Sports Sciences Commons^™

Using Noninvasive Calibrated Cuff Plethysmography To Observe The Effects Of Cold-Water Immersion On Arterial Compliance, Rita M. Grigorian

Biomedical Engineering: Graduate Reports and Projects

As the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases continues to exponentially grow in populations across the globe, the necessity of determining underlying factors, effective methods of diagnoses, and universally available preventive measures also grows. Early detection of endothelial dysfunction, a proven precursor of cardiovascular diseases, can be extremely impactful in encouraging preventative measures and early intervention before medical conditions become chronic. In recent years, ice plunging, a form of cryotherapy involving full body immersion in cold water, has gained popularity within circles of fitness and health practitioners, gaining the interest of people of all backgrounds. Certain parallels observed between the human physiological …

Training For “Worst-Case” Scenarios In Sidestepping: Unifying Strength And Conditioning And Perception–Action Approaches, Daniel Kadlec, Matt Miller-Dicks, Sophia Nimphius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Sidesteps can impose high demands on the knee joint and lead to non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Understanding how different constraints shape an athlete’s movement strategy and the associated joint demands can help design training interventions to increase injury resilience. Motor capacities, such as muscular strength and power, act as boundaries for the safe execution of perceptual–motor skills and co-determine the emergence of unique movement strategies. Increasing single- and multi-joint strength enables a broader solution space for movement strategies and increases load tolerance. Manipulating task constraints during sidesteps can be used in the training process to systematically expose athletes …

Monitoring External Workloads And Countermovement Jump Performance Throughout A Preseason In Division 1 Collegiate Women’S Basketball Players, Michelle Van Dyke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Monitoring external workloads and countermovement jump performance may be useful for coaches. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of external load on player performance as measured by a CMJ and specific blood biomarkers throughout the preseason. METHODS:10 female division 1 basketball athletes had PlayerLoad^TM (PL) monitored for all mandatory basketball training during six weeks of the preseason and CMJs were performed weekly. Blood biomarkers were collected before preseason and at the end of preseason. Data were analyzed via the Catapult Sport software (Openfield, Catapult, Innovations, Melbourne, VIC, Australia) to quantify all participant …

Cluster Sets To Prescribe Interval Resistance Training: A Potential Method To Optimise Resistance Training Safety, Feasibility And Efficacy In Cardiac Patients, Kimberley L. Way, Hannah J. Thomas, Lewan Parker, Andrew Maiorana, Michelle A. Keske, David Scott, Jennifer L. Reed, Jessica Tieng, Daniel Hackett, Tess Hawkins, Christopher Latella, Rachael Cordina, Derek L. Tran

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The integration of resistance training for cardiac patients leads to important health outcomes that are not optimally obtained with aerobic exercise; these include an increase in muscle mass, maintenance of bone mineral density, and improvements in muscular fitness parameters. Despite the proliferation of evidence supporting resistance exercise in recent decades, the implementation of resistance training is underutilised, and prescription is often sub-optimal in cardiac patients. This is frequently associated with safety concerns and inadequate methods of practical exercise prescription. This review discusses the potential application of cluster sets to prescribe interval resistance training in cardiac populations. The addition of planned, …

Effects Of Exercise Training On Muscle Quality In Older Individuals: A Systematic Scoping Review With Meta-Analyses, Tibor Hortobágyi, Tomas Vetrovsky, Jennifer S. Brach, Martijn Van Haren, Krystof Volesky, Regis Radaelli, Pedro Lopez, Urs Granacher

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The quantity and quality of skeletal muscle are important determinants of daily function and metabolic health. Various forms of physical exercise can improve muscle function, but this effect can be inconsistent and has not been systematically examined across the health-neurological disease continuum. The purpose of this systematic scoping review with meta-analyses was to determine the effects and potential moderators of exercise training on morphological and neuromuscular muscle quality (MMQ, NMQ) in healthy older individuals. In addition and in the form of a scoping review, we examined the effects of exercise training on NMQ and MMQ in individuals with neurological …

What Is The Prevalence Of General Anxiety Disorder And Depression Symptoms In Semi-Elite Australian Football Players: A Cross-Sectional Study, Anthony Henderson, Sarah A. Harris, Troy Kirkham, Jonathon Charlesworth, Myles C. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in semi-elite Australian footballers is unknown. The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and depressive symptoms in semi-elite Australian Football players. Our secondary objective was to explore the association between demographic and football-specific factors with GAD and depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional epidemiological study including 369 semi-elite Western Australian Football League (WAFL) players from the Men and Women’s 2022 season (n = 337 men, 91%) was conducted. Symptoms of depression were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9) and symptoms of GAD with …

Effects Of Running On Femoral Articular Cartilage Thickness For Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Patients And Non-Aclr Control Subjects, Aubree L. Remmel, Hyunwook Lee, Minsub Oh, Seunguk Han, Steven P. Allen, Garritt L. Page, Dustin A. Bruening, Robert D. Hyldahl, J. Ty Hopkins, Matthew K. Seeley

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) patients are more likely to develop posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis than non-ACLR counterparts. The effect of running on femoral articular cartilage thickness is unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare how 30 minutes of running influences femoral articular cartilage thickness for ACLR patients and non-ACLR control subjects. We hypothesized that running would deform the femoral articular cartilage more for the ACLR patients than for the control subjects. METHODS: We recruited 20 individuals with primary unilateral ACLR and 20 matched non-ACLR controls. ACLR patients and control subjects were matched based upon age, gender, BMI, …

Influence Of Air Resistance On Ground Reaction Forces During Treadmill Running, Jared Steele, Iain Hunter

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

INTRODUCTION: Running is fundamentally driven by forces applied to the ground, eliciting ground reaction forces (GRFs) which accelerate the runner. These GRFs are divided into vertical, anteroposterior, and mediolateral components. As running speed alters, so do the patterns of these forces. By juxtaposing these GRF patterns with metabolic data, we can discern how movement patterns adapt across different running conditions. One of the key distinctions between treadmill and overground running is the influence of air resistance. METHODS: The study involved twenty-four active male runners experienced in achieving a sub-17-minute-5km or equivalent performance. The main objective was to examine the influence …

Environmental Heat Stress And Physiological Heat Strain In Construction Workers During Work In The Summer, Jonathan Specht, Erica Tourula, M. Jo Hite, Serena Garcia, Charlie Walker, Hillary Yoder, Zachary Schlader, Fabiano Amorim

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Construction workers are thirteen times more likely to die from heat-related illnesses compared to the general population. This elevaled risk results from both metabolic heat production due to the physical demands of construction work associated with high environmental heat stress. However, it is important to recognize that the magnitude of heat stress experienced varies across job types withing the construction industry reflecting the diversity of tasks performed. In addition, environmental heat stress can significantly vary for workers based on whether they operate in covered or uncovered work areas, creating varying levels of heat sttres, particularly during during summer months. Notably, …

Physical Function In Young And Older Adult Active Pickleball Players, Leighanne T. Paulson, Eric Martin, Kent J. Adams Facsm, Marcus M. Lawrence

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Limited information exists on pickleball’s impact on physical function in adults, especially older adults (65+ years), despite reported health benefits. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the physical function of active older adult (OA) female and male recreational pickleball players via handgrip strength and fatigue, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) test, as well as the short physical performance battery (SPPB) compared to sex-matched young adult (YA) controls. METHODS: Thirty YA (18-26 years; n=15 female/male) participants and 27 OA (65-89 years; n=13 female, n=15 male) participants who played pickleball at least three times per week were assessed for physical function outcomes of …

Effects Of Aerobic Exercise On Individulas With Down Syndrome Via Telerehabilitation, Zeel K. Patel Miss, Isha Gautami, Namrata Jain, Jacob Hinkel-Lipsker Professor

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

BACKGROUND: Most of the children and adolescents with Down’s syndrome (DS) have poor aerobic capacity, physical fitness and demonstrate diminished cognitive abilities. Recent studies suggest that increased physical activity may prove to be important for maintaining components of cognition, including memory along with physical fitness.

In addition, there is interest among practitioners in determining the efficacy of virtual exercise classes, which can be more convenient for clients. However, it is unknown whether group exercise classes delivered over videoconferencing achieve desired outcomes—particularly in special populations such as those with DS.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect …

The Risk Of Bias In Validity And Reliability Studies Testing Physiological Variables Using Consumer-Grade Wearable Technology: A Systematic Review And Wear-Bot Analysis, Bryson Carrier, Jennifer Bunn, Joel D. Reece, Charli D. Aguilar, Chris Eschbach, James W. Navalta

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

INTRODUCTION: Wearable technology is a quickly evolving field, and new devices with new features to measure/estimate physiological variables are being released constantly. Despite their use, the validity of the devices are largely unknown to the users or researchers, and the quality of the studies that do test validity and reliability vary widely. PURPOSE: Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to review the current validity and reliability literature concerning consumer-grade wearable technology measurements/estimates of physiological variables during exercise. Additionally, we sought to perform risk of bias assessments utilizing the novel WEArable technology Risk of Bias and Objectivity Tool (WEAR-BOT). …

The Effect Of Ibuprofen On Thermoregulatory Responses And Gastrointestinal Distress To Exercise In Hot Environments, Alyssa Bailly, Jonathan Specht, Serena Garcia, Steven Klepacz, Suzana Andrade De Oliveira, David Lucero, Fabiano Amorim

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Ibuprofen, a commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) among athletes to alleviate pain and inflammation during exercise, is hypothesized to mitigate exercise-induced increases core temperature (Tc) and improve heat tolerance during exercise in hot environments. However, its prophylactic use specially during exercise associated with heat stress may lead to harmful effects specifically inducing gastrointestinal complications such upper-GI bleeding. PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of ibuprofen on thermoregulatory responses and the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms to exercise in a hot environment. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced cross-over design, 6 endurance trained males and females (n=12) completed 60-minutes of treadmill running …

Heat Strain In Road Construction Workers During The Summer, An Observational Study, Serena Garcia

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Road construction workers perform physically demanding, typically including building frames, laying concrete and asphalt, and operating heavy machinery. These activities result in high metabolic demands, leading to significant internal heat production. When combined with environmental heat stress during warmer periods of the year, road construction workers may experience substantial heat strain, making them susceptible to heat-related illnesses and ultimately heat-related deaths. In fact, construction workers are 13 times more likely to die from heat related illness compared to other occupations. Despite these statistics, no studies have assessed heat strain in road construction workers during the summer. PURPOSE: To quantify …

Effects Of Biodensity Training On Bone Adaptations In Young Women: A Pilot Study, Carolina M. Garcia, Auguste Torres, Braulio Cazarez, Rosalinda Escobar-Prado, Maurice Cruz, Zhaojing Chen

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Osteopenia and osteoporosis are a major public health issue in the United States, and current research suggests that moderate to high intensity resistance training is the most effective type of exercise for maintaining bone mineral density (BMD). Sclerostin is a protein secreted by osteocytes which potently inhibits bone formation by binding to the LRP4 in Wnt/β-catenin signaling. BioDensity is a novel resistance training machine that consists of four exercises performed for five seconds each, which applies mechanical loading to the bone and provides a quicker alternative to traditional resistance training. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of 12 weeks of …

Repeated, Short Cold-Water Immersions Are Sufficient To Habituate To The Cold, But Do Not Lead To Adaptations During Exercise In Normobaric Hypoxia, Geoffrey T. Dorsett, Trevor L. Gillum

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Cold and hypoxia naturally exist together, yet it is unknown if habituation to the cold can lead to improved exercise in hypoxia. PURPOSE: To assess the effects of repeated cold-water immersions (CWI) on pulmonary, metabolic, and sympathoadrenal responses to graded exercise in hypoxia. METHODS: 16 (2 female) participants (age: 21.2 ± 1.3 years; body fat: 12.3 ± 7.7 %; body surface area 1.87 ± 0.16 m², VO_2peak: 48.7 ± 7.9 mL/kg/min) underwent 6 CWI in 12.0 ± 1.2° C. Each CWI was 5 minutes, twice daily, separated by ≥4 hours, for 3 consecutive days, …

Femoral Articular Cartilage Quality, But Not Thickness, Is Decreased For Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Patients Relative To Control, Dallin Clinger, Hyunwook Lee, Seunguk Han, Minsub Oh, Steven P. Allen, Garritt L. Page, Dustin A. Bruening, Robert D. Hyldahl, J. Ty Hopkins Facsm, Matthew K. Seeley Facsm

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) patients are at risk of developing posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis (OA). The etiology of posttraumatic knee OA is complex, potentially involving biomechanical and biochemical factors. Changes in femoral cartilage thickness and composition are associated with knee OA, while current research is ambiguous on cartilage in ACLR patients. PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare femoral cartilage thickness and T2 relaxation time (a compositional measure) between ACLR patients and healthy controls in a resting state. We hypothesized that ACLR patients would exhibit thinner femoral cartilage and increased T2 relaxation times. METHODS: Twenty ACLR patients (6-24 months post-surgery) and …

Student Preferences And Experiences With The Persistence Projects’ 4-Pedagogical Practices, Jeremy Steeves

Celebration of Teaching

Background

The CTE Persistence Project has faculty commit to integrating 4 activities: 1) Communicate their belief that all students can succeed in their class, 2) Learn and use students' names and have students learn each other's names 3) Give formative, success-oriented feedback on an assignment or quiz, and 4) Get to know students during the first 4 weeks of the semester. This project describes which Persistence Project activities EXSC students feel best support their learning and belonging, and the activities EXSC students see used by most faculty (³75%).

Methods

Data were collected from (n=22) junior and senior EXSC students during …

Examining Professional Behaviors Assessment In Exercise Science Practicums: Student And Supervisor Perceptions, Patrick Filanowski, Tina Davlin-Pater

Celebration of Teaching

Background

Exercise Science education traditionally emphasizes both technical ("hard skills") and professional behaviors ("soft skills"), but assessing the latter consistently remains challenging. This project explored the implementation of a novel professional behaviors assessment process and examined how students and their practicum supervisors assessed students' professional behaviors.

Methods

Data were collected from both students (n=22) and their site supervisors (n=22) using surveys consisting of 54 questions each, covering 12 professional behavior categories. Surveys were administered at mid-term and the end of the semester in Spring 2023, employing a 5-point Likert scale. Wilcoxon Signed Ranked tests were used to compare scores from …

Integrating Glenohumeral Range Of Motion With Dynamic Postural Control For Early Detection Of Elbow Injury Risk In Collegiate Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Prospective Case Series, Brent A. Harper, Luke J. Bailey, Mikayla N. Jones, Joseph Bradley

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: Medial elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries are common in baseball with increased surgical incidence in pitchers. There is no consensus on which modifiable injury risk metrics or performance screening tools to use to identify at risk collegiate baseball pitchers. Current literature on UCL injury risk has focused on local passive glenohumeral rotational motion with limited forays into more global movement patterns. The aim of this study was to assess possible relationships involving UCL injuries and modifiable local and global motor control performance risk factors. Material and Methods: An observational single cohort case series involving 15 collegiate …