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The benefits of exercise have been recommended in typical and other special populations. However, the evidence for persons with Down syndrome (DS) is still limited. This study was aimed at investigating the impact of an acute bout of aerobic exercise intervention on motor performance, executive function and intrinsic motivation in

The benefits of exercise have been recommended in typical and other special populations. However, the evidence for persons with Down syndrome (DS) is still limited. This study was aimed at investigating the impact of an acute bout of aerobic exercise intervention on motor performance, executive function and intrinsic motivation in adolescents and young adults with DS. Ten participants with DS were assigned to an exercise group, who walked on a incremental treadmill protocol for 20 minutes. The exercise intensity was achieved at 66% of their predicted maximum heart rate. Another ten participants with DS were assigned to an attentional control group, who watched a video for 20 minutes. Measures of fine manual dexterity (e.g., Purdue Pegboard test), manual force production (e.g., grip strength test), processing speed (e.g., visual choice reaction time test), verbal processing (e.g., verbal fluency test), attention shifting ability (e.g., The Dimensional Card sorting test), and inhibitory control (e.g., Knock and Tap test) were tested pre and post intervention. An intrinsic motivation scale (e.g., enjoyment and effort) was conducted after the intervention. First, results showed participants significantly improved their performance in manual force production and Knock and Tap Test after the exercise intervention. While it has been proposed that exercise increases arousal status, neurotransmitters, or cerebral vasculature, the exact mechanisms in persons with DS are still unknown. However, our results showed that after treadmill walking, motor and cognitive improvements can be found in individuals with DS, even in a single exercise session. In addition, participants reported higher scores in enjoyment after video viewing than exercise, which may a result from musical effect or too much emphasis on external rewards in their early participation in exercise. These may imply that participants had low intrinsic motivation to an active lifestyle. Further, scores in effort were significantly higher after exercise than video viewing, which indicated their capabilities to perceive their physical exertion. However, other motivational regulations (e.g., introjected and identified regulations) have shown the relationship with exercise behavior in this population. Thus, further study should consider divergent motivational factors in order to implement an effective exercise program.
ContributorsChen, Chih-Chia (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon D.R. (Thesis advisor) / Crews, Debra (Committee member) / Kulinna, Pamela (Committee member) / Amazeen, Eric (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
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Description
During the downswing all golfers must roll their forearms and twist the club handle in order to square the club face into impact. Anecdotally some instructors say that rapidly twisting the handle and quickly closing the club face is the best technique while others disagree and suggest the opposite.

During the downswing all golfers must roll their forearms and twist the club handle in order to square the club face into impact. Anecdotally some instructors say that rapidly twisting the handle and quickly closing the club face is the best technique while others disagree and suggest the opposite. World class golfers have swings with a range of club handle twist velocities (HTV) from very slow to very fast and either method appears to create a successful swing. The purpose of this research was to discover the relationship between HTV at impact and selected body and club biomechanical characteristics during a driver swing. Three-dimensional motion analysis methods were used to capture the swings of 94 tour professionals. Pearson product-moment correlation was used to determine if a correlation existed between HTV and selected biomechanical characteristics. The total group was also divided into two sub-groups of 32, one group with the fastest HTV (Hi-HTV) and the other with the slowest HTV (Lo-HTV). Single factor ANOVAs were completed for HTV and each selected biomechanical parameter. No significant differences were found between the Hi-HTV and Lo-HTV groups for both clubhead speed and driving accuracy. Lead forearm supination velocity at impact was found to be significantly different between groups with the Hi-HTV group having a higher velocity. Lead wrist extension velocity at impact, while not being significantly different between groups was found to be positive in both groups, meaning that the lead wrist is extending at impact. Lead wrist ulnar deviation, lead wrist release and trail elbow extension velocities at maximum were not significantly different between groups. Pelvis rotation, thorax rotation, pelvis side bend and pelvis rotation at impact were all significantly different between groups, with the Lo-HTV group being more side bent tor the trail side and more open at impact. These results suggest that world class golfers can successfully use either the low or high HTV technique for a successful swing. From an instructional perspective it is important to be aware of the body posture and wrist/forearm motion differences between the two techniques so as to be consistent when teaching either method.
ContributorsCheetham, Phillip (Author) / Hinrichs, Richard (Thesis advisor) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / Dounskaia, Natalia (Committee member) / Crews, Debra (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
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Description
Voluntary exercise has been shown to generate post exercise improvements in executive function within the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) population. Research is limited on the link between exercise and motor function in this population. Whether or not changes in executive and motor function are observed under assisted exercise conditions is

Voluntary exercise has been shown to generate post exercise improvements in executive function within the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) population. Research is limited on the link between exercise and motor function in this population. Whether or not changes in executive and motor function are observed under assisted exercise conditions is unknown. This study examined the effect of a six-week cycling intervention on executive and motor-function responses in young adult females with ADHD. Participants were randomized to either a voluntary exercise (VE) or an assisted exercise (AE) group. Both groups performed 30 minute cycling sessions, three times per week, at either a voluntary or assisted rate, on a modified Theracycle Model 200 motorized stationary cycle ergometer. The Mann-Whitney U tests were used to detect median differences between groups, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to test median differences within groups. Executive function improvements were greater for AE compared to VE in activation (MDNAE = 162 vs. MDNVE = 308, U = .00, p = .076, ES = .79); planning (MDNAE = 51.0 vs. MDNAE = 40.5, U = .00, p = .083, ES = .77); attention (MDNAE = 13.0 vs. MDNVE = 10.0, U = .00, p = .083, ES = .77); and working memory (MDNAE = 10.0 vs. MDNVE = 6.5, U = .00, p = .076, ES = .79). Motor function improvements were greater for AE compared to VE in manual dexterity (MDNAE = 18 vs. MDNVE = 15.8, U = .00, p = .083, ES = .77); bimanual coordination (MDNAE = 28.0 vs. MDNVE = 25.3, U = .00, p = .083, ES = .77); and gross motor movements of the fingers, hands, and arms (MDNAE = 61.7 vs. MDNVE = 56.0, U = .00, p = .083, ES = .77). Deficits in executive and motor functioning have been linked to lifelong social and psychological impairments in individuals with ADHD. Finding ways to improve functioning in these areas is important for cognitive, emotional and social stability. Compared to VE, AE is a more effective strategy for improving executive and motor functioning in young adult females with ADHD.
ContributorsBirchfield, Natasha (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis advisor) / Lee, Chong (Committee member) / Chisum, Jack (Committee member) / Campbell, Kathyrn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
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Description
The aim of this case study was to help MH, a young adult male with Down syndrome, lose weight and improve his health. Initially he was morbidly obese, suffering from physical, mental, emotional, and health-related side effects. MH and his mother requested help from Dr. Shannon Ringenbach, and resided in

The aim of this case study was to help MH, a young adult male with Down syndrome, lose weight and improve his health. Initially he was morbidly obese, suffering from physical, mental, emotional, and health-related side effects. MH and his mother requested help from Dr. Shannon Ringenbach, and resided in Arizona for four months during the process of developing and implementing a program of diet and exercise for him. We created a plan to maximize weight loss in this short period of time. Overall, MH reduced his weight from 276 lbs. to 217 lbs. in four months, his lowest weight being 201 lbs. after he and his mother returned home to Oregon. This is a 75 lb. weight loss and body mass index (BMI) reduction of 13.7 kg/m2. Although to reach a healthy body weight MH would still need to continue his weight loss, this is a significant amount of weight, which is especially difficult for people with Down syndrome to lose. In this case study it was crucial to take into consideration the other aspects that affect weight gain and loss, such as motivation, family life, diet, and lifestyle.
ContributorsBrennan, Julia (Co-author) / Wright, Berlin (Co-author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Shaibi, Gabriel (Committee member) / Chen, Chih-Chia (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2013-05
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Cannabis use has been purported to cause an amotivation-like syndrome among users. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether third party observers noticed amotivation among cannabis users. Participants in this study were 72 undergraduate university students, with a mean age of M=19.20 years old (SD=2.00). Participants nominated Informants

Cannabis use has been purported to cause an amotivation-like syndrome among users. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether third party observers noticed amotivation among cannabis users. Participants in this study were 72 undergraduate university students, with a mean age of M=19.20 years old (SD=2.00). Participants nominated Informants who knew them well and these informants completed a version of the 18-item Apathy Evaluation Scale. Results indicated that more frequent cannabis use was associated with higher informant-reported levels of amotivation, even when controlling for age, sex, psychotic-like experiences, SES, alcohol use, tobacco use, other drug use, and depression symptoms (β=0.34, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.64, p=.027). A lack of motivation severe enough to be visible by a third party has the potential to have negative social impacts on individuals who use cannabis regularly.
ContributorsWhite, Makita Marie (Author) / Meier, Madeline (Thesis director) / Glenberg, Arthur (Committee member) / Pardini, Dustin (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
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The aim of this study is to evaluate whether or not fitness can be determined using a well-researched six minute walk test (6MWT) in a young adult population with Down syndrome (DS). This holds importance in today's health industry because this particular target group is at high risk for several

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether or not fitness can be determined using a well-researched six minute walk test (6MWT) in a young adult population with Down syndrome (DS). This holds importance in today's health industry because this particular target group is at high risk for several cardiovascular, cognitive and clinical factors that contribute to their well-being and longevity. As well, the findings of this research could potentially contribute to the low volume of research that currently exists regarding fitness and the DS population and provide pertinent knowledge towards intervention programs. Fourteen participants with DS performed one 6MWT at a self-selected rate during an exercise intervention study to assess physical fitness. The results showed that walk distance increased with decreased BMI and walk distance increased with increased walking speed and increased leisure activity. These findings are clear indicators of physical fitness relating to healthy physical behavior. All results were consistent with past research in specific at-risk health related populations. This data suggests that this physical test is an adequate indicator of fitness levels in populations with DS, which may additionally provide explicit avenues for intervention and treatment to improve health.
ContributorsMoss Hunt, Lauren Charlie (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Shaibi, Gabriel (Committee member) / Maraj, Brian (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2013-05
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The aim of this study is to understand the affects of grip strength and manual dexterity in activities of daily living (ADL) in persons with Down syndrome (DS). This is important because it could help with future interventions that are focused around improving related disadvantages in this particular population. Ten

The aim of this study is to understand the affects of grip strength and manual dexterity in activities of daily living (ADL) in persons with Down syndrome (DS). This is important because it could help with future interventions that are focused around improving related disadvantages in this particular population. Ten participants with DS performed the manual dexterity tests (i.e., Purdue Pegboard) and measured their grip strength with a hydraulic dynamometer. Overall, grip strength was lower than the average for the typical population and was reduced after aeorbic exercise. Improvements, however, were found in their manual dexterity from pre-test to post-test. This indicates that the assisted moderate intensity exercise intervention helped their dexterity performance. The improvements in dexterity are consistent with previous research conducted by Ringenbach et al. (2007). These results suggest that a moderate intensity treadmill walking exercise intervention can increase precision and efficiency in dexterity in persons with Down syndrome, however their grip force production may be stimulated by another means.
ContributorsSemper, Logan (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Kulinna, Pamela (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2012-12
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Children's wellbeing has been of utmost concern to society, and recently this topic has taken a particular focus in both health and achievement. As the focus shifts towards promoting a healthier and more academically successful youth, the relationship between the two warrants investigation. Specifically, the relationship between physical fitness and

Children's wellbeing has been of utmost concern to society, and recently this topic has taken a particular focus in both health and achievement. As the focus shifts towards promoting a healthier and more academically successful youth, the relationship between the two warrants investigation. Specifically, the relationship between physical fitness and academic performance (i.e. grades) in 4th grade students was assessed. A cross-sectional design was used to assess physical fitness of children (M=9.39 years) by means of the FITNESSGRAM assessment tool. Third-quarter grades were used to measure academic performance. Relationships between the variables were determined through bivariate plots, Pearson product moment correlation analysis, independent t-tests, and a three-step regression analysis. The results show a significant relationship between students' aerobic fitness and academic performance. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest incremental validity between aerobic fitness and academic performance, thus implying predictive value associated with increased physical fitness and academic achievement.
ContributorsMoore, Shannon (Author) / Kulinna, Pamela (Thesis director) / Hoffner, Kristin (Committee member) / Stylianou, Michalis (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2012-12
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Introduction. Intervertebral disc degeneration (DD) is one of the most common diagnoses in patients with neck pain and contributes to worldwide disability. Despite the advances in diagnostic imaging today, little is known about functional status of cervical DD. The purpose of this research was to 1) develo

Introduction. Intervertebral disc degeneration (DD) is one of the most common diagnoses in patients with neck pain and contributes to worldwide disability. Despite the advances in diagnostic imaging today, little is known about functional status of cervical DD. The purpose of this research was to 1) develop and validate an ovine model of cervical spine DD, 2) to quantify and compare the effect of disc lesions on dynamic spinal stiffness, and 3) study the effect of disc lesions on spinal accelerations and displacements during two types of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT). Methods. Fifteen sheep received surgically induced disc injury to the mid-cervical spine via scalpel wound a minimum of five months earlier and 15 sheep served as controls. All animals were biomechanically assessed at the level of the lesion using swept-sine mechanical loads from 0-20 Hz under load control to quantify dynamic dorsoventral (DV) spine stiffness (load/deformation, N/mm). The effect of disc lesion on stiffness was assessed using a one-factor repeated measures ANOVA comparing 32 mechanical excitation frequencies. Tri-axial accelerometers rigidly attached to adjacent vertebrae across the target level further evaluated the effect of disc lesion on spinal motion response during two types of SMTs. A 2x6x2 repeated measures ANOVA examined the effect of disc lesion and SMT force-time profile on spine motion response. Postmortem histological analysis graded specimens at the target site and comparison was made with descriptive statistics. Results. Annular disc tears were only observed in the disc lesion group and the mild degeneration identified was localized to the injured annular tissue that did not progress to affect other areas of the disc. No difference in overall DD grading was found among the groups. DV stiffness was significantly increased in the disc lesion group by approximately 34% at 31 of 32 frequencies examined (p<.05). SMTs resulted in decreased displacements in the disc lesion group (p<.05), and SMT type significantly influenced spinal accelerations for both the DV and axial planes. Conclusion. Disc lesions in the ovine cervical spine produce localized annular degenerative changes that increase the cervical spine dynamic stiffness and reduce its spinal motion response during manual examination and treatment that is further augmented by the force-time profile administered by the clinician.
ContributorsColloca, Christopher (Author) / Hinrichs, Richard N (Thesis advisor) / Abbas, James (Committee member) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / Hooker, Steven (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
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Description
Background: Effective glucose management using exercise modalities in older patients with type 2 diabetes and activities of daily living (ADL) disabilities are unknown.

Purpose: The study investigated the acute effects of motor-assisted cycling and functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling on the 2-h postprandial glucose responses compared with sitting control

Background: Effective glucose management using exercise modalities in older patients with type 2 diabetes and activities of daily living (ADL) disabilities are unknown.

Purpose: The study investigated the acute effects of motor-assisted cycling and functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling on the 2-h postprandial glucose responses compared with sitting control in older adults with type 2 diabetes and ADL disabilities.

Methods: The study used a 3×3 crossover study design. Nine participants were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment sequences: ABC, BCA, and CAB. (A, motor-assisted cycling; B, FES cycling; C, sitting control). Linear mixed models (LMM) with Bonferroni post-hoc tests were used to test the mean differences for the 2-h postprandial glucose, estimated by the area under the curve (AUC) and incremental AUC (iAUC), between intervention and control treatments after adjustment for covariates (e.g., age, sex, and race).

Results: There were significant mean differences for iAUC (p = 0.005) and AUC (p = 0.038) across motor-assisted cycling, control, and FES cycling treatments. The FES cycling had a lower mean of 2-hour postprandial iAUC as compared with sitting control (iAUC 3.98 mmol∙h/L vs 6.92 mmol∙h/L, p = 0.006, effect size [ES] = 1.72) and the motor-assisted cycling (iAUC, 3.98 mmol∙h/L vs 6.19 mmol∙h/L , p = 0.0368, ES = 1.29), respectively. The FES cycling also had a lower mean of the 2-hour postprandial AUC as compared with sitting control (AUC, 18.29 mmol∙h/L vs 20.95 mmol∙h/L, p = 0.043, ES = 0.89), but had an AUC similar to the motor-assisted cycling (18.29 mmol∙h/L vs 20.23 mmol∙h/L , p = 0.183, ES = 0.19). There were no statistical differences in iAUC (6.19 mmol∙h/L vs 6.92 mmol∙h/L) and AUC (20.23 mmol∙h/L vs 20.95 mmol∙h/L) between the motor-assisted cycling and sitting control (all p>0.05).

Conclusion: Performing 30 minutes of FES cycling on a motor-assisted bike (40 Hz, 39 rpm, 25-29 mA) significantly decreased the 2-h postprandial glucose levels in older adults with type 2 diabetes and ADL disabilities. These findings suggested that FES cycling can be a promising exercise modality for glucose management in diabetic patients with ADL disabilities.
Contributorsma, tongyu (Author) / Lee, Chong (Thesis advisor) / Hooker, Steven (Committee member) / Shaibi, Gabriel (Committee member) / Johnston, Carol (Committee member) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019