Kinesiology Commons^™

Pioneering Insights Into The Complexities Of Salt-Sensitive Hypertension: Central Nervous System Mechanisms And Dietary Bioactive Compound Interventions, Renjun Wang, Bo Xu, Xiping Liu, Qi Guo, Gregory Miodonski, Zhiying Shan, Dongshu Du, Qing Hui Chen

Michigan Tech Publications

Salt-sensitive hypertension (SSH) is an important and common subtype of hypertension, whose pathogenesis involves multi-level regulation, including the central nervous system (CNS), metabolic stress, and epigenetics. Dietary bioactive compounds have emerged as a research hotspot for SSH intervention due to their safety and multi-target effects. Although existing studies have focused on the CNS regulation of SSH or the role of individual dietary components, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis integrating multiple mechanisms, systematically summarizing multiple compounds, and incorporating a clinical translation perspective. This review first outlines the mechanisms of CNS pathways, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and epigenetic …

Validation And Efficacy Of A Novel External Ankle Support Device For The Prevention Of Lateral Ankle Sprains, Sally Kennon Barfield

Theses and Dissertations

Ankle sprains are a common injury in sports and in life and can lead to debilitating consequences if not managed properly. Current prevention methods are limited to bracing or taping of the ankle. While these methods have been shown to help in mitigation of ankle sprains, associated issues such as performance decrements and discomfort have been noted in the currently available literature. The BetterGuards is a novel external ankle support that has been touted as the key to the issues presented by more traditional prevention methods. The purpose of this study was to determine both the effectiveness of the BetterGuards …

Fitness Changes, Dietary Practices And Sleep Quality In Non-Elite Through-Hikers: A Case Series, Cory J. Greever, Blayke Harrison, Holland Gaston, Anna Grexton, Dante Argento

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 6: Issue 1, Article 13, 2025. Through-hikes on long distance backpacking routes have the potential to both improve physical fitness and pose health risks. PURPOSE: To quantify changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition, while recording dietary intake and sleep habits in a sample of through-hikers. METHODS: Participants completed two lab visits consisting of a maximal graded treadmill test and body composition assessments. Hiking volume, energy expenditure, sleep duration, and sleep staging were estimated during the hike using a smart watch. Participants kept a journal of all food and beverage intake. RESULTS: Over …

Knee Injury Prevention Program In An Early Pubertal Female Athlete During A Recreational Softball Season, Doug W. Dendy, Toby Brooks, C Roger James, Micah Lierly

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 6: Issue 1, Article 12, 2025. This case study was intended to analyze the impact of a knee injury prevention program (KIPP) for a young female athlete in a short recreational softball season. It was hypothesized that initiating a KIPP early within a recreational sports season would positively alter lower extremity biomechanics, subsequently reducing the risk of knee injuries during and after skeletal development. During a recreational softball season, a 13-year-old female athlete completed a preliminary biomechanical test, the drop vertical jump battery (DVJB_pre), underwent a 7-week in-season KIPP, then was …

Acute Effects Of Multi-Joint Eccentric Exercise On Lower-Extremity Muscle Activation Measured During Land And Water Walking, Brayden Worley, Brennan J. Thompson, Jon Carey, Talin Louder

Kinesiology and Health Science Student Research

Falls are a leading cause of injury and loss of independence in older adults, often linked to deficits in lower-limb muscle function and gait mechanics. Eccentric exercise can improve muscular resilience, while aquatic walking offers a safe, supportive environment to retrain gait; however, little is known about how these modalities interact at the neuromuscular level. This study compared lower-limb muscle activation during gait on land and in water, before and after an acute bout of eccentric exercise, in healthy young adults. Surface electromyography was collected from the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), vastus lateralis (VL), and biceps femoris (BF) …

Spike Timing Depended Plasticity Produces Unsupervised Learning Of Synergistic Muscle Feedback In A Synthetical Neural Network, Mark Allen Pupkiewicz

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates how type Ia feedback from muscle spindles can be organized into groups representing agonistic muscle pairs through Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity (STDP). A single degree of freedom joint is actuated with four biologically modeled muscles forming two agonistic pairs. In order to emulate the sensory dynamics of biological muscle spindles, sensors in the model record the active length and velocity states of each muscle, the two primary factors eliciting type Ia afferent responses. In biological networks, synapses from Ia sensory neurons frequently activate interneurons representing agonistic muscle sources. This research investigates whether this organization can emerge in …

Plant Vs. Animal Protein: Effect On Recovery, Performance, And Long-Term Health, Claudia Stachura

Honors Theses

Protein plays a fundamental role in muscle repair, growth, and athletic performance, which has led to increased interest in how different protein sources compare, particularly as plant-based diets become more common among athletes and physically active individuals. The debate surrounding plant-based versus animal-based protein sources primarily focuses on differences in protein quality, amino acid composition, digestibility, and potential long-term health implications. This paper examines current evidence comparing the effectiveness of plant and animal protein sources in supporting muscle protein synthesis (MPS), resistance training adaptations, recovery, and performance, while also considering broader health and environmental outcomes.

Protein supports muscle growth by …

Displaced Myonuclei Are Attributable To Both Resident Myonuclear Migration And Stem Cell Fusion During Mechanical Loading In Adult Skeletal Muscle, Nathan Serrano, Pieter Jan Koopmans, Kevin A. Murach

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Faculty Publications and Presentations

Non-peripheral (displaced) myonuclei are characteristic of skeletal muscle pathology and severe injury but also appear after exercise and with aging. Displaced myonuclei are typically attributed to the activity of muscle stem cells, or satellite cells. We sought to address whether displaced myonuclei in adult skeletal muscle are exclusively from an exogenous source such as satellite cells or can result from resident myonuclear migration. To address this question, we used a murine recombination-independent muscle fibre-specific doxycycline-inducible fluorescent myonuclear labelling approach, EdU stem cell fate tracking, two durations of plantaris muscle mechanical overload (MOV, 3 days and 7 days), and fluorescent histology. …

Effects Of Ghost Energy Drink On Muscle Strength, Psychomotor Vigilance, And Mood., Jason M. Curtis, Jose J. Rojas, Flavia F. Pereira, Cassandra Evans, Elizabeth Espocito, Alyana Andal Andal, Gavin Poulshock, Hena Thakkar, Taila De Castro, Alexandra Jimenez, Antonio Cristanti, Antonella V. Schwarz, Juan Carlos Santana, Jose Antonio

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a commercially available energy drink (Ghost®) compared to a caffeine-matched control on measures of mental and physical performance.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind design, 62 participants were assigned to receive either the energy drink (Ghost®) or a caffeine-matched control (200 mg caffeine). Assessments were conducted at baseline and approximately 45 minutes post-ingestion, including the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT), CNS Tap Test, handgrip strength, and the Profile of Mood States (POMS).

Results: Participant demographics are presented in Table 1. No significant between-group differences were observed for any performance measures. Both groups …

Effectiveness Of Education On Increasing Training Likelihood: An Analysis In Relation To Physique Inflation, Reid J. Venable

Honors College Theses

Resistance training is a widely recommended form of exercise for enhancing muscular strength, improving metabolic health, and promoting overall quality of life. In addition to these benefits, perhaps the most popular reason for participating in resistance training is to achieve muscle hypertrophy and attain a desired or aesthetic physique. However, various factors such as the use of performance-enhancing drugs and social media have led to “physique inflation,” a cultural phenomenon in which exposure to highly enhanced or unrealistic body types shifts perceptions of what is considered a “normal” or attainable physique. As a result, many individuals avoid or delay resistance …

Differences In Loading Rate In Shod And Unshod Treadmill Walking, David Austin Kropushek

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the loading rates of shod and unshod conditions in treadmill walking. It was hypothesized that walking barefoot would demonstrate higher loading rates than walking with shoes. It was also hypothesized that walking barefoot on a treadmill would result in greater stride-to-stride variability than walking with shoes. Sixteen healthy adult females volunteered and provided their consent to participate in this study. Participants were given time to accommodate to the instrumented treadmill both while wearing shoes and without. Two 10-minute trials were collected with a rest period between. Data were analyzed using Vicon Nexus …

Host-Intrinsic Factors Determine Anti-Tumor Efficacy Of Exercise In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Sumedha Pareek

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths with a low 5-year relative survival rate of approximately 13.3% for all stages combined. We have previously shown that exercise can improve quality of life and enhance functional capacity among patients with PDAC. Exercise induces a variety of changes in the tumor microenvironment with beneficial effects in several tumor types. However, our understanding of the clinical effects of exercise and the mechanisms that mediate anti-tumor effects are limited in pancreatic cancer.

In this project, using C57BL/6 mice from Taconic Biosciences (Tac) and Jackson Laboratories (Jax), we established a …

Investigating The Cardiovascular And Autonomic Responses To Energy Drink Consumption: The Role Of Energy And Calorie Content, Sophia Schmidt

Honors Theses

Energy drinks (EDs) are among the most consumed functional beverages, often marketed to enhance focus, alertness, and physical performance. Despite their popularity, the combined cardiovascular and autonomic effects of caffeine and sugar during exercise remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute cardiovascular, metabolic, and autonomic responses to sugar-sweetened (ED-S), non-nutritive sweetened (ED-NNS), and placebo beverages during submaximal cycling in healthy young males.

Nine male participants (age 22.2 ± 2.4 yrs; BMI 26.2 ± 2.9 kg/m²) completed three experimental visits in a randomized, repeated-measures design. Each visit involved ingestion of one drink (ED-S, ED-NNS, or …

The Unilateral Neuromuscular Effects Of Cross Education Eccentric-Focused Isokinetic Strength Training With Blood Flow Restriction In Sedentary And Recreationally Active Males, Bryan Mixumi

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine if BFR unilateral training protocols can elicit the same or greater cross-education effect as observed with HIGH protocols.

RESULTS: Significant time main effects and trained vs. untrained interactions revealed both training groups improved in isometric and isokinetic strength, work and power across limbs (P < 0.05). EMG analyses showed significant increases in vastus lateralis activation, with limb-specific neural adaptations but no group differences (P < 0.05) suggesting potential cross-education influence in the lower musculature.

CONCLUSION: With lower workloads, the BFR training protocols produced improvements in isometrics and isokinetic strength, work, power, and EMG that were comparable to those of the HIGH group across the trained and untrained limbs. The magnitude and limb-specific patterns varied across isometric, isokinetic, and EMG variables, but …

Transcriptomic And Contractile Adaptations In Skeletal Muscle In A Rodent Model Of Anorexia Nervosa, Oscar Armando Vicen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder marked by severe chronic caloric restriction and is primarily diagnosed through psychological and behavioral symptoms. AN has the highest mortality of any psychiatric disorder with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Many individuals with a history of AN experience incomplete recovery despite intervention treatment. Skeletal muscle molecular mechanisms under chronic energy deprivation remain poorly understood. PURPOSE: To investigate transcriptomic profiles of the gastrocnemius muscle following one month of a rodent model of AN. This study analyzed whether the molecular changes correlate with collected muscular force data to provide a comprehensive understanding of …

Comparative Assessment Of Lower Limb Neuromusculoskeletal Activation And Joint Kinematics In Normal And Impaired Gait, Jack Ryan Schule

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates whether accessible and affordable technologies can provide clinically significant, quantifiable gait analysis comparable to traditional marker-based motion capture systems. Modern high-end systems offer excellent accuracy but remain financially and logistically inaccessible to many clinicians and researchers. To address this gap, a framework was developed using markerless pose estimation using the model, MediaPipe, inertial measurement units (IMUs) processed through an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), and surface electromyography (sEMG) to measure joint kinematics and neuromuscular activity during gait. An experiment was performed where data was collected from participants with both normal gait and pathologies including: Osgood–Schlatter disease, Plica Band …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Unilateral Triaxial Jump Test And Power Skating Profile In Female Recreational Ice Hockey Athletes, Abigail Christie Aultz

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Skating is a fundamental skill in ice hockey that relies on effective directional force and power generation. Due to biomechanical similarities, off-ice jump tests (e.g., vertical and broad jumps) are often used to assess and predict skating abilities and performance. However, most traditional jump tests are unilateral and do not reflect the multidirectional nature of skating propulsion. The relationship between off-ice force production and in-game skating performance remains unclear, particularly in recreational female hockey players, who are biomechanically distinct and underrepresented in research. Although a 45° push-off angle has been shown to optimize force production in elite male athletes, …

Effects Of Rehabilitative Device On Parkinsonian Gait, Brooke N. Ray, Ksenia I. Ustinova, Joseph E. Langenderfer

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(7): 1422-1440, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/TGOI6101 Parkinson’s disease (PD) is second in occurrence among neurodegenerative disorders after Alzheimer’s disease and significantly impacts gait and mobility. This research tested the effect of the NewGait rehabilitative device in PD impaired individuals. Twenty individuals with PD participated in this study. Walking gait for three conditions were analyzed: Normal, wearing NewGait and Post-NewGait. Standard spatial and temporal analysis measures as well as nonlinear measures from recurrence quantification were compared to determine any effects of the device on walking gait. NewGait was perceived to be both comfortable to wear as well as …

Assessing The Validity Of The Mental Health–Related Survey In Collegiate Student-Athletes, Lindsey Keenan, Zachary K. Winkelmann, Luis Torres, Yvette Ingram, Rachel Daltry

Department of Kinesiology Scholarship and Creative Works

Context

Mental health screenings are recommended during preparticipation physical examinations. The Mental Health–Related Survey (MHRS), a 9-item questionnaire adapted from the 18-item Mental Health Screening Form-III, is suggested in 3 consensus and/or position statements. However, there is no evidence on the effectiveness of the MHRS.

Objective

To assess the validity of the MHRS for mental health screening in collegiate student-athletes.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

University athletic program.

Patients or Other Participants

Five hundred fifteen National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II student-athletes (age = 20 ± 1 years).

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Participants completed the MHRS, the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression …

The Effect Of Three Precooling Methods On Endurance Performance In Active Men, Bahman Mirzae, Mohammadreza E. Toloee, Omid Malekshahi, Victor Romano

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(6): 1410-1421, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/ERZX6867 The study aimed to compare the effect of three precooling techniques (internal, external, and combined) on the time to reach exhaustion in active men. Eight active men (23 ± 2 yrs; 178 ± 6 cm; 73 ± 11 kg) participated] in 4 exhaustive test sessions with a minimum power output of 40Wmax. Sessions included consumption of 7.5 grams of ice water with a temperature of -1 degree per kilogram of body weight, cold towels (4-6°C) used to cool the skin surface], a combination of ice water consumption and a towel cooling, …