Kinesiology Commons^™

Addressing Athletes Coexisting Conditions Of Autism And Depression: Participants Self-Report Decreased Feelings Of Depression Post Exercise, Joshua Sutton, Saundra Shillingstad, Jessica Baldwin

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The goal of this study was to evaluate if exercise would decrease depressive symptoms of participants who reported having coexisting conditions of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and depression. Research has reported that autistic people have increased rates of depression, in comparison to general populations (Unruh et al., 2020). The purpose of this research was to evaluate if exercise would decrease depressive symptoms of the Unified Fitness athlete participants who self-identified as having depressive symptoms and ASD. This research was conducted during the Fall 2023 semester as an extension of the class Kinesiology Practicum, using the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) …

Dexterous Manipulation Capabilities Are Associated With Change In Discharge Rate Properties Of Motor Neurons With Age, Mukta N. Joshi

Theses and Dissertations

Aging is accompanied by declines in manual dexterity and fine motor control. The purpose of this research was to compare hand motor control in young and older adults and examine the neuromuscular mechanisms responsible for enabling these interactions. We test force variability during isometric and dynamic contractions, manual dexterity and track motor unit activity to identify the neuromuscular mechanisms responsible for changes in dexterity with age. 26 older adults (66-86 years) and 28 young adults (19 – 38 years) participated in the study. Research participants performed force matching tasks during index finger abduction, precision pinch, static pressing and hybrid force/ …

Ncaa Di Student-Athletes’ Understanding Of And Attitudes Toward Mental Performance Services, Allison Rudisill

Honors Theses

Mental performance services are designed to assist student-athletes with psychological challenges affiliated with performance (McHenry et al., 2022). Currently, only 65 NCAA DI athletic institutions employ a psychological provider, with only 23.2% of those being mental performance consultants (MPCs; Jones et al., 2022). As student athletes are aware of the mental demand of sport (Bemiller & Wrisberg, 2011) and the NCAA begins to bring awareness to the importance of the mental well-being of the athlete (NCAA Transformational Committee, 2023), it is important to understand student athletes’ attitudes toward these services. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to learn about …

The Impact Of Differing Instability Devices On Postural Sway Parameters, Kacey Wallace

Honors Theses

Single-limb balance training is an integral part of preventing and rehabilitating lower extremity injuries. Practitioners use instability devices to provide a progressive overload to an individual during single-limb balance training sessions. Previous investigations have shown that when using instability devices, differences may or may not exist in postural sway parameters during use depending on the specific devices being assessed. Thus, this investigation sought to examine differences between a commonly used foam pad and a novel instability device (block) in measures of postural sway.

This experiment consisted of 22 healthy individuals with no history of lower extremity injury and neurological disorders. …

The Influence Of Strength And Power Training On The Performance Of U.S. Marines, Kristopher J. Klein

Master of Science in Kinesiology

U.S. Marine Infantry conducts a job that requires strength, speed, and endurance; however military fitness training relies mainly on the endurance aspect. With numerous studies showing the correlation between an endurance mainstay within military organizations, and musculoskeletal and joint overuse injuries, this study seeks to understand the performance value in training the anaerobic energy systems. Specifically, we aim to determine whether strength and power training may be more beneficial to the tactical athlete than traditional training. Over a period of 12 weeks, 150 members of the U.S. Marine Infantry will participate in training five days a week with three days …

Reliability Of Popliteal Artery Flow-Mediated Dilation In The Seated Position, Taskina Akhter

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a noninvasive measurement of endothelial function, which is a useful prognostic tool for cardiovascular disease risk. Despite its widespread use since 1992, the reproducibility of FMD varies widely between studies. This variability in reproducibility is especially significant in the case of the popliteal artery due to different methodological approaches. Studies perform popliteal FMD in various body positions, with the prone and seated positions most common. However, no studies have examined the reproducibility of both the seated and prone positions of the popliteal artery FMD. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the test-retest and …

Stress Hormone And Heart Rate Responses To Various Exercise Training Methods, Tomas Gomez Jr., Rebekah Schlatter, Megan Zamora, Marco Arriago, Sue Anne Chew, Murat Karabulut

Research Symposium

Background: Blood Flow Resistance (BFR) training has garnered attention for its ability to induce positive physiological adaptations with low-load resistance exercise. The present study aimed to examine the responses of catabolic hormones and heart rates (HR) to various BFR training protocols. This investigation seeks to provide insights into the stress levels induced by different protocols and identification behind the most effective protocol for optimal positive exercise-related adaptations.

Methods: Study population involved 10 healthy adult males (height: 175.0±5.0 cm, weight: 96.67±26.6 kg, age: 21.3±2.67 yr.) in a five-session investigation. Informed consent paperwork, pre-testing and anthropometric measurements served as session 1; sessions …

Lower Body Gait Variability As A Distinguishing Feature In Humans, Tyler M. Wiles, Seung Kyeom Kim, Nick Stergiou, Aaron D. Likens

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Most humans have a fingerprint that is unique and persists throughout life. The same may be true for gait. Each person is unique physiologically and biomechanically, and has experienced a unique progression of life including injuries, habits, hobbies, or lifestyles that all contribute to navigating the world. Those individualized experiences, whether intended or not, are potentially on display in gait. We hypothesized that there are gait characteristics intrinsic and unique to everyone, so that everyone has a unique “gaitprint”, similar to humans possessing unique fingerprints. To test our hypothesis, we recruited thirty healthy young adults between the ages 19-35 as …

Functional Outcomes Of Noninvasive Sensory Feedback In Upper Limb Prostheses: A Meta-Analysis, Libby Caldwell

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Noninvasive sensory feedback applies vibration or pressure to the residual limb and is thought to improve the functionality of upper limb prostheses. However, the efficacy of this approach has not been sufficiently investigated, particularly regarding actual amputee efficacy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional benefits of noninvasive sensory feedback in upper limb prostheses through a meta-analysis. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, and PubMed) were searched up to October 2022 using the following search terms: (prosthesis OR prosthetic) AND (hand OR arm OR forearm OR transradial OR “upper limb” OR “upper extremity) AND (tactile OR haptic …

Walking With A Load On Wheels: Potential Effects Of Bidirectional Springs On Walking Economy, Hiva Razavi, Philippe Malcolm

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Walking with a Load on Wheels: Potential Effects of Bidirectional Springs on Walking Economy

Have you ever noticed how your arms alternatively flex and extend when pushing a heavy shopping cart? Accelerating and decelerating heavy masses, such as a shopping cart, can require much effort. During walking, we alternatively accelerate and decelerate our Center of Mass (COM) in every gait cycle, which can require even more effort if we accelerate and decelerate a load while walking. Theoretically, this effort can be reduced by timing the acceleration and deceleration of the load's mass opposite to the individual's COM. Previous studies have …

Inter-Joint Variability And Age-Related Changes In Human Walking, Mehrnoush Haghighatnejad, Tyler Wiles, Seung Kyeom Kim, Aaron Likens, Nicholas Stergiou

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Inter-Joint Variability and Age-Related Changes in Human Walking

Mehrnoush Haghighatnejad¹*, Tyler M. Wiles¹, Seung Kyeom Kim¹, Nick Stergiou^1,2, Aaron D. Likens¹

¹Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha

²Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece

*Corresponding author’s email: mhaghighatnejad@unomaha.edu

Presentation Preference: Poster

Humans routinely perform a variety of activities such as walking, running, driving, and typing, all of which require coordination among different body joints. For instance, walking and running involve rhythmic movements of the arms and legs. The involvement of the upper …

Negative Impact Of Aging On Gait Autocorrelation: A Mixed-Effects Analysis Of Stride Interval Dynamics, Theodore Deligiannis, Tyler M. Wiles, Seung Kyeom Kim, Nikolaos Stergiou, Aaron Likens

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

NEGATIVE IMPACT OF AGING ON GAIT AUTOCORRELATION: A MIXED-EFFECTS ANALYSIS OF STRIDE INTERVAL DYNAMICS

Theodore A. Deligiannis^1*, Tyler M. Wiles¹, Seung Kyeom Kim¹, Nick Stergiou^1,2, Aaron D. Likens¹

¹Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha

*Corresponding author’s email: tdeligiannis@unomaha.edu

Presentation preference: Podium

Traditional gait metrics, like speed, cadence, coordination, as well as non-linear measures, appear related to Timed Up and Go (TUG). Timed Up and Go is a clinical measurement related to physical, socioeconomic, and psychological parameters, as well as overall health. TUG can be used as a health …

Implementing Meta-Session Autoregulation Strategies For Exercise- A Scoping Review, Adam Ibrahim, Cory T. Beaumont, Kelley Strohacker

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(5): 382-404, 2024. Meta-session autoregulation, a person-adaptive form of exercise prescription that adjusts training variables according to daily fluctuations in performance considering an individual’s daily fitness, fatigue, and readiness-to-exercise is commonly used in sports-related training and may be beneficial for non-athlete populations to promote exercise adherence. To guide refinement of meta-session autoregulation, it is crucial to examine the existing literature and synthesize how these procedures have been practically implemented. Following PRIMSA guidelines a scoping review of two databases was conducted from August 2021 to September 2021 to identify and summarize the selected measures of readiness-to-exercise …

Maximal Aerobic Capacity As A Predictor Of Performance On Acft Total Score Of Rotc Cadets, Anthony M. Acevedo, Zachary Zeigler, Bridget F. Melton

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(4): 429-437, 2024. The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) is a newly developed test that assesses the combat readiness of U.S. Army soldiers. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to determine if VO_2max can predict performance outcomes of the ACFT in ROTC cadets. This understanding can provide a better understanding of the aerobic demands of the ACFT. Cadets (50 males, 14 females; aged 21.43 ± 4.10 years) completed the 6-event ACFT (maximum trap-bar deadlift [MDL], standing power throw [SPT], hand-release pushups [HRPU], sprint-drag-carry shuttle run [SDC], plank [PLK], and 2-mile run [2MR]). The …

Influence Of Body Composition On Functional Movement Among Police Officers, Stacy L. Gnacinski, Frankie Porter, Madison N. Renner, Tessa Laska

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(4): 418-428, 2024. Research indicates that the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) can be used to measure functional movement quality and characterize musculoskeletal injury risk in tactical populations. Although body composition has been linked to chronic disease in police officers, the link between body composition and functional movement quality has not been explored in this population. As such, the purposes of the study were to examine: (a) the effect of body mass index (BMI) on functional movement, and (b) determine the significance of fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) in predicting functional movement among …

Maximal Running Speed And Critical Speed Are Positively Related To Phase Angle In Healthy Young Adults, Trevor Short, Paulette Yamada

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(4): 405-417, 2024. Phase Angle (PhA), derived from bioelectrical impedance analysis, is a measurement of cellular resistance to electrical current and a non-invasive tool to monitor neuromuscular performance. The relationship between PhA and components of athletic performance is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine if maximal running speed, critical speed (CS), and/or D prime (D’) derived from a 3-minute all-out-test (3MAOT) correlates to PhA, reactance (Xc), or resistance (R). Sixty-one (male n=35, female n=26) healthy young adults (23.4±3.9 years) completed bioelectrical impedance analysis (Inbody770) and a 3MAOT. The correlations between …

The Effect Of Stroboscopic Vision Training On Blind-Folded Straight-Line Walking, Saira Talwar, Johneric W. Smith, John Lamberth

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(1): 438-444, 2024. Stroboscopic vision training has shown to improve visual-motor controland dynamic visual acuity in sport performance;however, no studies have considered using this training to enhance kinesthetic awareness during walking, applicable to high fall-risk populations. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of stroboscopic vision training on blind-folded straight-line walking. Methods: Thirty-seven college-aged healthy participants (age: 20.14 ± 1.23 years; females: N = 32, males: N = 5) completed this study. In this pre-posttest quasi-experimental investigation, participants with no epileptic or balance disorder history completed a four-week progressive stroboscopic vision …

Does Joint Angle Affect Composite, Inter-Individual, And Intra-Individual Patterns Of Responses For Men During Fatiguing Isometric Forearm Flexion Tasks Anchored To A High Perceptual Intensity?, Jocelyn E. Arnett, Robert W. Smith, Tyler J. Neltner, John Paul V. Anders, Dolores G. Ortega, Terry J. Housh, Richard J. Schmidt, Glen O. Johnson

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to utilize the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Clamp Model to examine the effects of joint angle on the composite, inter-, and intra-individual patterns of responses for torque and neuromuscular parameters during fatiguing isometric tasks anchored to RPE of 8 (RPE = 8) at elbow joint angles of 75° (JA75) and 125° (JA125) for men. Methods: Ten men (Mean ± SD: age: 20.7 ± 1.2 yrs; height: 181.6 ± 6.0 cm; body mass: 83.7 ± 14.9 kg) performed 2,3 s forearm flexion maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) with the dominant arm before and …

Establishing The Validity And Reliability Of The Astroskin® Biometric Shirt, Alex Macquarrie, Jasmin Sidhu, Chloe Deetlefs, Steve Whitfield, Matt Stainer

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 5: Issue 1, Article 4, 2024. Biometric garments such as the Astroskin® biometric shirt (Carre Technologies, Montreal, PQ) may be useful for non-invasively monitoring human physiology in a number of applied settings. The Astroskin® biometric shirt measures and records continuous heart rate (HR), blood oxygenation (SPO2), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and respiratory rate (RR). The aim of this study was to establish the reliability and validity of the Astroskin® biometric shirt. This was achieved through comparing the Astroskin® with a commercially available hospital-grade cardiac monitor, the corpuls3® (Stemple GmbH, Kaufering, Germany) for the …

Determining The Barriers To The Use Of Post-Match Fatigue Monitoring In The Rugby Codes: A Concept Mapping Study., Mitch Naughton, Tannath Scott, Dan Weaving, Scott Mclean, Colin Solomon

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 5: Issue 1, Article 3, 2024. The rugby codes (i.e., rugby union, rugby league, rugby sevens [termed ‘rugby’]) are team-sports that impose complex physical demands upon players which in-turn, leads to domain-specific fatigue (e.g., neuromuscular, cardio-autonomic). Quantifying post-match fatigue through various methods and metrics is important to monitor player fatigue status, which influences training readiness. The specific and general barriers limiting the use of post-match fatigue monitoring in rugby are not presently known. Therefore, the aims of this study were to identify specific and general barriers (clusters of specific barriers) to the use …