Kinesiology Commons^™

Biomechanical Analyses Of Stair-Climbing While Dual-Tasking, Srikant Vallabhajosula, Chi Wei Tan, Mukul Mukherjee, Austin Davidson, Nicholas Stergiou

Journal Articles

Stair-climbing while doing a concurrent task like talking or holding an object is a common activity of daily living which poses high risk for falls. While biomechanical analyses of overground walking during dual-tasking have been studied extensively, little is known on the biomechanics of stair-climbing while dual-tasking. We sought to determine the impact of performing a concurrent cognitive or motor task during stair-climbing. We hypothesized that a concurrent cognitive task will have a greater impact on stair climbing performance compared to a concurrent motor task and that this impact will be greater on a higher-level step. Ten healthy young adults …

A Six-Week Home Exercise Program Improves Endothelial Function And Cd34+ Circulating Progenitor Cells In Patients With Pre-Diabetes, Sabyasachi Sen, Sarah Witkowski, Ann Lagoy, Ashequl Islam

Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Pre-diabetes is associated with endothelial dysfunction and affects endothelium-associated stem cells. Lifestyle modification has been shown to prevent the progression from pre-diabetes to overt type 2 diabetes; however, the effect of such interventions on CD34⁺ progenitor cells in pre-diabetes participants has not been tested. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a home-based 6-week exercise intervention improved vascular function, circulating number, function, and gene expression of circulating CD34⁺progenitor cells in patients with pre-diabetes.

Methods: Patients (40 - 70 years, BMI of 25 - 39.9, n = 11) were enrolled in a 16-week randomized crossover …

Does Cognitive Stress Result Into The Contextual Interference Effect?, Andrea Taylor Moss

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Individual Analysis Of T2*-Weighted Gradient Echo Imaging In Asymptomatic And Symptomatic Athletes, Xianglun Mao

Open Access Theses

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a commonly occurred sports-related injury, especially in contact sports like football and soccer. Hemorrhage will appear as hypointense lesions on T₂ ^*-weighted images, resulting from mTBI. Thus, T ₂^*-weighted gradient echo pulse sequence can be used to generate magnitude susceptibility-weighted (SW) images, and to further detect negative intensity changes of different regions of interests (ROIs) inside human brains. Our goal was to investigate how the ROI-specific intensity changes in each individual sports athlete over a single competition season and to interrogate whether these changes are correlated with repetitive subconcussive or …

Sitting Postural Control Affects The Development Of Focused Attention In Children With Cerebral Palsy, Swati Surkar, Christina Edelbrock, Nicholas Stergiou, Sarah Berger, Regina T. Harbourne

Journal Articles

Purpose:

To investigate whether focused attention (FA) changes over time as sitting postural control improves and whether an impairment in sitting postural control affects the development of FA in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods:

Nineteen children with CP, mean ages 21.47 months, were assessed for FA and sitting scores pre- and postintervention.

Results:

Longest, total, and global FA increased and frequency of FA decreased in children who achieved independent sitting. However, children who achieved mobility postintervention exhibited a decrease in longest FA and an increase in frequency of FA.

Conclusion:

Sitting postural control and the development of FA appear …

Brain Oxygenation Patterns During The Execution Of Tool Use Demonstration, Tool Use Pantomime, And Body-Part-As-Object Tool Use, Ingo Helmich, Henning Holle, Robert Rein, Hedda Lausberg

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Divergent findings exist whether left and right hemispheric pre- and postcentral cortices contribute to the production of tool use related hand movements. In order to clarify the neural substrates of tool use demonstrations with tool in hand, tool use pantomimes without tool in hand, and body-part-as-object presentations of tool use (BPO) in a naturalistic mode of execution, we applied functional Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in twenty-three right-handed participants. Functional NIRS techniques allow for the investigation of brain oxygenation during the execution of complex hand movements with an unlimited movement range. Brain oxygenation patterns were retrieved from 16 channels of measurement …

Cerebrovascular Reactivity Alterations Due To Subconcussive Repetitive Head Trauma In Asymptomatic High School Football Players, Chetas Joshi

Open Access Theses

Chronic neurological damage as a result of chronic repetitive head trauma is a major concern for football athletes today. Repetitive concussions have been linked to many neurological disorders. Recently, it has been reported that repetitive subconcussive events can contribute to long-term neurodegeneration. For these reasons, it is important to understand the effect repetitive subconcussive head trauma has on brain health in young athletes. Past research has demonstrated that cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), an important mediator of cerebrovascular regulation, is impaired following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This impairment increases susceptibility to secondary injury following mTBI. In this study, Breath-Hold (BH) task …

Educational Practices And Attainment Of Competency In The Professional Preparation Of An Athletic Trainer, Julie M. Cavallario

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The professional education of athletic trainers will continue to evolve as the needs of the profession, and the healthcare system, change. In current educational practices the educational preparation of an athletic trainer can take place at the undergraduate or post-baccalaureate level. Additionally, there are no universally applicable outcome measures for comparison of student performance in the clinical education portion of existing curriculums.

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the existing education practices, especially relevant to clinical education, currently in place for athletic training (AT) at the professional level. The purpose of the literature review was to historically examine, …

Contra-Compartmental Joint Mechanics In Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty, Roy Rusly

All Dissertations

Recently, unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) has seen a resurgence in clinical popularity, due to its increased success rate, improvement in implant designs, and more efficient surgical techniques. However, it continues to be a more technically demanding procedure and less forgiving compared to TKA [14,16-19]. The early reported failures due to the malalignment errors during surgery remain areas of concern clinically and experimentally [41-44,46]. In addition, the difference in the compliance between the UKA implant materials (metal-polymer) and the soft tissues in the un-operated comparted could also affect the load distribution on the knee joint. Advancement in medical technology and improvement …

Why Not Be An Early-Bird Researcher?, Ravindra P. Nettimi, Madhur Mangalam, Mewa Singh

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Division Of Labor In Hand Usage Is Associated With Higher Hand Performance In Free-Ranging Bonnet Macaques, Macaca Radiata, Madhur Mangalam, Nisarg Desai, Mewa Singh

Journal Articles

A practical approach to understanding lateral asymmetries in body, brain, and cognition would be to examine the performance advantages/disadvantages associated with the corresponding functions and behavior. In the present study, we examined whether the division of labor in hand usage, marked by the preferential usage of the two hands across manual operations requiring maneuvering in three-dimensional space (e.g., reaching for food, grooming, and hitting an opponent) and those requiring physical strength (e.g., climbing), is associated with higher hand performance in free-ranging bonnet macaques, Macaca radiata. We determined the extent to which the macaques exhibit laterality in hand usage in …

H-Index Is Important For Postural Control For People With Impaired Foot Sole Sensation, Shuqi Zhang, Brad Manor, Li Li

Health Sciences & Kinesiology: Faculty Publications

Introduction: People with Peripheral Neuropathy (PN), especially those with impaired sensory inputs through the small-afferent fiber (type II afferent fibers) reflex loop (SAF), might depend more on the large-afferent fiber (type I afferent fibers) reflex loop (LAF) for postural control.

Purpose: To examine whether the function of the LAF reflex loop, reflected by the H-reflex and ankle joint proprioception, influences postural control when the SAF reflex loop is impaired, as indicated by reduced foot sole cutaneous sensation.

Methods: Thirteen participants (8 women, 5 men) diagnosed with PN and 12 age-matched controls (7 women, 5 men) completed the testing protocol. Measures …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Athletic Apparel And Equipment Sponsorship And Student-Athlete Recruitment At The Football Championship, Melissa J. Davies, Katharine A. Burakowski

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

The purpose of this study was to extend previous literature on student-athlete college choice by examining part of the recruitment process as a precursor to student-athlete decision-making. More specifically, this exploratory study aimed to empirically examine the extent to which apparel sponsorships affect student-athlete recruitment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten football players at a state-supported NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) institution in the Rocky Mountain region. An inductive approach was used in identifying three emergent themes. These themes suggest that football players at this institution did not hold the apparel and equipment sponsorship as a deciding factor for the …

Lower Extremity Kinematics During A Drop Jump In Individuals With Patellar Tendinopathy, Adam B. Rosen, Jupil Ko, Kathy J. Simpson, Seock-Ho Kim, Cathleen N. Brown

Journal Articles

Background: Patellar tendinopathy (PT) is a common degenerative condition in physically active populations. Knowledge regarding the biomechanics of landing in populations with symptomatic PT is limited, but altered mechanics may play a role in the development or perpetuation of PT.

Purpose: To identify whether study participants with PT exhibited different landing kinematics compared with healthy controls.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Sixty recreationally active participants took part in this study; 30 had current signs and symptoms of PT, including self-reported pain within the patellar tendon during loading activities for at least 3 months and ≤80 on the Victorian Institute …

Identification Of The Practices, Preferences, Knowledge, Attitudes And Barriers To Strength Training Participation Of Young College Aged Women, Brianna Ackerman

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and United States Department of Health and Human Services classify muscular fitness as a key component of health (13,20). While important for both men and women, women can benefit from resistance training, specifically strength training, in many ways. Muscular strength gains, increases and maintenance of lean body mass such as muscle and bone and possible fat loss are some benefits that women who regularly participate in resistance training can achieve (4,5,6,9,18).

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the practices, preferences, knowledge, attitudes and barriers to strength training participation in …

The Effect Of Self-Adherent Tape And Lace Up Ankle Braces On Ankle Range Of Motion And Dynamic Balance In Collegiate Football Players, Kristin Willeford

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in the physically active population. Previous research has shown that supporting the ankle with taping or bracing methods is effective at preventing ankle sprains. However, no research exists on the effects of self-adherent tape and lace up ankle braces on the restriction of range of motion and dynamic balance in collegiate football players. Objective: To examine the effectiveness of self-adherent tape and lace up ankle braces in reducing ankle range of motion and improving dynamic balance before and after a typical collegiate football practice. Design: Crossover. Setting: Athletic Training Room. …

Associations Between Physical Activity And Weight Status With Grade-School Performance, Taylor Panfil

Theses and Dissertations

Physical activity and weight control are predictive of childhood health, but more recent research suggests they may also be associated with academic success.

PURPOSE: To explore the relationships between physical activity, weight status, and academic performance in children.

METHODS: 614 third-to-fifth grade children (53.9% female, age 9.6 ± 0.9 years) from two Midwestern communities participated. Physical activity was assessed using a Digiwalker 200-SW pedometer worn for seven consecutive days. Teachers provided an estimate of general academic performance, and children were categorized into three performance groups (high, moderate, low). School behavior (attentiveness, staying on task, interruptive behavior) was assessed by the …

Children’S Looking Preference For Biological Motion May Be Related To An Affinity For Mathematical Chaos, Joshua L. Haworth, Anastasia Kyvelidou, Wayne Fisher, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Recognition of biological motion is pervasive in early child development. Further, viewing the movement behavior of others is a primary component of a child’s acquisition of complex, robust movement repertoires, through imitation and real-time coordinated action. We theorize that inherent to biological movements are particular qualities of mathematical chaos and complexity. We further posit that this character affords the rich and complex inter-dynamics throughout early motor development. Specifically, we explored whether children’s preference for biological motion may be related to an affinity for mathematical chaos. Cross recurrence quantification analysis (cRQA) was used to investigate the coordination of gaze and posture …

Postural Sway And Gaze Can Track The Complex Motion Of A Visual Target, Vassilia Hatzitaki, Nikolaos Stergiou, George Sofianidis, Anastasia Kyvelidou

Journal Articles

Variability is an inherent and important feature of human movement. This variability has form exhibiting a chaotic structure. Visual feedback training using regular predictive visual target motions does not take into account this essential characteristic of the human movement, and may result in task specific learning and loss of visuo-motor adaptability. In this study, we asked how well healthy young adults can track visual target cues of varying degree of complexity during whole-body swaying in the Anterior-Posterior (AP) and Medio-Lateral (ML) direction. Participants were asked to track three visual target motions: a complex (Lorenz attractor), a noise (brown) and a …

Analysis Of Heart Rate Training Responses In Division I Collegiate Athletes, Maria Canino

Theses and Dissertations

New technology continuously develops to assist with enhancing athletic performance. Assessing the physiological responses athletes experience from training is crucial when developing programs to simultaneously optimize performance and improve fitness levels. By combining coaching expertise with scientific technology, coaches can monitor and obtain their athletes' individual objective physiological responses (i.e. heart rates) on the effectiveness of the applied external stimuli or training program(s). PURPOSE: To examine the physical training doses through heart rate monitoring of strength and condition (S&C) sessions compared to a typical game setting in female soccer and basketball collegiate athletes. METHODS: Participants were nine female soccer players …