Sports Sciences Commons^™

Standardization Of Neuromuscular Reflex Analysis—Role Of Fine-Tuned Vision-Language Model Consortium And Openai Gpt-Oss Reasoning Llm-Enabled Decision Support System, Eranga Bandara, Ross Gore, Sachin Shetty, Ravi Mukkamala, Christopher K. Rhea, Brittany S. Samulski, Amin Hass, Atmaram Yarlagadda, Shaifali Kaushik, Malith De Silva, Andriy Maznychenko, Inna Sokolowska, Kasun De Zoysa

VMASC Publications

Background/Objectives: Accurate assessment of neuromuscular reflexes, such as the Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex), plays a critical role in sports science, rehabilitation, and clinical neurology. Conventional interpretation of H-reflex electromyography (EMG) waveforms is subject to inter-rater variability and interpretive bias, limiting reliability and standardization. This study aims to develop an automated, interpretable, and robust agentic AI–driven framework for H-reflex waveform analysis. Methods: We propose a fine-tuned Vision–Language Model (VLM) consortium combined with a reasoning Large Language Model (LLM)–enabled decision support system for automated H-reflex interpretation. Multiple VLMs were fine-tuned on curated datasets of H-reflex EMG waveform images annotated with expert clinical observations, …

Low Energy Availability And Dietary Factors In High School Runners, Natalie E. Allik

All Master's Theses

Context: Low energy availability (LEA) is associated with adverse health and performance outcomes in athletes and may be particularly concerning during adolescence when growth and bone development are ongoing. Although inadequate carbohydrate (CHO) intake has been proposed as a contributor to LEA, limited research has examined this relationship in adolescent endurance athletes. Objective: To examine dietary intake, bone mineral density (BMD), and eating disorder (ED) risk in adolescent distance runners with and without LEA. Methods: Eighteen adolescent distance runners (15.7 ± 1.2 years; 7 males, 11 females) completed baseline assessments including anthropometrics, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a 24-hour dietary recall, …

Will They Be More Honest With An (External) Proctor? Evaluating Ufc Match Performance Before And After The Adoption Of The Usada Doping Program, Moonsup Hyun, Wonsok (Frank) Jee, Sehwon Kang, Yohan Lee

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Over the eight years from 2015 to 2023, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) partnered with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to institute comprehensive external oversight of doping controls. This study investigates the effects of transitioning from internally administered anti-doping protocols to exclusive external governance by comparing UFC performance metrics before and during the USADA partnership. Using a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) approach with data from 2012 to 2018, we find that match duration significantly increased, while the likelihood of extreme outcomes, knockouts (KO), technical knockouts (TKO), and submissions, decreased during the USADA period. These results suggest that performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) could …

Understanding Motivations And Health Outcomes Of College-Aged Triathletes During Covid-19: A Mixed-Methods Study, Patrick Wilson, Eddie Hill, Justin Haegele, Xihe Zhu

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

A triathlon is a multi-sport event that consists of three simultaneous events: swimming, biking, and running. This sport has experienced significant growth in the past few decades, with colleges and universities now participating. This exploratory mixed-methods study examined the motivations and perceived health benefits of college triathletes during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the Means-Ends of Recreation Scale and the Perceived Health Outcomes of Recreation Scale (N = 29), as well as semi-structured interviews (N = 4). Results indicate no difference in motives or health outcomes between male and female survey respondents. The thematic analysis of open-ended interview questions highlighted lived …

Questioning Body-Normativity Dominance In Inclusive Physical Education: A Transgressive Analysis Through Bell Hooks' Perspectives, Maria Luiza Tanure Alves, Justin A. Haegele, Anthony Maher, Sebastian Ruin, Lesley Sharpe, Martina Giese, Janine Coates

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Grounded in Critical Disability Studies, this study examines how mechanisms of oppression are recurrently legitimized in relation to Disabled students in Physical Education (PE). Drawing on bell hooks’ perspective, this study explores recurring logics of domination, thereby deepening understandings of how oppression is produced and sustained in PE. Using a post-structuralist approach, we conducted qualitative interviews with nine PE teachers to examine the dominant beliefs and pedagogical practices that shape PE in relation to disability. Interview data were analyzed through interpretative discourse analysis, guided by Critical Disability Studies and informed by hooks’ critical insights on oppression. The findings suggest …

Cardiorespiratory Response In Esports Participants In Competition And Scrimmage, Jacob W. Bowerman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study is to explore how heart rate differs between scrimmages and competitions in varsity esports athletes at The University of Akron. This study also examines how heart rate varies across video game titles, as well as before and after both scrimmage and competition play. A scrimmage is defined as a practice game between two collegiate esports teams in which league standings and tournament eligibility are not affected by the outcome. In contrast, a competition is an official match between collegiate esports teams in which results directly influence league standings and tournament qualification.

Physiological stress can be …

Acute Changes In Muscle Thickness And Perceptual Responses Following Different Applications Of Blood Flow Restriction, Anuj J. Prajapati

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The use of blood flow restriction (BFR) allows for reductions in exercise intensity without compromising muscular adaptations that are typically only manifested during high-load non-BFR exercise. There exist, however, several ways to implement BFR and there is a lack of information regarding which application may be beneficial over another. The purpose of this investigation was to examine acute changes in muscle size and perceptual responses following different pressure applications of BFR (i.e., continuous BFR [cBFR], intermittent during sets BFR [iBFR_sets], and intermittent during rest BFR [iBFR_rest]) relative to an unrestricted condition (i.e., nBFR). Participants completed cBFR, …

Relationships Between Quadriceps Neuromuscular Function And Time From Surgery Following Acl Reconstruction Are Sex-Specific, Tatiana Restrepo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is associated with persistent quadriceps dysfunction, including muscular weakness and altered spinal and cortical excitability. While recovery has been widely studied, most investigations focus on isolated domains and fixed postoperative time points. Emerging evidence suggests females often experience slower or less complete quadriceps recovery compared to males, yet the time-dependent nature of these sex-specific outcomes remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to examine whether relationships between time since ACLR and quadriceps neuromuscular outcomes differ by sex across muscular, spinal, and cortical domains. Adults aged 18–35 with a history of primary, unilateral ACLR were …

The Role Of Body Composition In Predicting Fitness Performance Of Law Enforcement Officers, Taylor J. Parmentier

Theses and Dissertations

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) perform physically demanding tasks such as foot pursuits, lifting, carrying, dragging, and physical restraint. Effectively performing these duties requires significant muscular strength, endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Lower fitness levels pose risks for reduced health, performance, slower recovery, increased fatigue, and potentially affecting decision-making under strenuous conditions. The purpose of this study was to identify the strongest predictor of physical fitness performance among active-duty LEOs. Body composition analysis and a comprehensive fitness evaluation of twenty-nine male LEOs (age: 36.2 ± 9.3 years, body mass (BM): 95 ± 13.7 kg, height: 1.8 ± 0.1 m) was completed. The …

Examining The Flow State In College Football, Nicholas R. Reynolds Jr., Selen Razon

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The flow state, first defined by Csikszentmihalyi (1990) as a state of total absorption in an activity characterized by effortless control, heightened focus, and peak functioning, has been well-documented in sport but has received limited attention in the context of college football. This study examined the flow state experiences of varsity football players at West Chester University, including their awareness of the concept, the frequency and subjective nature of their experiences, the strategies they use to reach this state, and their perceptions of its relationship to team success. A researcher-developed survey was administered to team members during the offseason, yielding …

Influence Of A Structured Strength Program On Sport-Related Outcomes In Female Lacrosse Players, Taylor R. Howard

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Per the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), approximately 30,000 individuals participate in collegiate lacrosse in the United States, roughly 13,000 being women. Participation beyond the NCAA has increased substantially in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA), the Women’s Club Lacrosse Association (WCLA), and high school programs nationwide.  As women’s lacrosse continues to grow, strength and conditioning programs at the collegiate level have become pervasive to enhance athletic performance. However, limited research exists examining the impact of strength training on physical performance in women’s lacrosse.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the …

An Exploratory Analysis Of The Role Of Sex In Load Carriage, Rachel E. Perez, Dustin R. Slivka, Brent C. Ruby

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Axially loaded weight may impose a metabolic demand equivalent to that of fat mass (FM) during load carriage. Males (M) typically have a lower body fat percentage than females (F), resulting in metabolic demand differences during load carriage that may be mitigated by accounting for FM in pack loads. PURPOSE: To determine whether normalizing pack load to FM equalizes metabolic cost across sexes during load carriage. METHODS: Twenty-eight participants (14M, 23 ± 5 y, 1.81 ± 0.07 m, 78.7 ± 10.0 kg, 12.7 ± 5.4% body fat, VO₂peak 4.18 ± 0.54 L·min^-1; 14F, 22 ± 4 …

Can Dual-Task High-Velocity Exercise Training Improve Cognitive Function In Older Adults? Secondary Analysis Of An 18-Month Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial, Jamie L. Tait, Rachel L. Duckham, Timo Rantalainen, Catherine M. Milte, Luana C. Main, Caryl A. Nowson, Kerrie M. Sanders, Dennis R. Taaffe, Keith D. Hill, Gavin Abbott, Robin M. Daly

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background Identifying strategies to mitigate age-associated cognitive decline is crucial. High-velocity power training enhances physical function in older adults and cognitive training has mixed cognitive benefits, however the combined effects of these interventions remain uncertain. Objective This 18-month cluster randomized controlled trial investigated whether dual-task functional power training (DT-FPT) enhances cognition in older adults and assessed if responses differ by apolipoprotein-E and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) polymorphisms. Subjects and Methods Twenty-two independent-living retirement communities (300 residents, ≥65y at increased falls risk) were randomized to 12-months of group-based DT-FPT (6-months supervised +6-months maintenance, 45–60 minutes, 2/week) performed simultaneously with cognitive and/or …

Two Strategies To Improve Stability In A Precision-Based Task: Insights From The Badminton Short Serve, Yochi Iino, Jodie Cochrane Wilkie, Senshi Fukashiro, Shinsuke Yoshioka, Shayne Vial

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The badminton short serve is a highly precise task requiring accurate control of racquet face orientation, which directly influences shuttlecock trajectory and limits an opponent's ability to attack. Previous studies on motor redundancy have emphasized covariation among elemental variables as the primary mechanism for stabilizing performance. However, when the sensitivities of elemental variables differ, performance can also be stabilized by unevenly distributing individual variances without altering correlation — an approach that has received limited attention. This study investigated whether elite players use both the correlation strategy and the uneven variance strategy to stabilize racquet face angles during the short serve. …

The Epidemiology Of Catastrophic Head And Neck Injuries In High School And College Non-Football Sports: A 4-Decade Review, Courtney M. Meyer, Kristen L. Kucera, Samantha E. Scarneo-Miller, Zachary K. Winkelmann, Susan W. Yeargin

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background:

Catastrophic head and neck injuries (CHNIs) in sport are rare but can have disabling or fatal outcomes. Prior studies have focused on football, equipment-laden sports, or different injury severities, not CHNI in nonfootball sports.

Purpose:

To describe the epidemiology of CHNI across levels (high school vs collegiate) in nonfootball sports and evaluate differences in injury rates (IRs) by sport, sex, and decade.

Study Design

Descriptive epidemiological study.

Methods:

This study utilized 40 academic years (1982-1983 to 2021-2022) of surveillance data from the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research. Descriptive statistics summarized athlete, event, and injury characteristics. IRs were …

Stability Of Salivary Microrna Measures Across An Ncaa Division I Football Season: Implications For Microrna As A Biomarker Of Concussion, Thomas R. Campbell, Martina Zamponi, Delaney Leathers, Julie Cavallario, Jessica C. Martinez, Peter A. Mollica

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Clinicians often face challenges in concussion care due to a heavy reliance on subjective patient input. Recently, research has sought objective biomarkers, like salivary microRNAs, to improve concussion management. However, significant limitations hinder the use of microRNAs as a diagnostic tool, including the cumulative effects of a contact sport season. A better understanding of the response to a contact sport season would help researchers and clinicians interpret expression changes at the time of injury in the context of seasonal variation. in Therefore, this study investigated the reliability of previously identified salivary microRNA targets across one contact sport season.

Methods …

Organized Sports-Based Interventions And Motor Outcomes In Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review, Kailash Ram, Maeren Hill, Caitlyn Stewart, Kaitlin P. Hardy Md, Sonia Khurana

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Aim

To evaluate the effectiveness of organized sports-based interventions on motor outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Method

Four databases were searched from inception to November 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials (NRCTs) reporting motor outcomes of organized sports-based interventions in children with ASD. Risk of bias was evaluated using ROB-2 (Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, Version Two) for RCTs and ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions) for NRCTs.

Results

Eleven studies (six RCTs, five NRCTs) were included and categorized as martial arts (n = 5), aquatic training (n = …

Effects Of The Menstrual Cycle Phase On Rpe, And Symptom Characteristics In Pre-Professional Female Soccer Players, Emily Potts

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Hormonal fluctuations across the distinct phases of the menstrual cycle have been shown to influence physiological and psychological responses to exercise, with some evidence suggesting phase-dependent changes in symptom presentation and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE); however, findings remain inconsistent, and few studies have examined these relationships across an entire competitive season in female soccer players. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in RPE and menstrual symptoms across cycle phases, as well as the relationships between RPE and symptom reporting in pre-professional female soccer players. A total of 22 female soccer players (age 22± 1.85) were recruited …

Validity Of The Polar Verity Sense Optical Armband And Iphone Accelerometer For Heart Rate Variability Assessment, Chinelo C. Chukwuma

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the Polar Verity Sense optical armband and iPhone accelerometer (Kubois seismocardiography, SCG) against the Polar H10 across different body positions (for both devices) and measurement durations (for Verity Sense only) while accounting for skin pigmentation. Healthy young adults (n = 46) participated in simultaneous recordings in the supine, seated, and standing positions using the Kubios mobile application on separate devices. Verity Sense measurements were collected for both 1‑ and 5‑min durations, whereas accelerometer measures were 1 min. Skin pigmentation was quantified with the melanin index (M-index). For resting heart …

Validity Assessment Of Resting Heart Rate Variability From The Garmin Health Snapshot, Kayla M. Porter, Andrew Flatt

Honors College Theses

Purpose: To assess the agreement between the Garmin Forerunner 265 (a commercially available sports watch) and a single-channel electrocardiographic (ECG) chest strap for determining resting heart rate variability (HRV). Secondary aims were to assess the impact of skin tone and body position on measurement accuracy.

Methods: Young adults (n = 30, 57% women) aged 18–39 years without known cardiovascular conditions and without tattooing or scarring on the dorsal left wrist were recruited. HRV was recorded simultaneously using ECG and the Forerunner 265’s optical sensor during Garmin’s 2-minute “Health Snapshot.” Measurements were obtained in three standardized positions: supine, seated, and standing. …

Assessment Of Countermovement Jump In Athlete Status And Monitoring, Michael David Delong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Utilizing a CMJ to test athlete physical abilities and training program efficacy is popular, as it is simple, noninvasive, and has significant relations with sport qualities. However, assessments often use discrete outcome measures. This research explored strategy-based measures accounting for eccentric power and time and may explain athlete status more effectively. The research objectives are to analyze the use of the mean power rate of the CMJ to compare athletes' playing ability and its usefulness in monitoring during off-season training. Additionally, power-time curve analysis added location and timing of effects due to fatigue or fitness adaptation. Proper testing and monitoring …

Test-Retest Reliability And Validity Of The Gas Exchange Threshold, Erik Ryan Snell Mr.

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Theoretically, the gas exchange threshold (GET) demarcates the moderate and heavy intensity domains, whereby exercise performed at and below the GET results in a change in oxygen consumption ([ΔVO₂] ≤ 200 mL), and exercise above the GET results in a slow component (ΔVO₂ > 200 mL). This study examined the reliability and validity of the GET. 14 subjects performed two maximal graded exercise tests (GXTs) to determine the GET and its reliability. The minimal difference (MD = 21W) was applied to determine the GET above (GET_+MD) and below (GET_-MD) power outputs for 30 min …

Optimal Two-Point Loading Strategy For Accurate Leg Press Force–Velocity Assessment, Takuya Nishioka, Shota Yamaguchi, Ayumi Yoshikawa, Naoki Ikeda, Daiki Hajima, Naoko Yabuno, Yasuhiro Kunita, Yuta Hashimoto, Anna Aoki, Miina Takahashi, Kazunori Nosaka, Takayuki Inami

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Accurate assessment of an individual force–velocity (F–V) profile is essential for prescribing targeted resistance training; however, F–V outcomes depend strongly on the testing method used. This study examined the concurrent validity of the F–V relationship in a horizontal leg press exercise by comparing two-point methods, which use pairs of different loads relative to body weight, with a multiple-point method using a wider range of loads. Sixteen men (mean ± SD, age: 20.0 ± 1.4 years, height: 172.4 ± 6.3 cm, body mass: 69.2 ± 7.6 kg) performed maximal-effort horizontal dynamic leg press actions on a device equipped with pneumatic artificial …

Effect Of Traditional And Cluster Set Structures On Bar Path Kinematics During High-Volume Power Clean Training, Tsuyoshi Nagatani, Shayne Vial, Kristina L. Kendall, Paul Comfort, Jiahao Yang, G. Gregory Haff

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of traditional (TRAD) and cluster (CLU) set structures on bar path kinematics during a series of high-volume power clean sets, and compare insights gained from discrete versus waveform analysis. Twenty participants completed TRAD or CLU protocols in a randomised, crossover design. Each protocol involved three sets of nine repetitions at 70% of one-repetition maximum. In CLU sets, a 30-second inter-repetition rest was applied. During TRAD sets, peak velocity declined, and significant (p ≤ 0.05) changes were observed in both vertical and horizontal barbell displacement across repetitions, indicating fatigue-related technical alterations. …

Enhancing Physical Performance With Ischemic Preconditioning: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Moderators And Performance Outcomes, Yilin Zhang, Kai Xu, Hao Kong, Mingyue Yin, Chenghao Liu, Yun Xie, Liam Kilduff, Gustavo R. Mota, Olivier Girard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examined the effects of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) on physical performance, considering the influence of timing, warm-up (WU), participant characteristics, and IPC protocols structure. A total of 90 trials (1,439 participants) were retrieved from three databases and assessed using PICOS criteria. Multilevel meta-analyses with cluster-robust variance adjustments were conducted to calculate pooled effect sizes (Hedge’s g). Risk of bias and certainty of evidence were assessed using the RoB 2 tool and GRADE framework. IPC produced a trivial but significant improvement in physical performance (g = 0.13, P < 0.01), which persisted after excluding SHAM effects (g = 0.10; P < 0.01). Significant improvements were observed for maximum repetitions, time to failure, and power output, but not for jump ability, strength, or oxygen uptake. Comparable benefits were found for anaerobic (g = 0.15) and aerobic (g = 0.10) exercise, with greater effects in males and less-trained participants. Performance was further enhanced when IPC was followed by WU (g = 0.16), with the optimal IPC-to-WU interval being ~42 minutes. Without WU, the effective IPC window narrowed to 6–7 minutes. In practice, IPC can enhance physical performance, independently of sham effects, moderated by sex, training level, and WU. For competition or testing, the most effective strategy appears to be 3 or 4 × 5-min IPC protocol, followed by a 42-min interval, standardized warm-up, and endurance testing. For mechanistic studies, WU should be excluded, and testing conducted 6-7 minutes post-IPC. Future research should target women, middle-aged individuals, and elite athletes.

Unifying To Advance Understanding: Collaborative, Community-Driven And ‘Open’ Approaches For Better Science In Sport, John Warmenhoven, Ian Shrier, Garrett S. Bullock, Alex O. Holcombe, Sophia Nimphius, Paolo Menaspà, Aaron J. Coutts, Franco M. Impellizzeri

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Historically, sport science and medicine researchers have had difficulty obtaining adequate sample sizes, limiting their ability to make accurate generalizations to populations of athletes. To move towards better and more generalizable research, sport could look to other fields of research, and draw upon collaborative approaches for performing science. These include concepts such as big teams approaches for conducting experimental research, developing data repositories centred on a holistic inter-disciplinary view of the athlete and exploring privacy preserving meta-analytic inspired concepts such as federated analyses or pooled synthetic data. These approaches have enormous potential but do come with their own difficulties and …

Single Joint Posterior Chain Isometric Testing Using Force Plates: A Systematic Review Of The Methodologies And Reliability Of Testing Methods, Jack T. Fahey, Christopher Bramah, Richie Barber, James Williams, John J. Mcmahon, Paul Comfort, Nicholas J. Ripley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The posterior chain muscles (i.e. hamstring and gluteal) play an important role in performance and injury prevention. Posterior chain muscle injuries lead to time lost from training, competition and increased reinjury risk. Force plates enable valid and reliable assessment, current methods assessing isometric posterior chain (IPC) force production using force plates have yet to be reviewed. This review was designed to systematically review methods of single joint IPC force plate testing; establish existing reliability; and summarise descriptive data. A literature search was conducted using the following search terms: ‘force plat*’ AND ‘isometric’ AND (‘hamstring*’ OR ‘knee flex*’ OR ‘posterior chain’ …

What Is Resistance Exercise? A Review Of Current Uses And Potential Ways Forward, Lars H. Lohmann, José Afonso, David G. Behm, Stanislaw D. Siegel, Michael Keiner, Klaus Wirth, Anthony J. Blazevich, Eric R. Helms, Alyssa Joy Spence, Konstantin Warneke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The resistance exercise (RE) literature highlights the importance and impact of RE in sports performance, daily life, and clinical outcomes. While RE research dates back to the 19th century, current definitions of what constitutes RE are varied and give rise to questions about the requisites of RE. For example, some definitions refer to movements or muscle contractions against external resistance whereas others consider all repeated actions against one’s bodyweight. Taken to the limit, this could introduce confusion between RE and endurance exercise, for example. Without a clear definition, systematic reviews (with meta-analysis) discuss outcomes of studies examining the effects of …

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others: Disentangling The Concepts Of Range Of Motion Versus Flexibility, And Flexibility Training Versus Stretching, José Afonso, Anthony J. Blazevich, David George Behm, Markus Tilp, Konstantin Warneke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In this Current Opinion, we revisit key terminological distinctions in sports sciences, emphasizing the implications of conflating related but distinct concepts, particularly range of motion (ROM) versus flexibility and flexibility training versus stretching. While often used interchangeably, these terms represent nuanced constructs with distinct physiological and practical implications. ROM encompasses both modifiable (e.g., soft tissue extensibility, neural control) and non-modifiable factors (e.g., bone structure), whereas flexibility is only one of several trainable components of ROM, largely referring to the extensibility of periarticular soft tissues. Misunderstanding these distinctions risks erroneous assessments and inappropriate exercise prescriptions. We also challenge the common practice …

Negotiating Relationships With Food, The Body, And Physical Activity: Who Is The Healthiest Of Them All?, Valeria Varea, Victoria Evans, Dawn Penney, Eibhlish O'Hara

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Healthy eating and regular exercise are things that many people aspire to, mainly for health reasons. However, these practices can be complex given broader societal discourses. This paper aims to critically interrogate the social conditions and discursive formations that underpin everyday exercisers’ relationships with food, the body, and physical activity by using biopower and biopedagogies as a theoretical approach, and healthism as a set of discourses. Photo elicitation interviews with vignettes were conducted with nine participants who were regular exercisers. We constructed three different scenarios from the interview data and the theoretical approach: 1. Anna: A performance-driven, health compliant, private …