Kinesiology Commons^™

The Effect Of Shear Stress, Potassium, And Adenosine On Α-1 Adrenergic Vasoconstriction Of Rat Soleus Feed Arteries, Tanner J. Heckle, Jeffrey Jasperse

Featured Research

During exercise, blood flow increases to the working skeletal muscle primarily because of dilation of the arteries and arterioles feeding the muscle. Sympathetic nerve activity also increases during exercise, augmenting the release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) at the arterial wall and into the blood. NE acts to constrict blood vessels; however, arteries and arterioles within contracting skeletal muscle dilate despite the increased NE present. This has led to the concept of functional sympatholysis (4), the idea that a chemical released from contracting skeletal muscle interferes with NE signaling. NE acts by binding to adrenergic (alpha and beta) receptors, and …

Effects Of Ankle Immobilization On Lower Extremity Joint Coupling Variability, Kristin M. Gundy

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Human movement is a complex system that encompasses several factors within the body to create coordination. It is not fully understood how the many degrees of freedom (DOF) of the body organize to create movement. Both internal and external influence how the DOF problem works to produce varying movement goals.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the organization patterns of the body by eliminating a DOF. The ankle joint was immobilized to determine if there were differences at the hip and knee joint couplings. It was hypothesized that there would be an increase in movement variability at …

Effect Of A Lateral Wedge Insole Over A One Week Period In A Healthy Population, Sarah E. Sudheimer

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Medial knee osteoarthritis is a disease that is projected to affect approximately 45% of the U.S. population and is associated with significant morbidity, chronic pain, and limited activity. Laterally wedged insoles are used as an intervention to laterally shift the mechanical axis of the limb and decrease the external knee adduction moment, possibly indicating a shift in load distribution to the lateral compartment of the knee. The aim of this study was to examine the acute effects of a laterally wedged insole in those with valgus and normally aligned knees and to determine prolonged effects after the insole was worn …

Executive Function Orchestrates Regulation Of Task-Relevant Gait Fluctuations, Leslie M. Decker, Fabien Cignetti, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Humans apply a minimum intervention principle to regulate treadmill walking, rapidly correcting fluctuations in the task-relevant variable (step speed: SS) while ignoring fluctuations in the task-irrelevant variables (step time: ST; step length: SL). We examined whether the regulation of fluctuations in SS and not in ST and SL depends on high-level, executive function, processes. Young adults walked on a treadmill without a cognitive requirement and while performing the cognitive task of dichotic listening. SS fluctuations became less anti-persistent when performing dichotic listening, meaning that taxing executive function impaired the ability to rapidly correct speed deviations on subsequent steps. Conversely, performing …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Nutrition And Physical Activity Self-Assessment For Child Care (Nap Sacc) For Changes In Physical Activity Behavior, Policy, And Environment In Nebraska Family Child Care Homes, Katie K. Bolte

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nebraska is the first state to utilize NAP SACC and to modify the evidence-based program for family child care homes (FCCHs). The purpose of this study was to conduct a secondary data analysis to assess the effectiveness of a modified version of the NAP SACC approach in achieving changes in physical activity behavior, policy, and environment in Nebraska FCCHs caring for children ages 2-5 years. Results from this study will be used to improve the NAP SACC physical activity components for FCCHs and will help to inform trainers and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Nutrition and Activity …

Older Adolescents’ Self-Determined Motivations To Disclose Their Hiv Status, Ann Gillard, Mark F. Roark

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Disclosure of HIV status is an important topic for youth living with HIV/AIDS, yet theoretical frameworks for understanding HIV disclosure motivations have been poorly applied. Self-determination theory (SDT) proposes that people are at optimal functioning when they are engaging in activities that are interesting and enlivening. This study utilized SDT to understand young adults’ motivations to disclose their HIV status. Interviews and observations were conducted with nine youth aged 17–19 and two adult staff. Results indicate that SDT is useful for understanding types of motivation (i.e., amotivation, controlled, and autonomous motivation) to disclose. Amotivation was the most common type of …

Preliminary Development Of A Subject Specific Finite Element Model Of The Hindfoot, Liang Dong

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The human hindfoot is a complex structure and its medical treatment can vary from patient to patient. If physicians have access to a patient specific computer model, the optimal treatment option can be explored on the model before preforming it on the patient. The purpose of this study was to create a quasi-static finite element model and to show the stress contour in the cartilage between the bones. Ankle joint contact pressure was collected on one cadaver limb with a 40 lbs ( 178 N) axial load applied and tendon loads applied to simulate the ratio of tendon loading during …

Foot Bone Marrow Edema After A 10-Wk Transition To Minimalist Running Shoes, Sarah T. Ridge, A. Wayne Johnson, Ulrike H. Mitchell, Iain Hunter, Eric Robinson, Brent S. E. Rich, Stephen Douglas Brown

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Minimalist running shoes are becoming a more popular choice for runners in the past few years. However, there is little conclusive evidence about the advantages or disadvantages of running in these shoes. Although performance benefits may exist, injury may also occur from the added stress of running without the benefit of cushioning under the foot. Bone marrow edema can be a manifestation of added stress on the foot. This study measured bone marrow edema in runners’ feet before and after a 10-wk period of transitioning from traditional to minimalist running shoes.

Methods: Thirty-six experienced recreational runners underwent magnetic resonance …

The Effect Of Whole Body Vibration On Skin Blood Flow And Nitric Oxide Production, Paula K. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Vascular dysfunction due to hyperglycemia in individuals with diabetes is a factor contributing to distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSP). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduce the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO), a powerful vasodilator, resulting in reduced circulation and nerve ischemia. Increases in blood NO concentrations and circulation have been attributed to whole body vibration (WBV). The purpose of this study was to the determine the effects of low frequency, low amplitude WBV on whole blood NO concentration and skin blood flow (SBF) in individuals with symptoms of DSP. Research Design and Methods: Ten subjects with diabetes and impaired sensory perception …

Steeplechase Hurdle Economy, Mechanics, And Performance, Sarah Ingebretsen

Theses and Dissertations

Research surrounding the steeplechase is scarce, with most research focusing primarily on how biomechanical factors relate to maintaining running speed while crossing barriers. One area that has not been well explored is the relationship between biomechanical factors and hurdling economy. The purpose of this study was to investigate how performance times and biomechanical variables relate to hurdling economy during the steeplechase. This was accomplished by measuring running economy of collegiate and professional steeplechasers while running with and without hurdles. Biomechanical measures of approach velocity, take-off distance, clearance height, and lead knee extension while hurdling, as well as steeplechase performance times …

Does The Ingestion Of The Different Forms Of Gatorade Prime 01 Prior To Submaximal Exercise Affect The Distance Traveled?, Stacy Thomas

Kinesiology Student Research - Archive

Carbohydrates are ingested by athletes to provide energy before a workout routine. Gatorade has been available for many years and has developed different forms of carbohydrates for an athlete to consume. Research has often been used to show the effect of liquid carbohydrates but not often has the research been on the comparison of solid (S) to liquid (L) carbohydrate ingestion and its effect on performance. This study will examine not only the distance traveled, but the heart rate, blood pressure, and the rate of perceived exertion while ingesting different forms of Gatorade Prime 01. 8 male students were used …

Energy Drink Vs. Sport Drink On Max Exercise Test Performance, Sadie Wright

Kinesiology Student Research - Archive

Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) is the maximum capacity of the body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise. VO2max can be expressed as either an absolute rate in liters of oxygen per minute (L/min) or as a relative rate in millimeters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). Consumption of energy drinks and sport drinks are very popular among the athlete and non-athlete population today. Energy drinks have been said to decrease fatigue and increase mental focus, alertness, and endurance performance. Sport drinks have also been advertised to decrease the rate of muscle glycogen breakdown, therefore …

The Effects Of Anterior Knee Pain On The Kinetics Of The Lower Extremities During High-Intensity Activities, Jordan Pitt, Dr. Matthew Seeley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project has not yet been completed due mostly to complications with the tools needed to make the measurements. We intend on completing this project and still feel that there will be opportunities to present or publish our findings. In fact, we have written one abstract with some of our preliminary findings and submitted it to the National Athletic Trainers Association, with the intent to present our findings at their national conference next year.

The Effect Of Anterior Knee Pain On Serum Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein And Muscular Cocontraction During Running, Scott T. Woodland

Theses and Dissertations

Knee pain can alter lower-extremity neuromechanics and often results in functional disability. The relationship between lower-extremity neuromechanical alterations, due to anterior knee pain, and articular cartilage condition is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the independent effect of anterior knee pain during running on articular cartilage condition, as reflected by serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein concentrations and muscle cocontraction duration. Seven men and five women completed a 30-min run in three different sessions: control (no infusion), sham (isotonic saline infusion), and pain (hypertonic saline infusion). Saline was infused into the right infrapatellar fat pad for the duration …

Will Trained Crossfit Athletes Continue To See Fitness Benefits Or Will They Plateau?, Kacey Smith

Kinesiology Student Research - Archive

Crossfit training is defined as constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity. Research has shown drastic gains in fitness when using a constantly varied approach to training as well as training at high intensities for short durations.

Exercise Effects On Blood Glucose Response To Carbohydrate Drinks Between Ethnicities, Kritika Shrestha

Kinesiology Student Research - Archive

Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) is the maximum capacity of the body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise. It is expressed either as an absolute rate in liters of oxygen per minute (L/min) or as a relative rate in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). The blood glucose level is defined as the concentration of glucose in the blood, measured in milligrams of glucose per 100 milliliters of blood. Carbohydrate drinks are consumed before exercise because it is believed that it enhances performance by decreasing the rate of muscle glycogen stores, but those drinks …

Optimal Levels Of Creatine Monohydrtate Supplementation For Increases In Anaerobic Performance, Jan Eric Schneider

Kinesiology Student Research - Archive

Creatine monohydrate is a commonly used supplement amongst athletes in the hopes to improve upon their athletic performance. The theory behind supplementing creatine monohydrate is to add to the body’s own creatine stores so that more is available to be used during high intensity exercise. Creatine is stored as creatine phosphate in skeletal muscles and is used during the initial onset of exercise for about 30 seconds while other fuel systems are increasing their contribution to energy production. Some studies have shown the creatine supplementation can be beneficial to anaerobic performance while other studies have shown no differences between supplement …

Intensity Levels Of Men's Collegiate Basketball Players During Scrimmage., Meghan Humphrey

Kinesiology Student Research - Archive

Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) is the maximum capacity of the body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise. It is expressed either as an absolute rate in liters of oxygen per minute (L/min) or as a relative rate in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). The vector magnitude is the measurement of physical activity (accelerometer counts/min) which can provide a measure of movement during activity and is assessed with an accelerometer. Previous research has shown that maximal oxygen consumption and vector magnitude are both indicative of intensity level of physical activity.

Examining Quantitative Differences In Gait Between The Pvc Prosthesis Design And The Traditional Prosthesis, David Chinn, Dr. Matt Seeley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our purpose in conducting research was to evaluate a novel, below-knee PVC prosthesis (Figure 1) relative to traditional below-knee prostheses. We aimed to collect data from the biomechanical gait analysis of amputees using the PVC prosthesis. Our desire is to help those in developing nations who have remained immobile after amputation due to lack of funds or technology in their country. This leg only costs $25.00 to manufacture, and if it is found to be similar to traditional prostheses it could help a lot of people. Since the outset of this project we have had successes and failures. Through the …

Difference In Body Composition Between Pitchers And Position Players In Division-1 Baseball, Daniel Garcia

Kinesiology Student Research - Archive

Body composition measurements are becoming more relevant in the field of sports. Body fat percentage is a major value observed when these measurements of fitness are made. There are many different methods of recording this value, the most available and accurate being the underwater weighing method. Other values for body composition include the body mass index and waist to hip ratio of an individual. Baseball players need to be in peak conditioning during the season. Coaches are beginning to use these numbers as a prerequisite for the opportunity to play. Research has shown that the measurements that fall within certain …