Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-109).

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Acute lower body exercise elicits adverse effects on balance performance and subsequent fall risk. However, little information exists for upper body exercise and postural sway. The series of experimental studies presented in this thesis investigated the effects of acute upper and lower body exercise on postural sway in healthy young and older adults and determined whether the acute negative effects of exercise can be removed by an improvement in training status. Chapter 4 examined the effects of maximal and submaximal (absolute and relative exercise intensities) arm crank ergometry (ACE) and cycle ergometry (CE) on postural sway in young healthy adults. Cycling elicited an immediate increase in post exercise postural sway whereas ACE did not. Chapter 5 compared the effects ACE, CE and treadmill walking (TM) on postural sway in healthy older adults. Based on the findings of Study 1, submaximal exercise was performed at the same relative intensity (50 % HRE). In agreement with Chapter 4, CE and TM elicited post exercise balance impairments lasting for ~ 10 min post exercise. ACE performed at the same relative intensity as the lower body did not elicit post exercise balance impairments in older adults. Collectively, these acute studies suggest that lower limb exercise may acutely increase fall and injury risk in the immediate period after exercise cessation. This is important because practitioners and clinicians should acknowledge that the prescription of conventional training modes might potentially elicit transient impairments in neuromuscular function. However, in this context it appears that seated exercise with the arms may not induce a significant enough stimulus to cause sensorimotor disturbance to postural stability and thus may be a safer alternative exercise mode for fall risk populations or individuals who are very sedentary. Chapter 6 examined differences in balance performance, as measured by quantitative posturography and functional balance tests, among different age groups. Measures of postural sway were able to distinguish between younger (< 60 years) and older ( > 60 years) adults whereas functional performance tests suggested that balance impairments were observed earlier ( > 50 years). This study enabled a range of tests to be determined for use with subsequent training interventions. Chapter 7 examined the effects of 6-weeks upper or lower body exercise training on postural sway. Upper and lower body training elicited similar improvements in specific (~ 25 %) and cross transfer (~ 12 %) exercise tolerance. Both modes of training elicited favourable balance adaptations. Specifically, upper body training improved mediolateral aspects of postural sway, while lower body training improved anteroposterior aspects of sway. It was proposed that an improvement in cross transfer exercise capacity after upper body exercise reduced the physiological strain experienced during CE, thus reducing post exercise balance impairments and that an increase in abdominal and trunk strength from upper body exercise training reduced sway following ACE. Importantly, ACE also elicited an improvement in functional reach distance and timed up and go test speed. Conversely, CE improved lower limb strength which elicited an improvement in lower body dynamic balance. It is likely that engaging in both upper and lower body exercise will be better that either mode of exercise alone for both health and fitness and balanced incorporated in everyday life. ACE elicits a number of significant benefits to cardiovascular fitness and balance which is important for a number of older subgroups who might have difficulty engaging in lower limb exercise, such as those who are very sedentary, those with lower limb injury/disease or undergoing surgery rehabilitation and individuals who are overweight. Specifically, ACE may offer a pathway from sedentary living to physical activity. Upper body endurance exercise can contribute to a multimodal training stimulus by eliciting favourable adaptations in fitness, functional performance and balance. Such responses are important because this type of exercise may serve a feasible and time-efficient training regime for older adults, which will likely result in improved attrition and adherence to physical activity.

No description available.

No description available.

Graduation date: 2005

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of leg muscle fatigue on balance and to determine the contributions of the somatosensory, visual, and vestibular systems to balance of apparently healthy males and females. Design: Forty-two subjects were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control groups and then subdivided based on gender resulting in four groups (10 men/women in the experimental groups and 11 men/women in the control groups). Each subject was pre-tested on the Sensory Organization Test assessment of balance. Subjects in the experimental group then underwent a Wingate Anaerobic Test to induce leg fatigue. Following the Wingate Test subjects were post-tested on the Sensory Organization Test. Subjects in the control group rested quietly for a period of seven minutes prior to post-testing. Subjects: Forty-two volunteers without recent or chronic history of lower extremity injury, neurological deficits, or balance problems participated. Main outcome measures: Ratios for the use of the somatosensory, visual, and vestibular systems and the Composite Score were calculated. A [2(Group) x 2(Gender) x 2(Test)] mixed design ANOVA was used to analyze each of the dependent variables. Results: Analysis of Composite Score demonstrated a significant Group x Test interaction (p<0.010). The breakdown of the interaction showed no significant Test effect (p-value 0.341) for the experimental group. However, there was a significant Test effect (p-value<0.010) for the control group. There were no significant effects of fatigue on somatosensory system ratio. The analysis of the visual system ratio revealed a significant main effect (p-value 0.022) for Group. Analysis of vestibular system ratio revealed a significant main effect for Test (p<0.010). Conclusions: As demonstrated by the results of the present experiment, leg muscular fatigue is associated with significantly decreased balance. In addition, fatigue does appear to have an effect on the utilization of visual and vestibular systems. / Graduation date: 2003

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: James G. Richards, College of Health Sciences. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-119). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.