Matching Items (8)
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- All Subjects: kinesiology
- Creators: College of Health Solutions
- Resource Type: Text
Description
Humans moving in the environment must frequently change walking speed and direction to negotiate obstacles and maintain balance. Maneuverability and stability requirements account for a significant part of daily life. While constant-average-velocity (CAV) human locomotion in walking and running has been studied extensively unsteady locomotion has received far less attention. Although some studies have described the biomechanics and neurophysiology of maneuvers, the underlying mechanisms that humans employ to control unsteady running are still not clear. My dissertation research investigated some of the biomechanical and behavioral strategies used for stable unsteady locomotion. First, I studied the behavioral level control of human sagittal plane running. I tested whether humans could control running using strategies consistent with simple and independent control laws that have been successfully used to control monopod robots. I found that humans use strategies that are consistent with the distributed feedback control strategies used by bouncing robots. Humans changed leg force rather than stance duration to control center of mass (COM) height. Humans adjusted foot placement relative to a "neutral point" to change running speed increment between consecutive flight phases, i.e. a "pogo-stick" rather than a "unicycle" strategy was adopted to change running speed. Body pitch angle was correlated by hip moments if a proportional-derivative relationship with time lags corresponding to pre-programmed reaction (87 ± 19 ms) was assumed. To better understand the mechanisms of performing successful maneuvers, I studied the functions of joints in the lower extremities to control COM speed and height. I found that during stance, the hip functioned as a power generator to change speed. The ankle switched between roles as a damper and torsional spring to contributing both to speed and elevation changes. The knee facilitated both speed and elevation control by absorbing mechanical energy, although its contribution was less than hip or ankle. Finally, I studied human turning in the horizontal plane. I used a morphological perturbation (increased body rotational inertia) to elicit compensational strategies used to control sidestep cutting turns. Humans use changes to initial body angular speed and body pre-rotation to prevent changes in braking forces.
ContributorsQiao, Mu, 1981- (Author) / Jindrich, Devin L (Thesis advisor) / Dounskaia, Natalia (Committee member) / Abbas, James (Committee member) / Hinrichs, Richard (Committee member) / Santello, Marco (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern in the United States. For several years, many interventions have been established to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity. However, these interventions have not adequately utilized existing models of behavior change, and as a result, have been unsuccessful in increasing levels of physical activity and healthy dietary intake. One such model of change, the Transtheoretical Model, views behavior change as occurring through a series of stages with progression through the stages being facilitated by cognitive and behavioral processes. Within these processes the constructs of consciousness-raising, helping relationships, and self-efficacy have been shown to be most influential in changing behaviors. Thus, the objective of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of such constructs and establish a multi-faceted approach to combat this epidemic.
ContributorsWang, Janice (Author) / Broman, Tannah (Thesis director) / Hoffner, Kristin (Committee member) / Baldwin, Marjorie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
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
Description
Resistance training is a modality of exercise that has grown in popularity over the past two decades, particularly for its role in improving muscular fitness by increasing muscular strength, power, and hypertrophy. Due to this increase in demand, more and more people are entering the gym for their first time and eager to learn about the ways to get bigger and stronger as fast as possible. The aim of this summary is to provide evidence-based information that resistance trainers or fitness personnel can use to design an effective training program. In order to optimize your resistance training protocol there are three main areas to focus on: increasing volume, managing intensity, and active recovery.
ContributorsEsparza, Ryan David (Author) / Nolan, Nicole (Thesis director) / Marsit, Joseph (Committee member) / Broman, Tannah (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Objective: The purpose of the present study was to compare cardiovascular responses of two different types of yoga (Vinyasa Flow and Meditative).
Methods: 9 female college students (age 18-24) were assigned to two yoga sessions, Vinyasa Flow and Meditative yoga. Each participant attended one session of each type of yoga, where their cardiovascular responses were measured both pre and post yoga session. Heart rate, Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), and blood pressure were all measured.
Results: Meditative yoga showed a significant difference in the acute response of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and RPE. Vinyasa Flow yoga showed a significant difference the acute response of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and RPE. Heart rate was significantly different when comparing measurements before each yoga session. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and RPE were all significantly different when comparing acute measurements after each respective session. Significance was set to p < 0.05.
Conclusions: Overall, the hypothesis was supported that there was a difference in cardiovascular measurements. Meditative yoga was better at significantly decreasing blood pressure acutely, whereas Vinyasa Flow yoga increased blood pressure acutely. This suggests that Meditative yoga could be suggested over Vinyasa Flow yoga for certain individuals with hypertension. Differences between the yoga practices were found and the cardiovascular effects of different yoga practices can be better understood due to this research.
Methods: 9 female college students (age 18-24) were assigned to two yoga sessions, Vinyasa Flow and Meditative yoga. Each participant attended one session of each type of yoga, where their cardiovascular responses were measured both pre and post yoga session. Heart rate, Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), and blood pressure were all measured.
Results: Meditative yoga showed a significant difference in the acute response of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and RPE. Vinyasa Flow yoga showed a significant difference the acute response of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and RPE. Heart rate was significantly different when comparing measurements before each yoga session. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and RPE were all significantly different when comparing acute measurements after each respective session. Significance was set to p < 0.05.
Conclusions: Overall, the hypothesis was supported that there was a difference in cardiovascular measurements. Meditative yoga was better at significantly decreasing blood pressure acutely, whereas Vinyasa Flow yoga increased blood pressure acutely. This suggests that Meditative yoga could be suggested over Vinyasa Flow yoga for certain individuals with hypertension. Differences between the yoga practices were found and the cardiovascular effects of different yoga practices can be better understood due to this research.
ContributorsOberg, Martha Ann (Co-author) / Wood, Emilee (Co-author) / Nolan, Nicole (Thesis director) / Hoffner, Kristin (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
It has been repeatedly shown that females have lower stability and increased risk of ankle injury when compared to males participating in similar sports activities (e.g., basketball and soccer), yet sex differences in neuromuscular control of the ankle, including the modulation of ankle stiffness, and their contribution to stability remain unknown. To identify sex differences in human ankle stiffness, this study quantified 2- dimensional (2D) ankle stiffness in 20 young, healthy men and 20 young, healthy women during upright standing over a range of tasks, specifically, ankle muscle co-contraction tasks (4 levels up to 20% maximum voluntary co-contraction of ankle muscles), weight-bearing tasks (4 levels up to 90% of body weight), and ankle torque generation tasks accomplished by maintaining offset center-of-pressure (5 levels up to +6 cm to the center-of-pressure during quiet standing). A dual-axial robotic platform, capable of perturbing the ankle in both the sagittal and frontal planes and measuring the corresponding ankle torques, was used to reliably quantify the 2D ankle stiffness during upright standing. In all task conditions and in both planes of ankle motion, ankle stiffness in males was consistently greater than that in females. Among all 26 experimental conditions, all but 2 conditions in the frontal plane showed statistically significant sex differences. Further analysis on the normalized ankle stiffness scaled by weight times height suggests that while sex differences in ankle stiffness in the sagittal plane could be explained by sex differences in anthropometric factors as well as neuromuscular factors, the differences in the frontal plane could be mostly explained by anthropometric factors. This study also demonstrates that the sex differences in the sagittal plane were significantly higher as compared to those in the frontal plane. The results indicate that females have lower ankle stiffness during upright standing thereby providing the neuromuscular basis for further investigations on the correlation of ankle stiffness and the higher risk of ankle injury in females.
ContributorsAdjei, Ermyntrude (Author) / Lee, Hyunglae (Thesis advisor) / Santello, Marco (Committee member) / Lockhart, Thurmon E (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
The interaction between visual fixations during planning and performance in a
dexterous task was analyzed. An eye-tracking device was affixed to subjects during
sequences of null (salient center of mass) and weighted (non salient center of mass) trials
with unconstrained precision grasp. Subjects experienced both expected and unexpected
perturbations, with the task of minimizing object roll. Unexpected perturbations were
controlled by switching weights between trials, expected perturbations were controlled by
asking subjects to rotate the object themselves. In all cases subjects were able to
minimize the roll of the object within three trials. Eye fixations were correlated with
object weight for the initial context and for known shifts in center of mass. In subsequent
trials with unexpected weight shifts, subjects appeared to scan areas of interest from both
contexts even after learning present orientation.
dexterous task was analyzed. An eye-tracking device was affixed to subjects during
sequences of null (salient center of mass) and weighted (non salient center of mass) trials
with unconstrained precision grasp. Subjects experienced both expected and unexpected
perturbations, with the task of minimizing object roll. Unexpected perturbations were
controlled by switching weights between trials, expected perturbations were controlled by
asking subjects to rotate the object themselves. In all cases subjects were able to
minimize the roll of the object within three trials. Eye fixations were correlated with
object weight for the initial context and for known shifts in center of mass. In subsequent
trials with unexpected weight shifts, subjects appeared to scan areas of interest from both
contexts even after learning present orientation.
ContributorsSmith, Michael David (Author) / Santello, Marco (Thesis advisor) / Buneo, Christopher (Committee member) / Schaefer, Sydney (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Many high school students demonstrate an overall lack of interest in science. Traditional teaching methodologies seem to be unsuccessful at engaging students \u2014 one explanation is that students often interpret what they learn in school as irrelevant to their personal lives. Active learning and case based learning methodologies seem to be more effective at promoting interest and understanding of scientific principles. The purpose of our research was to implement a lab with updated teaching methodologies that included an active learning and case based curriculum. The lab was implemented in two high school honors biology classes with the specific goals of: significantly increasing students' interest in science and its related fields; increasing students' self-efficacy in their ability to understand and interpret the traditional process of the scientific method; and increasing this traditional process of objectively understanding the scientific method. Our results indicated that interest in science and its related fields (p = .011), students' self-efficacy in understanding the scientific method (p = .000), and students' objective understanding of the scientific method (p = .000) statistically significantly increased after the lab was administered; however, our results may not be as meaningful as the p-values imply due to the scale of our assessment.
ContributorsCotten, Kathryn (Author) / Hoffner, Kristin (Thesis director) / Stout, Valerie (Committee member) / Lynskey, Jim (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2012-12