The Effect Of A Neuromuscular Training Program On Jump Landing Performance, Richard Alan Aley

Theses

Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is highly prevalent within competitive sports of all levels and types. Female athletes are at higher risk for sustaining an ACL injury. specifically those participating in field and court based sports involving large dynamic movements, such as soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and gymnastics. The use of neuromuscular training to promote proper mechanics during jumping and change of direction activities may decrease the risk of ACL injury.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of a neuromuscular trai11ing program on jump landing mechanics in female college athletes.

METHODS: Forty-three female Division …

The Effects Of A Worksite Wellness Program On Prescription Claims, Carrie Deann Davidson

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the worksite wellness weight loss program called Weight Loss Matters (WLM) for employees at the University of Kentucky. The three main objectives were to measure the effect of Weight Loss Matters for employees from June 2006 to December 2011 in the following areas (1) prescription claims for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, (2) weight loss, and (3) food diary compliance. Participants included 591 employees who participated in WLM for at least one session from 2006 to 2011 for whom there were data. This study employed a Quasi-experiment, longitudinal design. Data …

Differences In The Muscle Activity For Baseball Hitters Of Varying Skill, Ethan M. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

INTRODUCTION: Muscle activity and timing of the swing phases may contribute to the differences we see in athletes at different skill levels. The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences between mean muscle activity, peak muscle active and time to peak muscle activity for select muscles in the lower extremity as well as the differences between start times for swing phases and bat velocity prior to impact for a skilled and recreational group. METHODS: Twelve healthy subjects were split into two groups based on competitive level and analyzed hitting off of a tee. RESULTS: No significant differences were …

Self-Reported Adherence To Physical Activity For Cancer Survivors: An Update From The 2015 Nhis Database, Andrew Jackson Shearer

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America. It’s been suggested that regular physical activity (PA) can improve health outcomes in cancer survivors. An estimate from BRFSS data (2009) suggested that 47% of all cancer survivors met recommended guidelines and that this estimate was not different from the population at large (48%). Several factors were examined from these BRFSS data to determine whether subgroups of survivors existed who might benefit from interventions aimed at improving their PA status. The purpose of this investigation was to obtain more recent estimates of adherence to established PA guidelines for cancer survivors. …

Are Maximum Ground Forces And Leg Compression In Phase? A Test Of The Classical Spring Mass Model Of Running Gaits, Seth Donahue

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The mechanical understanding of human running has classically been described as a spring-mass system, with subsequent models predicting the movements of the body’s center of mass and the forces applied by the leg against the ground. A central requirement of any spring system is the phasic relationship between the length of the elastic elements and the forces applied to these structures. Specifically, elastic elements compress under load and extend as the load is released. We tested whether this model applies to individuals with specialization for extreme performance in human gait. Recent work from elite level sprint runners suggest that their …

The Health, Fitness, And Anthropometric Characteristics Of Firefighters On The North Coast Of California, Gil Spitz

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

ABSTRACT

THE HEALTH, FITNESS AND ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FIREFIGHTERS ON THE NORTH COAST OF CALIFORNIA

Gil Spitz

Limited research has been conducted on the health-related physical fitness level of rural firefighters on the northern coast of California. The geographic isolation of rural firefighters creates unique challenges, including staffing shortages placing individual firefighters under unusual physiological stress.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the health-related physical fitness status of rural firefighters.

METHODS: 20 male firefighters (mean±sd, age = 32±7 yr, height = 180±5 cm, body mass = 96±16 kg, fire service = 9±7 yr) on the …

Effects Of A Post-Activation Potentiation Warm-Up On Submaximal Parallel Back Squat Volume, Rating Of Perceived Exertion, Peak Velocity, And Peak Power, Carlton Wei

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Resistance training (RT) is effective for improving athletic performance, with specific training loads and volumes dictating the adaptations. A warm-up is necessary to safely and effectively engage in RT: typically with a low intensity aerobic activity, stretching, and movement specific potentiating exercises. Post-activation potentiation (PAP) acutely increases muscular power following a conditioning contraction, though limited research has assessed its use for RT. The purpose of this study was to assess how a PAP warm-up protocol affects volume, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and peak velocity and power with 75%1RM in the barbell parallel back squat (PBS) exercise across 4 sets. …

Effect Of Local Magnetic Field Disturbances On Inertial Measurement Units Accuracy, Xavier Robert-Lachaine, Hakim Mecheri, Christian Larue, André Plamondon

Études primaires

Inertial measurement units (IMUs), a practical motion analysis technology for field acquisition, have magnetometers to improve segment orientation estimation. However, sensitivity to magnetic disturbances can affect their accuracy. The objective of this study was to determine the joint angles accuracy of IMUs under different timing of magnetic disturbances of various durations and to evaluate a few correction methods. Kinematics from 12 individuals were obtained simultaneously with an Xsens system where an Optotrak cluster acting as the reference system was affixed to each IMU. A handling task was executed under normal laboratory conditions and imposed magnetic disturbances. Joint angle RMSE was …

Validation Of Inertial Measurement Units With An Optoelectronic System For Whole-Body Motion Analysis, Xavier Robert-Lachaine, Hakim Mecheri, Christian Larue, André Plamondon

Études primaires

The potential of inertial measurement units (IMUs) for ergonomics applications appears promising. However, previous IMUs validation studies have been incomplete regarding aspects of joints analysed, complexity of movements and duration of trials. The objective was to determine the technological error and biomechanical model differences between IMUs and an optoelectronic system and evaluate the effect of task complexity and duration. Whole-body kinematics from 12 participants was recorded simultaneously with a full-body Xsens system where an Optotrak cluster was fixed on every IMU. Short functional movements and long manual material handling tasks were performed and joint angles were compared between the two …

The Effect Of Yoga Practice On Glucose Control, Physiological Stress, And Well-Being In Type 2 Diabetes: Exploring A Mechanism Of Action, Maricarmen Vizcaino

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Multiple studies have found yoga practice to be effective in improving glucose control and other health markers of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, current findings cannot reach a consensus given multiple methodological inconsistencies. The primary purpose of this Dissertation work was to investigate the impact of yoga practice on the glucose control of participants with T2DM through two different approaches in two separate exploratory studies. The first study, a quasi-experimental design, examined the effect of eight weeks of yoga practice on glucose control taking into account previous limitations in the literature. The second study, a single-subject design, …

Physiological And Psychological Well-Being During The Spring Season In Female Soccer Players, Adam Conrad Lowe

LSU Master's Theses

Female student-athletes are an understudied population that are exposed to athletic stressors in addition to academic and social stressors. This study is designed to investigate the physiological and psychological well-being during the spring season in female Division I soccer players. During the 2017 spring season, participants competed in five matches over five weeks and participated in three to four soccer training sessions in between match days. To measure well-being, both objective and subjective measures were used. Activation state was collected via the Activation Deactivation Adjective Checklist (AD-ACL) before all matches. Heart rate and heart rate variability were measured during all …

The Effect Of Energy-Matched Exercise Intensity On Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor And Motor Learning, Jessica F. Baird

Theses and Dissertations

Brain plasticity is important to motor learning, and is a critical component of motor rehabilitation. Exercise prior to motor training may facilitate plasticity by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, many studies that have investigated exercise-enhanced plasticity have assessed motor skill performance on tasks involving single finger button presses or small movements of a joystick, results that may not relate to more complex, real-world movements. Additionally, while high-intensity exercise has been shown to benefit motor learning, the effects of low-intensity exercise have yet to be fully investigated. A bout of low-intensity exercise, when completed at an energy expenditure that is …

Maternal Physical Activity And Cardiorespiratory Fitness During Pregnancy And Its Relation To Infant Size, Samantha M. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

Recent evidence indicates that U.S.-born infants are larger today compared to 20 years ago. A strong determinant of neonatal size is maternal body mass, where larger mothers deliver larger infants. Consistent evidence indicates that higher levels of maternal physical activity (PA) during pregnancy reduce the risk of delivering a larger infant. However, this protective effect has only been demonstrated in normal weight pregnant women. Little is known about the relationship between maternal PA and neonatal size in overweight or obese pregnant women. Moreover, no studies have examined the association between maternal cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), an indicator of habitual PA, on …

The Addition Of A Concurrent Bimanual Task Influences Postural Sway And Walking Speed Performance And Prioritization Across All Ages, Derek Matthew Liuzzo

Theses and Dissertations

As individuals age, there is an increase in attentional demands, a heavier reliance on vision, reduction in efficiency of both tasks, and longer processing intervals causing greater dual task interference on postural sway and walking speed. While cognitive-motor interference has been investigated, the impact of adding a functional, manual task while balancing or during gait is poorly understood across all ages. The overall purpose was to examine the relationship between age and task automaticity in dual-task conditions with a functional bimanual task, and describe how age influences attentional prioritization strategies. Older adults demonstrated differences in single and dual task performance …

Organizational Misconduct Within The National Collegiate Athletic Association, Khirey Bennie Walker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Prior research on organizational misconduct within intercollegiate athletics focuses on the penalties administered by the NCAA and types of violations committed by member institutions, rather than the engagement of misconduct and the role of the NCAA as a social-control agent. Consequently, the purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the relationship between social-control agents and potential wrongdoers (i.e., organizations), in addition to how the relationship affects the evolving line separating right from wrong. A three-paper multiple method examination has been conducted, including a historical analysis of NCAA enforcement, a qualitative framing analysis on the detailing of NCAA major infractions to …

Exploring Social Indicators Of Situational Interest In Physical Education And Activity Classes: Integration Of Interest And Self-Determination Theories, Joseph Opiri Otundo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is clearly documented that physically active lifestyles result in numerous health benefits. Unfortunately, a majority of individuals do not meet recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. Physical education (PE) courses provide avenues for students to increase PA. Teachers and public health officials identify the importance of student motivation constructs such as interest in promoting PA behaviors and other healthy life habits. The purposes of this dissertation were to advance the measurement of situational interest by investigating social indicators derived from self-determination theory (SDT), and to test a theoretical model that integrates interest theory and SDT. Two quantitative studies were designed …

Managerial Labor Mobility In The National Football League, Jeremy Joseph Foreman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Within the present dissertation, determinants of leader dismissals, promotions, and demotions are explored. A model of CEO dismissals is adapted to the context of the National Football League (NFL), whereby head coaches represent CEOs. Building upon empirical studies of the CEO dismissal model, a proxy is established which is representative of actual candidates to replace an executive rather than proxies based on industry and firm characteristics. Using the proxy for candidates provided statistically insignificant results that challenge the theoretical relationship between candidate availability and executive dismissals. Additionally, the present dissertation proposed and found empirical justification for incorporating an additional socio-political …

Kinetic And Kinematic Variables Related To Medial Elbow Joint Space In Collegiate Baseball Pitchers, Meghan Reid Jackson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is a prime stabilizer in the elbow against valgus force. It is also a commonly injured structure in the overhead-throwing athlete. The majority of literature to date assesses the medial elbow by adding a valgus stress or evaluates the elbow after injury has occurred. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore static changes to the medial elbow and the relationship with the overhead throw. The first investigation sought to determine if there was a bilateral difference in the medial joint space of the elbow in general population college-aged students. There was no significant difference …

The Immediate And Extended Effect Of Diet And Exercise On Metabolic Flexibility, Timothy Allerton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Metabolic inflexibility is an emerging physiological marker indicative of metabolic dysfunction and associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. Exercise is a potent stimulus to improve metabolic health, however, not much is known about the acute effects of exercise on metabolic flexibility (METFLEX). The purpose of this dissertation was study the time-course of diet and exercise and its effects on METFLEX. Three studies were conducted to investigate molecular and clinical aspects of diet and exercise and how these stimuli may alter the metabolic response to fuel. The first study was conducted on obesity-prone, Osborne-Mendel (OM) and obesity-resistant S5B/Pl (S5B) …

An Examination Of Spasticity Of The Lower Extremity Among Young People With Cerebral Palsy, Jordan Nourse

Honors College Theses

Background: Spasticity is the most common symptom among individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Spasticity is often presented as stiff limbs often resulting in pain. Currently, clinicians are limited in diagnosing spasticity using observational tools. The purpose of this study was compare spasticity at various functional levels using dynamometry. Methods: Participants included nine adolescents (12-19) with CP and nine adolescents (age-matched) without CP. The participants participated in passive stretches delivered by the Biodex System 4 Pro Dynamometer at four different speeds (90, 120, 150, and 180 deg/s), Measurements of the quadriceps will be collected before and during passive knee extension stretches …