Sports Sciences Commons^™

Selecting Force Plate Tests And Metrics To Complement Physical Preparation Strategies Prior To Commencing Strenuous Military Training Courses, Peter Ladlow, Nicholas J. Ripley, Damjana V. Cabarkapa, Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Dale W. Chapman, Mary Claire Geneau, G. Gregory Haff, Lachlan P. James, Paul Jones, Jason P. Lake, Christopher J. Sole, Anthony Turner, Marina De Vecchis, Natalie Masters, Charles Coussens, Robyn Holton, Russell J. Coppack, Colin Suffield, Paul Comfort

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The aim of this study was to seek opinion (via an online survey) and gain consensus of which force plate tests and metrics may be considered by military operating/training staff to better screen physical performance characteristics prior to military personnel attending a physically arduous military training course.

Methods: Ten responders with known experience and/or expertise in using force plate technology for the measurement of force production characteristics completed the survey. Responders were asked to select the most important force plate test and metrics to complement a pre-course physical performance battery to assess physical readiness, musculoskeletal injury risk and likelihood …

Exploring The Backgrounds, Experiences, Motivations, And Development Of School-Based Wheelchair Sport Coaches, Deborah Shapiro, Scott Douglas, Jp Barfield, Laurie A. Malone

Journal of Coach Development

Coaching in adapted sport is a complex and demanding practice that requires both specialized technical expertise and a deep understanding of disability. This study explored the motivations, backgrounds, and developmental pathways of interscholastic school-based wheelchair sport coaches. We examined how coaches are introduced to wheelchair sport coaching, their initial and ongoing development, and their perspectives on effective coaching and training practices. A total of 17 coaches (10 men, 7 women) with 1 to 17 years of experience in wheelchair sports coaching from 7 interscholastic wheelchair sports teams participated in one 60-minute mini focus group discussion and responded to a set …

Building On A Strong Foundation: Celebrating Our Past And Looking Toward The Future, Zachary K. Winkelmann

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

No abstract

The Correlation Between Ankle Proprioception And Lower Extremity Muscle Reactions In Response To Simulated Ankle Sprains, Erin Carroll, Justin Stanek, Abby Salvadore

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: Neurological structures of the somatosensory system provide proprioceptive and neuromuscular input regarding joint positioning to the brain. Lower extremity motor control relies on local proprioceptive input to the central nervous system and neuromuscular control of individual joints to produce coordinated, global responses to external events. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between ankle proprioception and lower extremity muscle reaction time in response to an unexpected ankle inversion perturbation.

Methods: Twenty healthy college-aged volunteers were recruited to participate by word of mouth. Absolute and exact errors for passive joint position sense (PJPS) were assessed using a …

Association Between Athletic Trainers And Frequency Of Pediatric Orthopedic Visits, Abaigeal Field, James M. Mensch, Courtney Meyer, Susan W. Yeargin

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Context: There is sparse research on the relationship between athletic trainer (AT) employment and the number of athletes presenting to orthopedic clinics with sports-related injuries. The purpose of this study is to determine if athletic training services are associated with the frequency of first-time orthopedic office visits for sports-related injuries.

Methods: A retrospective chart review collected injuries between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020 from the electronic health records system for a hospital network in the Southeast United States with 6 orthopedic clinics and included 48 high schools hosting 20 sports with at least 1 AT per school. Patients …

Relationships Between Lower Body Anthropometrics And Vertical Force-Velocity Profiles In Collegiate American Football Players, Nicholus Adam Despot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The study examined the relationships between lower-body anthropometric characteristics and vertical force-velocity profiles in collegiate American football players. Although the use of force-velocity profiling has increased significantly in recent years, there has been limited research on the association between structural features and key mechanical outputs. A sample of 16 NAIA football players was used to examine how skeletal breadths, girths, and derived ratios relate to key force-velocity metrics. Anthropometric variables were collected using ISAK standards, while force-velocity profiles were obtained through a series of loaded squat jumps on a force platform. Mean propulsive force, velocity and power were used to …

The Effects Of Acute Dietary Nitrate Supplementation On The Inspiratory Muscle Metaboreflex In Young Healthy Adults, Sabrina Ehrenfort, Riley Dienna, Ben Kerns, Hannah Lyons, Rachel Phillips

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Increased work of breathing (Wb) triggers the inspiratory muscle metaboreflex, which elevates systemic blood pressure in response to diaphragmatic fatigue. To counteract this, dietary nitrate could act as a source of nitric oxide, which is known to improve muscle power and efficiency (Jones et al., 2018). This study examines the hypothesis that acute nitrate supplementation would attenuate this response. Utilizing the KH2 device from PowerBreathe, 20 healthy participants (mean age: 21.1 ± 2.5 years; range: 18–30 years) underwent a resistive breathing task (RBT) for a total of three minutes at 60% of their maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP). All 20 participants …

Utilization Of An Open-Access Markerless Motion Analysis Software For A Biomechanics Movement Analysis Project., Tamra L. Llewellyn, Michael J. Nolan

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

The movement analysis project (MAP) is a common assignment in many undergraduate biomechanics courses. The purpose of this article is to introduce kinesiology educators to an open-source, AI-enabled, markerless software for motion capture, OpenCap, which can be used in MAP and research. This tool is currently being used in an in-person, upper-level, undergraduate biomechanics course where students are required to have taken Anatomy & Physiology. There is very little time, money, or expertise needed to implement this resource. Using 2 iPads on tripods and the OpenCap app and web-based interface, movements can be quickly converted to skeleton visualization and joint …

Evaluating The Discus Throw As An Ancient Greek Combat Training Tool Through Modern Performance Metrics, Daniel R. Porter

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This study’s purpose was to explore the correlations between peak velocity in a rotational throw with a medicine ball, peak force (PF) and rate of force development (RFD) in an isometric mid-thigh pull, time to failure in a plank test, and peak velocity in a sword thrust task, which was also tested for reliability. Twenty-seven recreationally trained male participants between the ages of 18-35 completed the study. The sword thrust task was significantly correlated with the medicine ball throw (p = 0.012, r = 0.475, r² = 0.226, 95% CI [0.724, 0.116]) and PF (p = 0.045, r …

The Acute Effect Of A Single Dose Of Berberine On Blood Glucose Response Following A Standardized Meal And 2-Mile Walk Performance In Healthy Adults, Victor Emmanuel Obaro

Master's Theses

It is clear that exercise improves overall health status, and it is possible that berberine (BR) may work through some similar mechanisms to improve health status as well.  Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the acute effects of a single dose of BR on health status following a standardized meal and a 2 mile walk treadmill protocol with outcomes including blood glucose (BG), blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and a two-mile walk time trial performance. Methods: This study used a cross-over design where 14 healthy, young adults were given berberine (BBR) …

The Difference In Social Media Coverage For Male And Female Athletes, Amanda Thomas

Communications and Digital Media Theses

Pulling back the curtain on the reality women athletes face when it comes to their social media coverage. Sports have been male-dominated since the start, but over the years women have become more and more involved in sports as they have their own teams and even sports. However, this issue lies with the overall support and coverage they are receiving from well-known Sports coverage networks. For this study, I looked at social media posts from ESPN, FOX Sports, and NBC Sports focused on the sports of Basketball, Baseball/Softball, and Tennis. In doing this study, I analyzed how many posts men …

Estimation Of Persistent Inward Currents Contribution To Inspiratory Motoneuron Firing In Humans, Ricardo N.O. Mesquita, Simon C. Gandevia, Janet L. Taylor, Anna L. Hudson, Jane E. Butler

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Persistent inward currents (PICs) are known to prolong firing of limb-muscle motoneurons. Although there is immunohistochemical evidence of PIC channels in respiratory motoneurons, it is unknown whether PICs contribute to their firing prolongation. Intramuscular electromyographic signals were recorded from human inspiratory muscles to identify motor unit (MU) activity. Diaphragm MUs were identified during quiet breathing (n = 7; one female) and MUs from the 1st, 3rd, and 5th parasternal intercostal muscles during quiet (no lung volume feedback) and voluntary (triangular-shaped lung volume feedback) breathing (n = 5 males). PIC contribution to firing prolongation was estimated via quantification of firing hysteresis …

The Reliability And Validity Of Manual Palpation To Assess Lower Limb Arterial Occlusion Pressure In Older Adults, For Application In Blood Flow Restriction Exercise, Michael Beere, Isaac Selva Raj, Jeremiah J. Peiffer, Keith D. Hill, Peter K. Edwards, Belinda Brown, Brendan R. Scott

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

(A) Investigate test-retest reliability of posterior tibial pulse palpation to determine arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) and examine validity against hand-held Doppler ultrasound. (B) Investigate the suitability of using 130% systolic brachial blood pressure for prescribing cuff inflation pressure for blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise. Repeated measures, crossover design. Lower limb AOP was assessed in 20 adults ≥ 60 years using hand-held Doppler ultrasound and posterior tibial pulse palpation. Brachial systolic blood pressure (bSBP) was measured to predict cuff inflation pressures (bSBP130%). On three occasions > 24 hours apart, three AOP measurements were recorded by the same blinded rater to determine intra-rater …

Balancing War And Peace In Taekwondo Athlete Development: A Multi-Criteria Coaching Decision Support Framework Using Leadership Scale For Sports And Fuzzy Ahp, King Harold A. Recto, Hazel Jade L. Antonio, Jhyrald Anthony P. Dalida

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

Coaching effectiveness is frequently evaluated through competitive outcomes, with the assumption that coaching behaviors directly influence athlete performance. This study examined the relationship between perceived coaching behaviors and individual win percentage among collegiate Taekwondo athletes using the Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS). Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were conducted across five coaching dimensions: Training and Instruction, Democratic Behavior, Autocratic Behavior, Social Support, and Positive Feedback. Results showed that none of the coaching dimensions demonstrated a statistically significant relationship with win percentage. Although coaching behaviors did not significantly predict win percentage, the findings suggest that athlete development is shaped …

Examining Pain Catastrophizing, Mental Toughness, Self-Efficacy, And Perceived Pain In The Performance Of Female Athletes During Their Menstrual Cycle, Carissa R. Martinez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a universal unpleasant or negative experience influenced by physiological, psychological, and environmental factors. Disruption in the neural pathways of pain can affect athletic performance and lead to injury risks. Both negative attributes, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, and positive attributes, such as mental toughness and self-efficacy, contribute to pain perception and catastrophic thinking. The menstrual cycle also plays a critical role in pain catastrophizing, as hormonal fluctuations across different phases may hinder pain perception and performance in female athletes. However, research lacks the inclusion of how these factors impact female athletes. Using a non-experimental quantitative analysis, this …

Basketball Players Jump And Maximal Strength Performance Improvements After French Contrast Training, Yiqing Xie, Yemin Han, Qing Du, Zhen Zhang, Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo, Kai Xu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

(1) Background: French contrast training (FCT) enhances sports performance, but its long-term efficacy in elite basketball players remains unclear. This study compared FCT and traditional strength training (TST) on jump performance and lower-limb strength.

(2) Methods: Sixteen elite basketball players (age 22.4 ± 1.4 years; 14 male, 2 female) were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of FCT (n = 8) or TST (n = 8). The TST protocol consisted of barbell back squat, barbell Bulgarian split squat, conventional deadlift, and barbell hip thrust (4 sets of 8, 6, 4, 4 repetitions at 80%, 95%, 90%, 90% of one-repetition maximum [1RM]; …

Right-Sized Glycolysis In Growing Children: A Muscle Mass-Based Scaling Perspective, Sébastien Ratel, Joffrey Bardin, Anthony J. Blazevich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Unilateral Numbers Need Context: Reference Values For Single-Leg Cmj Performance Relative To Bilateral Cmj Capacity, Karol Kruczek, Tim Gabbett, Jason Lake, Michał Nowak

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The single-leg countermovement jump (SL CMJ) is widely used to assess limb-specific neuromuscular function, with interpretation commonly centred on inter-limb asymmetry. However, contextualising unilateral performance relative to bilateral capacity remains less clearly defined. This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to develop exploratory descriptive benchmarks for SL CMJ kinetic, kinematic, and temporal variables expressed as a percentage of bilateral CMJ performance in a heterogeneous athletic cohort. A total of 348 athletes completed bilateral and unilateral CMJs using dual force plate sampling at 1000 Hz. The best trials were selected using the modified reactive strength index (mRSI), and averaged unilateral variables were expressed …

Physiological, Cognitive, Behavioral, And Perceptual Contributors To Falls Risk Across Middle And Older Adulthood, Jacquelyn Moxey

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Falls are multifactorial events influenced by physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and perceptual factors. Although falls prevention research has traditionally focused on older adults and objectively measured physical impairments, less is known about how cognitive performance, physical activity, and perceptions of ability collectively contribute to falls risk vulnerability across middle and older adulthood. This dissertation examined these relationships through three complementary studies.

Study 1 examined associations between cognitive screening performance and physiological falls risk in 315 community-dwelling older adults. Lower global cognitive performance was associated with greater physiological falls risk. Performance on items reflecting attention and visuospatial/executive function demonstrated the strongest domain-level …

Interpretable Case-Control Inference Through Log-Linear General Location Models, Zacharia Stuart

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

This dissertation analyzes one of the few publicly available NFL injury datasets to study field type and non-contact lower-limb injuries. Field type is studied jointly with other risk factors to understand how these factors interact to affect injury risk. The data were gathered through a case-control sampling scheme, which limits direct inference on absolute injury probabilities. While not the most common approach for case-control data, this dissertation models the retrospective distribution directly through Log-Linear General Location Models (Log-Linear GLOMs). Through a log-linear structure placed on a log-odds-ratio reparameterization, the model provides directly interpretable marginal and interaction contributions to injury log-odds …