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No description available.

The need for a new technique for assessing the physical ability of severely disabled persons became evident through experience with some of the existing techniques. A technique was developed which attempts to overcome some of the difficulties found with the other techniques. One of the distinguishing properties of this technique is that it is norm independent. This means it does not reference a normal scale of performance, thus it does not compare the performance of a disabled person to a standard established by able-bodied persons. Additional properties possessed by this technique also set it apart from the others: it is limited to a test of manipulation ability; it generates a profile of ability; it incurs only a minimal expense; it requires only a minimal amount of time; and there is no required training course for the administrator. / M.S.

The purpose of the study discussed in this thesis was to compile adapted physical education assessment instrument information into a matrix which matches test categories with parameters appropriate to the selection of a specific assessment instrument. From this matrix, a data base software program was developed. Use of the data base software program and thesis will enable the adapted physical educator to select a proper assessment instrument.

Firefighting is a very hazardous profession. Firefighters experience an injury rate that is three times higher than other physically demanding professions and the death rate in the fire service is also much higher compared to typical. Throughout the literature, data suggest the physical nature of firefighting contributes to the high incidence of injury and death among firefighters. As such, special interest groups and firefighting organizations advocate for firefighters to exercise and stay fit in order to safeguard their physical health. Yet, despite these efforts, firefighters still experience a very high incidence of back injuries and heart attacks which can lead to early retirement from disability or death. In the first aim of this dissertation, we examined the relationships between specific back fitness tests and history of back injuries in 113 firefighters in an effort to understand which fitness tests may aid in screening firefighters for risk of back injury. We found that a test of lumbar extension flexibility was associated with a higher incidence of back injuries among our sample (p<0.01). In the second aim of the study, we investigated whether perceived fitness was related to history of back injuries since firefighters’ perceptions of their fitness level may direct how they choose to perform job tasks that pose high risk for injury. Within the same sample of firefighters, we found that perceived fitness was not related to history of back injuries nor was the relationship between actual fitness and history of back injuries mediated by perceived fitness. However, perceived fitness correlated with scores on our back strength (r=0.28; p=0.003) and hamstring strength (r=0.21; p=0.03) tests. In the third aim of the dissertation, we sought to develop a treadmill walking protocol to screen firefighters for low aerobic capacity which is a major risk factor for heart attack. Thirty-eight male firefighters wore a vest weighing 20% of their body weight and performed a walking VO2max test in which the treadmill grade increased by 1% each minute. The predicted VO2max from this walking test was very accurate; within a standard error of the estimate of 3.2 ml/kg/min. This new (Moore) protocol requires only a standard treadmill and is more job specific than a running test. In conclusion, more research needs to be conducted to understand how firefighters’ perceived fitness directs their behaviors when performing job tasks and how high levels of fitness can protect against back injuries and heart attacks in firefighters. This dissertation has contributed to the development of screening protocols to aid in preventing these adverse events. / Graduation date: 2013

The purpose of this study was to determine if isokinetic testing could be used as an effective means of assessing a players potential to play a certain position. The subjects were twenty four male division IA college football players. The Cybex 340 isokinetic testing device, twenty and forty yard dash, and standing broad jump were used to collect data. An analysis of variance test with repeated measures was used for the statistical analysis (ANOVA). Based on the findings of this study, no significant difference was found between offensive and defensive lineman, through isokinetic testing. However, a significant difference was found between the groups in the twenty and forty yard dash, and in the standing broad jump. Significant differences in these areas may have been attributed to a significant difference in body weight between the two groups tested. / School of Physical Education

Title: Athletics in Elementary School Physical Education Objectives: The main aim of the thesis was to measure the level of basic fitness of older elementary school children in 2013. The results of this measurement were compared with the results given by the sport centres of the Czech Athletic Federation (from here onwards referred to as SpS ČAS) for year 2012. Methods: The thesis uses the method of observing and the method of testing. The verification of chosen fitness tests was carried out during Physical Education lessons at the Elementary School Pacov, Za Branou and the Elementary School Pacov, Náměstí. The aim of testing was to determine the level of fitness abilities of the second stage boys. The author of the thesis chose four most commonly used testing tools - the 50m run, the standing long jump,the medicine ball throw and the 12 minute run. Results: The fitness of the SpS members is markedly better in comparison with the elementary school students. The students reached worse results in all applied tests. Keywords: elementary school athletics, athletics, fitness abilities, fitness testing

Call number: LD2668 .R4 1967 W32

There are many methods to measure the physical fitness of athletes, including tests that can be applied in the field or in the laboratory. Much of the recent research with regard to fitness of team sport players has been undertaken using laboratory testing to measure aerobic power, anaerobic power and capacity, strength and flexibility. Field tests are an alternative method to measure the fitness of players without the expense, time and expertise required for the laboratory testing, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to establish procedures for the application of contemporary sports science practice for Indonesian female field hockey players, including determination of the precision of field tests of the physical and performance characteristics of field hockey players in Indonesia; determination of the physical and performance characteristics of Indonesian female field hockey players; identification of the performance demands and distance covered during competitive field hockey at the national level in Indonesia; comparison of the physical and performance characteristics of national level female field hockey players in Indonesia with those of club level players in Australia; and determination of the relationships between field and laboratory tests of physiological performance capacity for field hockey. Due to conversion problems, five paragraphs have been omitted. For full abstract, see 01front.pdf. In conclusion, the present study found that the Indonesian female field hockey players (at the national level) were comparable to the Australian female field hockey players (at the club level) in some physical and performance test results. However, they were also different on other physical and performance characteristic measurements, with the Indonesian players generally have lower values, for other performance measurements.

Bibliography: leaves 100-113.