Sports Sciences Commons^™

Fabrication And Characterization Of Nanofiber Nylon-6-Mwcnt As An Electrochemical Sensor For Sodium Ions Concentration Detection In Sweat, Kelsey Mills

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Fabrication and characterization nylon-6-MWCNT nanofiber as an electrochemical sensor to detect sodium ion concentrations specifically in sweat. Using contact angle to determine surface morphology and chronoamperometry testing to identify ideal sensor conditions, tests optimized parameters like weight percent of nylon or other polymers, carbon nanotube (CNT) isomer, and solution concentration to determine reproducibility of functional sensors. Utilizing the electric qualities of carbon nanotubes partnered with the sodium ion selectivity of calixarene treatment and polymers unique properties like flexibility and scalability create open an arena for optimizing sodium ion sensors for further development for functional prototypes. Morphology tests showed that the …

Åstrand-Rhyming And Ymca: A Compare And Contrast Literature Review Of Two Submaximal Cycle Ergometer Tests, Sean Roberts

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In the world of exercise prescription there are two major protocols that are used to test an individual’s aerobic capacity at a submaximal intensity using a stationary bicycle. These protocols require participants to exercise at a constant work rate until a specified hear rate is reached. Data can then be analyzed to determine the participant’s aerobic capacity. The objective of this literature review is to look at these two tests – the Åstrand-Rhyming cycle ergometer test (ARCET) and the YMCA cycle ergometer test – and determine if one is better than the other for different populations and which one an …

Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Boot Use Elevates Blood Lactate During Subsequent Exercise, Richard T. Marcello, Lucas Fortini, Beau K. Greer

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) boot use between submaximal cycling trials on heart rate (HR) and blood lactate concentrations. Ten healthy participants (9M; 1F) performed two consecutive 60 minute rides at 60% of functional threshold power with a 30 minute rest between rides. The rest period was spent in a supine position using IPC boots (BOOT) or sitting in a similar position without boots (CON). HRs were collected every 15 minutes during cycling rides, and lactate was measured at the 30-minute mark during both rides. An identical trial was …

Comparison Of Blindfolded Vs. Non Blindfolded Vertical Jump Tests, Christian Thomas Evans

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to compare test results between blindfolded and non- blindfolded male and female participants during the vertical jump test. We hypothesized that non-blindfolded participants will score higher than blindfolded participants, and males will have higher test scores than females, though no research currently exists comparing these conditions. The study population consisted of 40 apparently healthy individuals ages 18-45, lacking any physical limitations that prevented them from being able to perform a vertical jump test. Participants were recruited from The University of Akron campus by word of mouth in the classes held in InfoCision Stadium. Each …

The Effect Of Swimming Exercise On Amount And Quality Of Sleep For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kayla E. Wilson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may alter not only cognitive but also physical aspects of individuals. One physical element that is commonly impacted by ASD is sleep pattern. In fact, there is a large margin of sleep disturbances in the ASD population compared to typically functioning individuals. PURPOSE: To examine the effect of various levels of physical activity intensity in an aquatic setting and the impact on sleep quality. The question in focus is simply, “What is the effect of swimming exercise on quality and amount of sleep for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?” METHODS: Guardians of children with Autism Spectrum …

Females, Perceptions, And Strength Training, Victoria Kanel, Alexandria Rellinger

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Performing a regular strength training routine leads to a plethora of beneficial physiological and psychological changes. A gender disparity exists with participation rates of strength training. There is a possible discrepancy in knowledge and education provided to males and females based on their physical activity and exercise backgrounds. The design of this study is an effort to better understand potential barriers females may experience and serve as a needs-assessment tool to identify females’ views of strength training participation. This study sought to explore views of strength training among females and to determine if consensus exists and how views may aid …

Coaches' Preparedness For Sudden Death Conditions In Secondary School Athletics In West Virginia, Jillian Mary Sarm

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context: Coaches in the secondary school setting may encounter and be expected to provide emergency medical care for student athletes in the absence of a healthcare professional such as athletic trainers. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) categorized ten sudden death conditions which are common in athletics and may warrant a medical emergency. Since the coaches may not be cognizant of these common sudden death conditions, they may not be prepared to handle a medical emergency which threatens the life of student athletes. Objective: Determine if West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) coaches are aware and prepared to provide …

Mental Toughness As A Predictor For Pre-Season Depression And Anxiety Symptoms, And Changes Over The Course Of An Athletic Season, Colleen J. Bohannan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Mental toughness (MT) has been considered necessary for individuals to be successful in the athletic setting. A connection has been theorized between MT and mental health. Purpose: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The purpose was to investigate if MT could be utilized as a predictor of the presence of depression and/or anxiety symptoms. This study also explored if MT, and depression/anxiety symptoms change over the course of a competitive season. Methods: 43 individuals (19.42 ± 1.26 years) participating in a fall team sport from the same Division I University participated in the study. Data was captured during pre-season, high stakes, and end of season, …

Effects Of Four Years Of Collegiate Sport Participation On Non-Contact, Contact, And Collision Athletes During Gait, Kristen L. Neitz

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

College athletes are often exposed to many training sessions, stresses, and injuries throughout their collegiate career. They often experience pain, stiffness, swelling, reduced range of motion and many other feelings following participation.. Much research has focused on the acute effects of collegiate athletics, but the long term effect has not been well studied. Sports are often divided into groups based on the nature of play; the three main groups are non-contact, contact, and collision sports. Differences have not been observed between the three sport groups and their ability to complete activities of daily living such as walking following four years …

The Relationship Between The Nfl Scouting Combine And Game Performance Over A Five Year Period, Jordan Cook

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine offers good face validity however, there has been doubt on the ability of the NFL Combine to predict future success of athletes in relation to in game performance (i.e., predictive validity). This study analyzed the NFL Combine data of 1537 college football players who participated in the Combine between 2013 and 2017 and their subsequent year’s performance in the NFL. The measures used from the Combine were the six different measures of athletic performance; 40-yard dash, vertical jump (VJ), broad jump, shuttle run (PRO), 3-cone drill, and bench press (BP). The measure of …

Physiological Profile Of Rural Structural Firefighters In Southeast Georgia, Emily Langford

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Many occupational tasks associated with firefighting require a great deal of cardiovascular and muscular demands. However, it is often noted that firefighters throughout the country are not meeting the fitness levels required of the profession. As a result, the proportion of on-duty injury and cardiac death is greater than the general population or similar service professions. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide an extensive physiological profile of rural firefighters in southeast Georgia. Methods: Forty firefighters from one department in southeast Georgia underwent a comprehensive health screening, measuring anthropometrics (i.e., height, weight, waist and hip circumference), body …

Isolation, Athletic Identity, And Social Support: An Exploration Among Injured Collegiate Student-Athletes, Ally W. Claytor

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Season ending and career ending injuries make up a large portion of all injuries (Tirabassi et al., 2016). Among psychological consequences to these types of injuries, isolation is a social consequence that has been identified as occurring after injury (Gould et al., 1997). Isolation is related to loss of identity for an athlete (Mankand et al., 2009). Additionally, low levels of support have been shown to increase feelings of isolation in injured athletes (Mitchell et al., 2014). The purpose of the present study was to explore the experience of isolation as a psychological response to injury among athletes with career …

The Influence Of Training On Kinematics Related To Knee Injury In Novice Runners, Kathryn Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

Running is known to provide important health benefits. However, the incidence of injury among runners is high, particularly among novice runners, which discourages long term participation in the sport. The knee is the most commonly injured joint in novice runners. In general, aberrant frontal and transverse plane kinematics are associated with the development of knee injuries in runners. It was unknown whether the high rate of knee injury in novice runners was due to abnormal kinematics. Further, it was unclear whether these risk factors for injury could be improved. This dissertation includes four studies investigating kinematics in novice runners, how …

Ultrasound Measured Flexor Muscle Thickness In The Forearms Of Rock Climbers, Michael Marsala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: To examine differences in the forearms of rock climbers using ultrasound to measure the muscle thickness of the finger flexors. METHODS: A total of 33 participants were recruited, 22 climbers (22.23 years; 68% male) and 11 controls (21.8; 55% male). Climbers provided self-reported ratings of their climbing ability, skill level, and preferred mode of climbing (e.g. sport climbing vs. bouldering). Anthropometric measures, including body fat percentage, were measured in all participants. Ultrasound measurements were taken with the participant lying on their back on a padded table with their dominant hand supinated. Muscle thickness measurements were taken at the forearm …

An Investigation Into The Role And Function Of Athlete Monitoring And Its Impact On Training Practice And Performance Among Elite Gaelic Football Players, Jason Hugh Mcgahan

Theses

Background: Ensuring adequate rest and recovery is critical for the avoidance of overtraining and the achievement of optimal performance, therefore it is recommended that training load and recovery be continually monitored throughout the training year. The purpose of this research was to investigate training load and markers of wellness among elite Gaelic footballers to assist the regulation of such loading to optimise performance in an amateur sports setting.

Methods: Participants were selected from two elite Gaelic football teams (Division 1 and 3 respectively) where training load data (global positioning system (GPS), session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) and wellness markers) …

Wild Blueberries Increase Fat Oxidation Rate During Moderate Intensity Exercise, Jessie Armendariz

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Consumption of fruits high in anthocyanins, such as wild blueberries (WB)s, have been shown to influence lipolytic enzymes and increase fatty acid (FA) oxidation during rest. Purpose: Examine the effect of a WB drink on FA oxidation during moderate intensity exercise. Methods: Eleven aerobically trained males (26 ± 7.5 years, 74.9 ± 7.54 kg, 10.5 ± 3.2% body fat) completed an incremental cycling test to determine VO_2peak (55.1 ± 7.5 ml/kg/min) followed by a washout diet avoiding foods high in anthocyanins. After two weeks, subjects completed a control cycling protocol at 65% of VO_2peak for 40 minutes. Next, …

Understanding The Intersection Of Cannabis And Physical Activity, Lukas E. Coppen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Cannabis use has been gaining wider social acceptance, and with increased legalization cannabis users are talking more openly about how and why they consume cannabis. Moreover, professional and non-professional athletes are openly discussing their cannabis use in training. There is a distinct lack of cannabis research in humans, particularly as it relates to physical activity (PA). PURPOSE: To understand how and why people use cannabis with PA as well as categorizing the preferred mode of PA users engage in. METHODS: Subjects (n = 101; with ages ranging from 18-55 years old) participated in an anonymous online survey if they reported …

Test-Retest Reliability Of Trimp In Collegiate Ice Hockey Players, Jason G. Ulmer, Grant R. Tomkinson, Sandra E. Short, Martin Short, John S. Fitzgerald

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

The utility of the heart rate derived variable TRaining IMPulse (TRIMP) for assessing internal training load in ice hockey players is not clear. Having a reliable measure of internal training load during on-ice training sessions would help coaches program exercise training. This study determined the reliability of TRIMP during on-ice training sessions in ice hockey players. Twelve Division I collegiate male ice hockey players (aged 18–23 years) had their heart rate (HR) data recorded during two on-ice practice sessions separated by two weeks. TRIMP and other descriptive HR variables were compared between sessions. TRIMP demonstrated moderate reliability during on-ice sessions. …

Organizational Models In Athletic Training And The Effect On The Quality Of Care Delivered, Matthew Ferreira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context: Quality of care is an ethical priority to all healthcare professionals. Healthcare fields such as nursing and physical therapy have made changes in staff size and focus that have increased the quality of care provided to patients. The athletic training field has not made changes to the organizational structure. Thus, the quality of care delivered by athletic trainers is an understudied topic. Likewise, the organizational models have just recently been explored in the literature. Objective: Identify differences in the three models of organization (academic, athletic, and medical) related to quality of care delivered and coverage versus care. Design: This …

Elbow Injury Prevention In Youth Dominican Baseball Players: A Training Intervention Pilot Study, Chelsey Erbaugh Franz, Dawn Hall-Bibb, Myra Stockdale, Aliya Thompson, Bailey Biggs

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Research suggests deficits in shoulder and elbow strength and flexibility may explain the role of elbow injuries in overhead athletes, specifically ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury in baseball players. Significant damage to this ligament typically requires operative care for continued activity in the sport. Several studies have demonstrated the success of rehabilitation programs post-surgery; however, few studies have examined the role of UCL injury prevention programs. A recognized upper extremity (UE) injury prevention method is the Thrower’s Ten Program. This program may create elbow stability when pitching and throwing, theoretically reducing the risk of UCL injury. Purpose: The purpose …