Sports Sciences Commons^™

A Comparison Of Hip And Knee Torques Produced During A Maximal Effort Full And Partial Back Squat, Jordan Alexander Williams

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined the levels of hip and knee torques produced during a one repetition maximum (1RM partial) squat and full squat in order to determine if there would be a difference in the peak torque created at the two depths.

Eight male athletes (standing height = 1.84 ± 0.07 m; mass = 87 ± 14 kg; age 23 ± 2.1 years) volunteered for the study. Each subject performed a 1RM squat at full squat (as low as the participant could go, at least 0° or thigh parallel in relation to the ground) and partial squat (thigh at 45° in …

Neuropsychological, Cognitive And Physiological Implications Of Barefoot Running On Working Memory, Shelley Ann Floyd

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of barefoot versus shod running on working memory. I recruited exercise science students from the University of North Florida who exercised recreationally. Participants ran both barefoot and shod while hitting targets (poker chips) on a running track and without targets. I measured working memory using backward digit recall and also recorded participants’ heart rate, speed, and target accuracy. The main finding from this study was that working memory performance increased in the barefoot condition when participants hit targets (poker chips). This result supports the idea that additional attention is …

The Regulation Of Human Iron Metabolism In Hypoxia, Andrew Govus

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Athletes commonly use altitude exposure in an attempt to improve their aerobic performance at sea level. Altitude exposure enhances erythropoiesis and iron-dependent oxidative and glycolytic enzyme production, for this reason, athletes must maintain a healthy iron balance at altitude. A negative iron balance at altitude may limit such physiological adaptations, potentially reducing the performance benefits of altitude exposure.

This thesis examined the regulation of iron metabolism during acute (~31 min, Study One) and prolonged altitude exposure (14 days, Study Two). Finally, Study Three examined how daily oral iron supplementation influenced haemoglobin mass (Hbmass) and iron parameter responses to prolonged, moderate …

Resting Energy Expenditure Using Indirect Calorimetry In Individuals With Moderate To Low Burns: A Pilot Study Of Associated Factors, Patient Acceptability And Comparison With Predictive Equations, Janica Bell

Theses : Honours

Background: Energy expenditure increases following a burn injury. The extent of hypermetabolism is dependent on a range of factors including burn total body surface area. Moderate to low burn injuries (< 15% TBSA) represent majority of hospital admissions for burn injuries however, their energy expenditure remains unpublished. While indirect calorimetry (IC) is the gold standard for determining energy requirements, less accurate predictive equations are often used in practice. Acceptability of IC from a burn patient perspective has not been published.

Aim: To describe the resting energy expenditure (REE) of patients with a moderate to low burn injury using IC; compare measured REE to predictive equations; and determine the patient acceptability of IC.

Methods: Demographic, anthropometric and dietary data were collected for five male and three female burn patients. REE was determined using indirect calorimetry (Ultima CPX) and five predictive methods (Schofield, Harris-Benedict, Toronto and the Ireton-Jones …

Short- And Moderate-Duration Static Stretching Do Not Decrease Vertical Jump Performance When Performed With A Complete, Sport-Specific Warm-Up, Alvin M. Goh

Theses : Honours

Background: Research has shown that static stretching may improve muscle flexibility as well as minimise soft tissue injury. However, recent studies have recommended the removal static muscle stretching from pre-exercise routines due to its deleterious effect on physical performance. Nonetheless, research has shown a duration-dependent effect of static stretching, with total muscle stretch durations < 45 s having little influence on subsequent sporting performance. Furthermore, some evidence indicates that muscle stretching may not influence performance when a sport-specific warm-up follows the stretching component. However, this protocol has not been implemented in most studies.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of shorter (5 s) and longer (30 s) periods of static stretching to dynamic stretching on vertical jump performance in sub-elite athletes when the stretches are completed early in a complete pre-exercise routine. It …

Biomechanical Analysis Of Race Walking Compared To Normal Walking And Running Gait, Jaclyn D. Norberg

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Human locomotion is phenomenon that is extraordinarily complex. It is evident that a complete description of locomotion involves consideration of kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity of the extremities in all of their various movements. Race walking (RW) is a form of upright locomotion that differs from normal walking and running by its form dictated by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF). Despite the similarities to both normal walking (NW) and running (RU), RW has not been the subject of equally intensive investigations.

This study explores the comprehensive biomechanics of race walking and how it compares to NW and RU. A …

Muscular And Neural Contributions To Postactivation Potentiation, Brian Joseph Wallace

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Muscle performance is partially a consequence of its recent contractile history. Postactivation potentiation (PAP) can occur after muscle contractions and leads to enhanced neuromuscular performance. The purpose of this dissertation was to explain the relationship between muscle factors (twitch potentiation, TP) and neural factors (reflex potentiation, RP) contributing to overall PAP following a non-fatiguing volitional muscle contraction. The tibial nerves of fifteen resistance trained volunteers (eleven men, four women) were stimulated intermittently at supramaximal (Mmax) and submaximal (Hmax) intensities for 20 minutes on separate days under three conditions: rest (Control); after a after a 10 second maximum voluntary isometric contraction …

The Effect Of Fluid Periodization On Athletic Performance Outcomes In American Football Players, Christopher W. Morris

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

For decades strength and conditioning professionals have been seeking optimal training volumes and intensities to yield maximum performance outcomes without the onset of injury. Unfortunately, current studies apply experimental training techniques without considering the individuals’ response to the imposed training load. Due to the vast genetic variability and extraneous environmental factors that affect one’s ability to recover, results from such studies are controversial and inconclusive. Athlete monitoring systems offer an objective assessment that is purported to evaluate an individual’s physiological readiness to adapt to an overload stimulus and thus allow for daily manipulations in training loads (i.e., fluid periodization). However, …

The Effects Of Spinal Manipulative Therapy On Isokinetic Strength And Postactivation Potentiation, Grant D. Sanders

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is a therapeutic procedure employed by various healthcare practitioners for alleviating acute and chronic musculoskeletal complaints. This form of treatment is also delivered to enhance the performance and augment the rehabilitation of athletes. However, despite research findings alleging the strength-modulating effects of SMT alongside numerous professional athletes’ positive anecdotal claims concerning its results, the physiological processes to explain its effects remain largely unexplained. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of SMT in a college-aged sample population with two experiments.

The first study examined the effect of SMT targeting the lumbosacral region …

The Effect Of Vertically- And Horizontally-Directed Plyometric Exercise On Sprint Running Performance, Ben Campbell Thomasian

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of 6 weeks of vertically- and horizontally-directed lower-body plyometric exercise with vertically versus horizontally biased ground force application, on 40-m sprint running time, vertical jumping height, body composition and gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle architecture. Male (n = 19) and female (n = 20) recreational athletes were recruited and stratified according to 40 m sprinting ability, then randomly allocated to one of two groups: horizontally-directed plyometric training (HT) and vertically-directed plyometric training (VT).

The groups performed the experimental procedures twice each week with the same number of total ground contacts, while …

Analysis Of Road Sprint Cycling Performance, Paolo Menaspa

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Sprint cycling ability is a key determinant of road cycling performance, with many races designed specifically for sprinters. The ability to excel in the final sprint is relevant for both individual riders and teams. Despite the importance of sprints within professional road cycling, the characteristics of professional road sprints and sprinters have yet to be extensively described. Thus, the overall objective of the five research studies contained within this doctoral thesis was to describe road cycling sprint performance and improve the general understanding of the physical, technical and tactical factors associated with such performances.

The first two descriptive field studies …

Bone Strength, Load Tolerance And Injury Risk In Elite Australian Football, Nicolas H. Hart

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

A paucity of research exists to characterise and investigate lower-body musculoskeletal characteristics and morphological adaptations in elite Australian Footballers with the aim to improve screening, monitoring and load management practices. Given the high prevalence of lower-body skeletal injuries in Australian Football; and the ability to measure, modify and train muscle and bone strength and their derivatives; this project served to extend scientific understanding of musculoskeletal morphology and bone strength characteristics in elite level field-based team sport athletes through a series of research studies using Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT). In particular, studies one and two …

Influence Of Anthropometric And Upper Body Strength Qualities On Surfboard Paddling Kinematics, Joseph Coyne

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Competitive surfing is an international professional water sport of which a key factor in performance appears to be surfboard paddling ability. Research on surfing performance is relatively novel and there is very limited data as to how anthropometric and upper extremity strength variables influence not just surfboard paddling but also surfing ability.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was threefold. The first purpose was to evaluate the reliability of Pull Up and Dip 1RM strength assessments, the ratio between the two exercises, and a surfboard endurance paddle assessment. The second purpose was to establish if there were discriminative factors between …

Evaluation And Training Of Sensorimotor Abilities In Competitive Surfers, Tai T. Tran

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Study 1: Development of a comprehensive performance testing protocol for competitive surfers

Purpose: Appropriate and valid testing protocols for evaluating the physical performances of surfing athletes is not well refined. The purpose of this project was to develop, refine, and evaluate a testing protocol for use with elite surfers, including measures of anthropometry, strength and power, and endurance. Methods: After pilot testing and consultation with athletes, coaches and sport scientists, a specific suite of tests was developed. Forty-four competitive junior surfers (16.2±1.3 years, 166.3±7.3 cm, 57.9±8.5 kg) participated in this study involving a within-day repeated measures analysis, using an Elite …

The Development Of An Objective Multi-Dimensional Approach To Talent Identification In Junior Australian Football, Carl T C Woods

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Talent identification (TID) is a pertinent component of the sports science discipline given the considerable influence it may have within the pursuit of excellence. Thus, research has attempted to identify the determinants of a talented performance through the use of objective testing procedures. However, many of these ‘traditional’ approaches have been operationalised by mono-dimensional objective physical performance tests that do not inherently account for the multi-dimensional requisites of game-play, particularly within a team sporting context. This is problematic when attempting to identify talent, as a successful performance in team sports is often the combination of physical, technical and tactical elements. …

Training Load Quantification In Professional Australian Basketball And The Use Of The Reactive Strength Index As A Monitoring Tool, William Markwick

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Study 1: The intraday reliability of the reactive strength index (RSI) calculated from a drop jump in professional men’s basketball.

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability of the reactive strength index (RSI) and jump height (JH) performance from multiple drop heights with elite basketball players. Methods: Thirteen professional basketball players (mean ±SD: age 25.8 ± 3.5 y, height 1.96 ± 0.07 m, mass 94.8 ± 8.2 kg) completed 3 maximal drop jump attempts on to a jump mat at 4 randomly assigned box heights and 3 counter movement jump (CMJ) trials. Results: No statistical difference was observed between …

Landing Performance And Lower Extremity Injuries In Competitive Surfing, Lina Elizabeth Lundgren

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Competitive surfing involves highXrisk manoeuvres that may impose injury risk, especially in the lower extremity. Although the dynamic environment of surfing is a major factor of unpredictable determinants for injury risk, there may be athlete qualities with importance for prevention. Previous studies suggest that dynamic loading and landing tasks represent major risk factors, and should therefore be included in athlete assessments and risk analysis.

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate landing tasks that may be related to surfing performance and injury risk. It involved studying manoeuvres and landing tasks to establish its relevance for surfing athletes, develop multifactorial …

Parent's Guide To Aau Sports, Chad Hanson

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Do your kids play sports? Do they participate in AAU sports, the nationwide entity where 38 various sports are offered? Here is a parent’s guide to AAU sports and seven questions to consider."

Posting about children participating in sports from In All Things - an online hub committed to the claim that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for the entire world.

http://inallthings.org/a-parents-guide-to-aau-sports/

Comparison: Perception And Knowledge Of Protein Consumption In Female Athletes For Post Weight Lifting Recovery, Samantha Jane Lofton

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

A study was conducted on James Madison University’s campus to assess the knowledge, beliefs, perceptions and habits of protein consumption post resistance training in female student athletes. Sixty-two female athletes who regularly partake in resistance training filled out a recovery-cue questionnaire containing 10 statements/questions on the subject of protein consumption. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS, Version 21.0 and Microsoft Office Excel. Eight percent of respondents stated they are aware of how much protein they should be consuming post workout, and 21% feel what they consume post workout is an adequate amount of protein for muscle recovery. Forty-six percent …

The Role And Impact Of Student Leadership On Participants In A Healthy Eating And Physical Activity Programme, Lila Gutuskey, Nate Mccaughtry, Bo Shen, Erin Centeio, Alex Garn

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

Objective: In the USA there are rising rates of obesity among children, at least in part due to unhealthy eating and physical inactivity. Implementing school-based health interventions with elementary school children focused on youth empowerment could lead to improved health environments and behaviours. The purpose of the present study was to examine elementary students’ perceptions of participating in a student-led school health improvement team. Empowerment theory guided the research, specifically the concept of including participants in programming to identify possible individual-level outcomes. Design: Qualitative research. Setting: One US elementary school formed a student-led school health improvement team, …