A (SIgA) and uric acid (UA), in relation to the four different menstrual phases. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of menstrual phases on sAA, CORT, UA and SIgA. METHODS: 21 pre-menopausal women with regular menstrual cycles (n=9) oral contraceptive users (OC) and ( …

Measurement Of Respiratory Exchange Ratio (Rer) With Oral Versus Oronasal Breathing After Sports Drink Mouth Rinse, Meeshti Shethia, Edward Merritt

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed, the respiratory exchange ratio (RER), is often used to determine the balance of carbohydrate and fat oxidation during exercise. However, introducing carbohydrates into the mouth and pharynx could possibly influence the value while not actually changing the whole-body metabolism. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine if a sports drink mouth rinse during steady-state (SS) exercise affects RER. METHODS: Eleven participants exercised at steady state in 4 different, randomized conditions while respiratory gases were analyzed: 1) Breathing through the mouth after water rinse; 2), breathing through the mouth …

Effect Of Various Sports And Overall Stress On The Presence Of The Dermatological Condition Acne Mechanica, Taylor Baccus

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Acne mechanica is a form of acne due to irritation to the skin being pressured, occluded, rubbed, squeezed, stretched, or heated. Mental stress might also contribute to the formation of acne mechanica. PURPOSE: Observe the effect of different sports, gear, and overall stress on the formation of the dermatological condition acne mechanica. METHODS: Fifty-nine Southwestern University student athletes participated in submitting pictures of their face and back for acne quantification over the course of 10 weeks during their athletic season. Stress was determined by their rated level of stress for that given week. Data was analyzed using two separate two-way …

Influence Of One-Credit Fitness Courses On Physical Fitness And Psychosocial Well-Being In A Sample Of College Students, Katie Harris, Vanessa Mikan Phd, John Harry Phd

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

College is a crucial time for young adults to develop healthy lifestyle habits. Increased academic and social demands can cause students to decrease their physical activity levels and negatively impact their overall health. One-credit fitness courses offered by universities may combat sedentarism and improve mental health. PURPOSE: To investigate health-related fitness and psychosocial well-being measures in college aged students taking one-credit fitness courses. METHODS: Eight college-aged students (19.91 ± 1.92yrs) enrolled in a one-credit fitness course completed a total of two sessions, ten weeks apart. The tests were comprised of the same four health measures (body mass index, …

Somatotyping Of Division I Athletes, Samuel J. Ramirez, Lyric D. Richardson, Amy E. Riera, Emma D. Bozarth, Micheal J. Luera, Charles M. Laurent, Natalie P. Walker

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Somatotyping has previously examined athletes' genetic morphology. Categorization of somatotyping can be utilized in athletes for specialized, adaptive sports performance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report somatotyping differences (ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph) in selected Division I athletes. METHOD: 39 male football athletes and seven female softball Division I athletes were recruited for this investigation. Height (m), weight (kg), waist-to-hip ratio (cm), and a 4-site skinfold measurement was collected. Skinfold locations were recorded from the triceps (mm), subscapular (mm), supraspinal (mm), and the medial calf (mm). Biepicondylar breadth measures of the humerus (cm), and the femur (cm) were …

The Acute Effect Of Heat Therapy On Cerebral Vascular Reactivity To Rebreathing-Induced Hypercapnia, Joshua Vu, Zachary Martin, Iman O. Aldaas, Natalia Cardenas, Emily Merlau, Jeremiah Campbell, John Kolade, R Matthew Brothers

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Whole-body heat therapy has numerous benefits on various physiological responses including peripheral vascular function and overall cardiovascular health. Many laboratories, including ours, have investigated cerebrovascular reactivity to hypercapnia, which is physiologically relevant as a blunted response is associated with increased risk for cerebrovascular diseases and neurocognitive conditions including stroke, cognitive dysfunction, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, the impact of whole-body heat therapy on cerebrovascular function remains unknown. PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that cerebrovascular responsiveness to hypercapnia would be augmented following a single bout of heat therapy. METHODS: Eight young, female participants (age: 23±3 yr; BMI: 27±4 kgm^-2) were …