Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Aim The aim of the present study was to examine young female volleyballers’ body build, physical abilities, technical skills and psychophysiological properties in relation to their performance at competitions. The sample consisted of 46 female volleyballers aged 13-16 years. 49 basic anthropometric measurements were measured and 65 proportions and body composition characteristics were calculated. 9 physical ability tests, 9 volleyball technical skills tests and 21 psychophysiological tests were carried out. The game performance was recorded by the computer program Game. The program enabled to fix the performance of technical elements in case of each player. The computer program Game calculated the index of proficiency in case of each girl for each element. The first control group consisted of 74 female volleyballers aged 13–15 years with whom reduced anthropometry was provided and 28 games were recorded. The second control group consisted of 586 ordinary schoolgirls aged 13–16 years with whom full anthropometry was provided. Results In order to systematize all anthropometric characteristics, we first studied the essence of the anthropometric structure of the body as a whole. It turned out to be a characteristic system where all variables are in significant correlation between one another and where the leading characteristics are height and weight. Therefore we based the classification on the mean height and weight of the whole sample. We formed a 5 class SD classification. There are three classes of concordance between height and weight: small height – small weight, medium height – medium height, big height – big weight. The other two classes were classes of disconcordance between height and weight- pycnomorphs and leptomorphs. We managed to show that gradual increase in height and weight brought about statistically significant increase in length, breadth and depth measurements, circumferences, bone thicknesses and skinfolds. There were also systematic changes in indeces and body composition characteristics. Pycnomorphs and leptomorphs also showed differences specific to their body types in body measurements and body composition. The results of all tests were submitted to basic statistical analysis and all correlations were found between all the tests (volleyball technical skills, psychophysiological abilities, physical abilities), and all basic anthropometric variables (n = 49) and all proportions and body composition characteristics (n = 65). All anthropometric measurements and test results were correlated with the index of proficiency for all elements of the game. The best linear regression models were calculated for predicting proficiency in different elements of the game. We can see that body build and all kind of tests took part in predicting the proficiency of the game. The most essential for performing attack, block and feint were anthropometric and psychophysiological models. The studied complex of body build characteristics and tests results determine the players’ proficiency at competitions, are an important tool for testing the player’s individual development, enable to choose volleyballers from among schoolgirls and represent the whole body constitutional model of a young female volleyballer. Outlook Our outlook for the future is to continue recording of all Estonian championship games with the computer program Game, to continue the players’ anthropometric measuring and psychophysiological testing at competitions and to compile a national register for assessment of development of individual players and teams. / Ziel Das Ziel dieser Untersuchung war den Körperbau, die körperliche Fähigkeiten, die technische Geschicklichkeiten und psychophysiologische Fähigkeiten der jungen Volleyballspielerinnen in Bezug auf ihre Leistung bei den Wettkämpfen zu untersuchen. Die Auswahl bestand aus 46 Volleyballspielerinnen im Alter 13-16 Jahren. Es wurden 49 anthropometrische Masse gemessen, 65 Proportionen und Körperbaumerkmale kalkuliert, 9 Tests der physischen Fähigkeit und 9 Testen der volleyballtechnischen Geschicken ausgeführt. Die Spielleistung wurde mit dem Computerprogramm Game gespeichert. Das Programm machte es möglich, die Leistung der technischen Elementen im Falle von jeder Spielerinnen zu bestimmen. Das Computerprogramm Game kalkulierte den Leistungsindex im Falle von jedem Mädchen für jedes Element. Die erste Kontrollgruppe bestand von 74 Volleyballspielerinnen im Alter von 13–15 Jahren, mit wem reduzierte Anthropometrie durchgeführt wurde und 28 Spiele gespeichert wurden. Die andere Kontrollgruppe bestand aus 586 gewöhnliche Schulmädchen im Alter von 13–16 Jahren, mit wem volle Anthropometrie durchgeführt wurde. Ergebnisse Um alle anthropometrische Merkmale zu systematisieren, haben wir zunächst das Wesen der anthropometrischen Struktur des Körpers als Ganzes geforscht. Es hat sich erwiesen, dass es um einem characteristischen System handelt, bei dem alle Merkmale in aussagekräftiger Beziehung miteinander sind und die führende Merkmale die Höhe und das Gewicht sind. Darum haben wir die Klassifikation auf die durchschnittliche Höhe und das durchschnittliche Gewicht der ganzen Auswahl gegründet. Wir haben eine Klass 5 SD Klassifikation gebildet. Es gibt drei Übereinstimmungsklassen zwischen Höhe und Gewicht: kleine Höhe – kleines Gewicht, mittlere Höhe – mittleres Gewicht, grosse Höhe – grosses Gewicht. Die andere zwei Klassen waren die Nichtübereinstimmungsklassen zwischen Höhe und Gewicht - Pyknomorphe und Leptomorphe. Es ist uns gelungen, zu beweisen, dass der stufenartige Anstieg in der Höhe und in dem Gewicht einen statistisch bedeutsamen Anstieg in den Merkmalen der Länge, Breite und Tiefe, in den Umkreisen, in den Dicken des Knochens und in den Hautfalten veranlassen. Es bestanden auch systematische Änderungen in den Indexen und Körperbaumerkmalen. Auch die Pyknomorphen und Leptomorphen zeigten Unterschiede für ihre Körpermasse und Körperbau spezifische Unterschiede. Die Ergebnisse von allen Testen wurden der statistischen Grundanalyse unterworfen und alle Korrelationen zwischen allen Testen (volleyballtechnische Geschicke, psychophysiologische Fähigkeiten, physische Fähigkeiten) und allen anthropometrischen Grundvariablen (n = 49) und allen Proportionen und Körperbaumerkmalen (n = 65) gefunden. Alle anthropometrische Merkmale und Testresultaten wurden im Falle von allen Spielelementen mit dem Leistungsindex korreliert. Die besten lineare Regressionmodellen, um die Leistung in verschiedenen Spielelementen vorauszusagen, wurden kalkuliert. Es ist sichtbar, dass der Körperbau und alle Testarten in der Voraussage der Spielleistung mitgemacht haben. Das Wichtigste um einen Angriff, einen Block und eine Finte durchzuführen, waren anthropometrische und psychophysiologische Modelle. Der geforschte Komplex der Körperbaumerkmalen und der Testergebnissen bestimmen die Leistung der Spielerin in den Wettbewerben, sind ein wichtiges Mittel für das Testen der individuellen Entwicklung der Spielerin, ermöglichen die Volleyballspielerinnen aus den Schulmädchen zu wählen und vertreten das ganze Körperbaumodell einer jungen Volleyballspielerin. Die Aussicht Unsere Aussicht für die Zukunft ist, das Speichern von allen Spielen der estnischen Meisterschaftswettbewerben mit dem Computerprogramm Game, die anthropometrische Messung und das psychophysiologisches Testen der Spielerinnen während Wettbewerben fortzusetzen und ein staatliches Register für die Bewertung der Entwicklung der individuellen Spielerinnen und Teamen zusammenzustellen.

Professional truck drivers are highly exposed to fatigue and work related injuries. Truck drivers are common victims of musculoskeletal disorders, frequently suffering from pain symptoms particularly in the neck, shoulder and lower back. This situation is believed to be a contributor to the high absenteeism in this job category. A high percentage of this problem is due to the adoption of an unhealthy driving posture resulting from inappropriate seat design. This incorrect and poor design is owing to the insufficient and obsolete anthropometrical data which has been used for decades for arranging and positioning components in the driver environment. The main objective of the present study was to create and construct a mathematical model which clarifies and predicts the drivers’ comfortable sitting posture and position. It was hypothesized that the length and height characteristics of some body segments as well as the body weight and waist circumference of the driver have a great impact on the selection of a specific sitting posture. The steering wheel positions as well as the pedal/floor locations were hypothesized to be highly correlated to the driver’s selected posture and the corresponding comfort. The effect of the seat position on posture selection and related comfort assessments constituted the other hypothesis of the study which received extra attention. A laboratory experiment on a Scania truck cab mock-up was conducted. The seat track travel along a vertical as well as horizontal forward-backward path was obtained by mounting the seat on the motorized rigid frame which allowed unrestricted vertical and fore-aft travel. The seat cushion angle and backrest angle were adjusted by pivoting the entire seat and backrest around a lateral axis and independently. The pedal components were mounted on a motorized platform, thus allowing unrestricted fore-aft and height travel without any changes in the pedal angles. The steering wheel was mounted on the instrument panel by two independent pneumatic axes which allowed a wide range of adjustments including tilting and moving along the sagittal plane for adjusting the height and distance. The test plan called for 55 international highly experienced heavy truck drivers. The drivers were recruited to span a large range of body weight and stature, in particular to ensure adequate representation of both the extreme as well as the normal group of drivers. The drivers filled in a general information questionnaire before undergoing the anthropometrical measurements and thereafter the test trials. The experiment contained a subset of test conditions with five different trials using random selection sampling procedure. Drivers were asked to adjust the components in a wide range of trajectory according to a written protocol. A sparse set of threedimensional body landmark locations and the corresponding comfort assessments were recorded. As the main part of the result, the mathematical models using multiple regression analyses on selected body landmarks as well as anthropometrical measures were developed which proposed a linear correlation between parameters. The differences between the observed data and the corresponding predicted data using the model were found to be minimal and almost dispensable. Additionally, the drivers preferred to sit in the rearmost position and at a rather high level relative to the rest of the available and adjustable area. Considering the normal adjustable seat area of the cab, only a very small part of the observed Hpoint data lies within this area while a large remaining amount of data lies outside of it. Moreover, the difference between the observation (plotted H-point data) and the neutral H-point was found to be significant. Furthermore, and since some of the data lies almost on the border of the adjustable area, it may indicate a reasonable tendency for even more seat adjustment in the backward direction. A conceptual model consisting of four different parameters was developed and presented in the end. These parameters of the model suggest being as key factors which play a central role on process of decision making regarding the selection of a desirable sitting posture. Any eventual modifications and adjustments for elimination or minimizing discrepancies, biases or obscured factors affecting the quality of the mathematical model would be a case for future study. The investigation of a complete assessment of comfort should be supplemented with an analysis of how many truck drivers are satisfied with the comfort in the end. / QC 20100824

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

published_or_final_version / Industrial Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Due to the lack of morphological data on prepubertal Indian male soccer players in South Africa, this study was undertaken on ninety male prepubertal subjects. The subjects were divided into three groups of thirty subjects each: Experienced "E" (those playing organized soccer for more than two years), beginners "8" (those playing organized soccer for less than two years) and sedentary "S" (those not participating in organized soccer). All subjects were measured according to Heath - Carter anthropometric somatotype methods. Fitness tests comprising power and strength tests (vertical jump height and standing broad jump) and muscle endurance tests (push - ups and sit - ups) were also done. The three groups were first compared to each other and then to available international data. There were no statistical differences among the three groups for: height, weight, age, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac, calf and total skinfolds, humerus and biceps girth, ectomorphy, mesomorphy and endomorphy, suggesting a general homogenicity between groups. For fitness tests the "E" group performed significantly better than the others for standing broad jump and sit - ups (p = 0.005 and p = 0.036 respectively). For push - ups the "8" and "E" were significantly better than the "S" group, (p = 0.013, for "8" versus "S" group), indicating that in soccer muscle strength and explosive strength are important. The lack of difference between the groups for anthropometric criteria in this study may be explained by the experienced players' inadequate training. Other factors may include the lack of parental involvement, inadequate knowledge on fitness aspects and poor training methods. Furthermore, the sedentary group may be participating in unorganized activities which renders them at a level similar to the experienced group. Data on non - Indian South African junior players is required to help us understand the lack of significant Indian talent in the National team. Other factors such as diet, cultural differences, training methods, level of coaching, environmental factors and sport facilities need investigation and be addressed if we want to see an improvement in the South African Indian soccer players. / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

Baigiamajame magistro darbe atliekami statinių projektavimo specialistų patiriamo streso ir jį sukeliančių veiksnių bei Vilniaus universiteto Statybos ir remonto direkcijos darbo aplinkos sąlygų ir darbo vietų įrengimo tyrimai ir analizuojami jų rezultatai . Siekiant ištirti statinių projektavimo specialistų stresą ir jį sukeliančius veiksnius atlikta anketinė apklausa Lietuvos architektūros ir statybinių konstrukcijų projektavimo įmonėse. Anketa įdėta elektroninėje apklausų sistemoje ir elektroniniu paštu išplatinta daugiau nei 200 skirtingų statinių ir inžinerinių sistemų projektavimo įmonių, užpildytos 129 anketos. Gauti rezultatai parodė, kad statinių projektavimo specialistai patiria vidutinio intensyvumo stresą, visus arba dalį streso požymių jaučia 78 % respondentų, o pagrindiniai stresą sukeliantys veiksniai yra skubėjimas, netolygus darbo pasiskirstymas ir aukštas atsakomybės lygis. Vilniaus universiteto Statybos ir remonto direkcijos darbo aplinkos sąlygų ir darbo vietų įrengimo tyrimo metu išmatuotos darbo vietų meteorologinės sąlygos ir apšvieta, gautos vertės palygintos su teisės aktuose reglamentuojamomis reikšmėmis. Taip pat išmatuoti darbo kėdės bei stalo parametrai ir įvertinta jų atitiktis darbuotojų antropometriniams kūno matmenims. Atlikta šios įstaigos darbuotojų apklausa bei jos rezultatų palyginimas su atliktais matavimais parodė, kad norint užtikrinti optimalias darbo sąlygas yra būtina laikytis Higienos normose apibrėžtų reikalavimų ir atsižvelgti... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The research on stress assessment of building design professionals and the research of work environment in Vilnius University Directorate of Construction and Repairs are analysed in this master thesis. A survey was carried out to investigate the level of stress and the main stressors in the architectural and constructional engineering companies of Lithuania. The questionnaire was published on the internet. The link to the questionnaire was sent to more than 200 engineering companies and 129 questionnaires were fully answered. The results of survey have shown that the building design professionals are affected by a middle range stress in their workplace and 78 % of them feel few or all symptoms of stress. The main stressors are high level of rush, uneven work intensity and high level of responsibility. During the research of work environment in Vilnius University Directorate of Construction and Repairs there were measured the meteorological factors and the level of illumination in the office. The results were compared with the values in the regulations. The parameters of the work chair and the table were measured as well. The values were compared with the anthropometric data of the workers. The comparison of measurements results and opinion of the workers has shown that optimal work environment can be reached by tracing the rules of regulations and designing the workplace by the individual needs. There are made few conclusions and suggestions for work environment improvements... [to full text]

Studies in the United States suggest that girls are developing secondary sexual characteristics at earlier ages than in previous years, with non-Hispanic black girls in the United States experiencing menarche at an earlier age when compared to their peers. Early puberty and menarche may have multiple detrimental effects, including reduced adult height, increased risk of breast cancer, obesity, and endometrial cancer. In this thesis, data from published sources of height and skeletal information on non-Hispanic blacks dating from 1763 to 1861 in the United States are compared with modern population data from 1988 to 1994. The expected result is that the modern population should be taller than the historic population. This held true for males, but not for females. The sexes differed from each other in each population group. This could suggest that female maturation is under greater genetic control than male, compensating for harsh living conditions. / Department of Anthropology

The study of paleopathology is intrinsic to the study of past human societies. Through analyzing gross bone abnormalities in the individuals of a population group, one can discover occurrences of specific diseases. Diseases are often associated with diet, demography, environment, and culture of a population group. Understanding the types of diseases present can therefore lead to much information about a population group. The intent of this research is to analyze the skeletal remains from three mortuary sites to ascertain the occurrences of particular diseases. The New Castle site (12Hn1) the White site (121-In10), and Windsor Mound (12R1) represent a sample of the Early-Middle Woodland population from east central Indiana. / Department of Anthropology

Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.