Other Kinesiology Commons^™

Improving Access To Care For Arkansas Youth Athletes With Sport-Related Concussion: Establishing “Teleconcussion” In Arkansas, Kristin Maxey

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Proper management of sport-related concussion (SRC) is critical for improved recovery outcomes in youth athletes. Several barriers exist to improving the standard of care for youth athletes with SRC. Many rural areas lack medical professionals with specialized training in SRC. Innovative methods for providing specialized healthcare to youth athletes with SRC are needed. Telehealth may be an effective means of providing specialized care for youth athletes with SRC located in underserved areas that have a shortage of healthcare providers specializing in SRC.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare patient, caregiver, and provider ratings of the therapeutic …

Time Course Of Changes In Neuromuscular Parameters During Fatiguing High-Load And Low-Load Concentric Dynamic Constant External Resistance Leg Extension Muscle Actions, Cory M. Smith

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to simultaneously assess electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) signals to examine the time course of changes in EMG amplitude, EMG frequency, MMG amplitude, and MMG frequency from the vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), and rectus femoris (RF) muscles during high-load (70%1 repetitions maximum; 1-RM) and low-load (30% 1-RM) concentric, dynamic constant external resistance (DCER) leg extension muscle actions to failure. Twelve men performed two randomized visits consisting of either 30 or 70% 1-RM DCER leg extension muscle actions to failure. Maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) and 1-RM measurements were performed before and after …

The Difference In Ventilatory Threshold Among Adolescent Males Based On Maturity Status, Dyane Loney

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous research has shown an inverse relationship between age and the relative intensity at which ventilatory threshold (VT) occurs in adolescent boys. However, no study has examined the effect of maturity status on VT in the differences in boys from the onset of puberty, adolescents. The purpose of this study was to compare VT among adolescent boys of different maturational groups. Methods: For this study, moderately active adolescent male participants (14 ± 3 y) completed this study. Maturational status of the participants was determined via years from peak height velocity (PHV), which is an estimation of somatic maturity status derived …

The Bigger Picture: Piecing Together The Experiences Of Family Members Living With High-Functioning Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lauren Thomson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of family members living with a child with ASD. The specific research questions that were addressed included: 1. How is a family member affected by having a child with ASD in the family unit; and 2. How does living with a child with ASD affect family functioning? The theoretical orientation of phenomenology was used to guide this research and to allow the “voice” of family members of children with ASD to be heard. The purpose of phenomenology is to distill individuals’ experiences with a phenomenon down to an “essence” of …

Investigating The Relationship Between Personality Traits And Athletic Performance Among Elite Hockey Players, Brittney H. Conway

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"An interesting trend in the personality literature has been the assessment of the relationship between personality traits and athletic performances. In non-sport settings, the conscientiousness trait has been found to be strongly related to a number of good outcomes including job and training proficiency, academic performances, and physical activity (Barrick & Mout, 1991; Poropat, 2009; Rhodes & Smith, 2006). In the athletic setting, similar findings have been found with soccer players (Piedmont, Hill, & Blanco, 1999), football players (Tran, 2012) and Division 1 collegiate athletes (Saale-Prasad, 2014). However, in professional hockey these findings have generally not been replicated (Karp, 2000; …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Cheerleaders' Lived Experiences Of Mental Blocks, Erin M. Lawrence

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

A mental block is a phenomenon in which an athlete’s mind no longer allows them to perform a physical skill that was previously well-learned and automatic. This phenomenon has received attention in gymnastics and trampoline but the literature is lacking an investigation of this phenomenon in all-star cheerleading. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of mental blocks by obtaining it from the first-person perspective of cheerleaders themselves. A purposeful sample of 8 all-star cheerleader participants was interviewed and transcriptions were analyzed utilizing qualitative analysis. Four main themes were found: 1) specific to backwards moving skills, 2) …

Static Stretching And Preconditioning Exercise Augments Power Output In Recreational Athletes, Mark R. Mason

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The purpose of this study was to determine the independent and combined effects of performing a preconditioning exercise and antagonist stretching on vertical jump (VJ) performance. Twenty club rugby players performed a VJ in four conditions: control condition, following static stretching, following a preconditioning exercise, and following the combined treatment of static stretching and a preconditioning exercise. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured in the gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, and tibialis anterior during the VJ trials. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare VJ and EMG outcomes across conditions. A Bonferroni correction was used to account for multiple post-hoc …

Il-15 Mediates Mitochondrial Activity Through A Ppar𝛿-Dependent-Ppar𝛼-Independent Mechanism In Skeletal Muscle Cells, Shantaé M. Thornton, James E. Krolopp, Marcia J. Abbott

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Molecular mediators of metabolic processes, to increase energy expenditure, have become a focus for therapies of obesity. The discovery of cytokines secreted from the skeletal muscle (SKM), termed “myokines,” has garnered attention due to their positive effects on metabolic processes. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a myokine that has numerous positive metabolic effects and is linked to the PPAR family of mitochondrial regulators. Here, we aimed to determine the importance of PPAR𝛼 and/or PPAR𝛿 as targets of IL-15 signaling. C2C12 SKM cells were differentiated for 6 days and treated every other day with IL-15 (100 ng/mL), a PPAR𝛼 inhibitor (GW-6471), a PPAR𝛿 …

The Effectiveness Of Physical Activity Interventions On Young Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis, Adam Nacario

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Objective: The purpose of the study is to examine the efficacy of physical activity interventions and practices on psychomotor, cognitive, or affective outcomes on young individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Methods: Standard meta-analytical procedures determining inclusion criteria, literature searches in electronic databases, coding procedures, and statistical methods were used to identify and synthesize articles retained for analysis. Cohen’s d (1988) will be utilized in order to interpret effect sizes and quantify research findings. The impact was assessed using coding procedures that categorize independent variables.

Results: A total of 23 independent samples (N=896) were utilized in this analysis. Results …

The Validity Of Urine Color Self-Assessment As An Index Of Hydration In Males, Daniel Layne Nixon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While water intake is so important, there are few practical hydration assessment techniques for the general population to use on a daily basis. The present study examined the accuracy of self-assessed urine color (Ucol) as a potential hydration assessment tool. Male college aged subjects provided a urine sample into a custom built urinal (n=76; 1.79±0.76 m, 83.9±16.0 kg). The urinal contained a picture of the 1-8 color scale and a light and dark urine color scale. Subjects were asked to give their urine color estimation as a whole number integer and to estimate if their urine was light or dark. …

The Influence Of Psychological Factors On Reducing Recovery Time From Total Knee Replacement Surgery, Melissa Geiger

Symposium

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of physical disability that Americans face, leading to destruction of the joints of the body. The primary joint affected is the knee, and the leading treatment is total knee replacement. The incidence of total knee replacement surgery is rising–and will continue to rise–as a treatment for knee pain resulting from osteoarthritis (Mizner et al., 2005). Various psychological factors have been proven to influence a person’s well-being in general and, more specifically, with recovery from illness or surgery (Taylor, 2011). Pre- surgical psychological screenings are an important factor in determining how the patient will recover …

The Effect Of Various Body Positions On Performance Of The Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull, George K. Beckham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the effects of changing body position on the execution of the isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP). Furthermore, while there is evidence to suggest that there is an effect of familiarization on performance of maximal strength tests, there has been no known research evaluating the effect of learning on the IMTP. The effect of familiarization was assessed by evaluating changes in variables obtained from the IMTP. Subjects did not statistically improve over the five IMTP testing sessions, regardless of the body position used, or if subjects had previous experience with weightlifting derivatives. This may …

Negative Skeletal Effects Of Locally Produced Adiponectin, Marcia J. Abbott, Theresa M. Roth, Linh Ho, Liping Wang, Dylan O'Carroll, Robert A. Nissenson

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Epidemiological studies show that high circulating levels of adiponectin are associated with low bone mineral density. The effect of adiponectin on skeletal homeostasis, on osteoblasts in particular, remains controversial. We investigated this issue using mice with adipocyte-specific over-expression of adiponectin (AdTg). MicroCT and histomorphometric analysis revealed decreases (15%) in fractional bone volume in AdTg mice at the proximal tibia with no changes at the distal femur. Cortical bone thickness at mid-shafts of the tibia and at the tibiofibular junction was reduced (3–4%) in AdTg mice. Dynamic histomorphometry at the proximal tibia in AdTg mice revealed inhibition of bone formation. AdTg …

The Longitudinal Effects Of Beta-Alanine Supplementation On Isometric Strength, Time To Exhaustion, And Lower-Body Isometric Torque In Female Masters Athlete Cyclists, Jordan Mckenzie Glenn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within the population of aging individuals exists a subset of competitive seniors or masters athletes (MA). As masters-level competition increases in popularity, MA must find methods to enhance individual athletic performance. Beta-alanine (BA) is an amino acid used to enhance physical capability based on ability increase intramuscular carnosine concentrations. Older adults and females have naturally lower carnosine levels compared to age- and gender-matched counterparts and may experience enhanced benefits from BA supplementation. Purpose: Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the longitudinal effects of BA supplementation on isometric handgrip strength (HG), time to exhaustion (TTE), total work completed …

The Comparative Effects Of Hot Yoga And Thermoneutral Yoga On Flexibility, Heart Rate, Sweat Rate, And Mood, Hannah Kirkland Campbell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Yoga is an ancient Indian philosophy, described as a therapeutic intervention and health maintenance practice that unites the mind and body to aid healing through the combination of physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. There is ample research regarding yoga practiced in an environment that is thermoneutral, or in an environment that does not alter the metabolic heat production or evaporative heat loss of people. However, minimal research exists on the increasingly popular form of yoga known as hot yoga, or yoga practiced in an environment that is often humidified and 95° F or warmer. This exploratory study compared the …

Synergy-Based Two-Level Optimization For Predicting Knee Contact Forces During Walking, Gil Serrancolí, Allison Kinney, Josep M. Font-Llagunes, Benjamin J. Fregly

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Musculoskeletal models and optimization methods are combined to calculate muscle forces. Some model parameters cannot be experimentally measured due to the invasiveness, such as the muscle moment arms or the muscle and tendon lengths. Moreover, other parameters used in the optimization, such as the muscle synergy components, can be also unknown. The estimation of all these parameters needs to be validated to obtain physiologically consistent results. In this study, a two-step optimization problem was formulated to predict both muscle and knee contact forces of a subject wearing an instrumented knee prosthesis. In the outer level, muscle parameters were calibrated, whereas …

Development Of A Muscle Model Parameter Calibration Method Via Passive Muscle Force Minimization, Allison Kinney, Benjamin J. Fregly

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Computational predictions of subject-specific muscle and knee joint contact forces during walking may improve individual rehabilitation treatment design. Such predictions depend directly on specified model parameter values. However, model parameters are difficult to measure non-invasively. Methods for muscle model parameter calibration have been developed previously. However, it is currently unknown how the musculoskeletal system chooses muscle model parameter values. Previous studies have hypothesized that muscles avoid injury during walking by generating little passive force and operating in the ascending region of the force-length curve. This hypothesis suggests that muscle model parameter values may be selected by the body to minimize …

The Influence Of Neuromusculoskeletal Model Calibration Method On Predicted Knee Contact Forces During Walking, Gil Serrancolí, Allison Kinney, Benjamin J. Fregly, Josep M. Font-Llagunes

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This study explored the influence of three model calibration methods on predicted knee contact and leg muscle forces during walking. Static optimization was used to calculate muscle activations for all three methods. Approach A used muscle-tendon model parameter values (i.e., optimal muscle fiber lengths and tendon slack lengths) taken directly from literature. Approach B used a simple algorithm to calibrate muscle-tendon model parameter values such that each muscle operated within the ascending region of its normalized force-length curve. Approach C used a novel two-level optimization procedure to calibrate muscle-tendon, moment arm, and neural control model parameter values while simultaneously predicting …

The Association Between Sleep Quality, Physical Inactivity, And Risk Of Developing Metabolic Syndrome, Matthew Scott

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this study is to assess the independent effects of sedentary time, sleep quality, and physical activity on risk factors for Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in college students.

Methods 40 college aged students were recruited from James Madison University. Height, weight, blood pressure, waist circumference, and body composition were assessed on visit 1. Blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid profile were assessed on visit 2. Subjects were required to wear an Actigraph GT3x accelerometer, which measured physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep quality for 7 days and nights. Univariate Pearson correlation analyses were performed to determine the …

Perceptual Differences In Children Learning To Play Golf With Traditional Or Modified (Scaled) Equipment, Lindsey Dawn Sams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to examine perception differences of competence and enjoyment between learners using modified and traditional equipment, and the potential effects these factors could have on intent for future participation. The participants in this study were 123 children (65 girls, 58 boys) aged 7 to 17 years. Through a convenience sampling method, data was obtained through surveys measuring golf participation and self-perceptions concerning perceived competence, enjoyment and intention to continue participation. To avoid an age confound, the dataset was limited to 2nd through 5th grade children (24 traditional/ 75 modified) for secondary analyses (MANOVA and …