Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 195-205). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Background: Rugby injuries are a common phenomenon. The aim of medical professionals is to treat these injuries to the best of their abilities, and if possible, to help prevent their occurrence. Bahr and Holme (2003) argue that sports participation carries with it a risk of injury, with the even more weighty issue that it might later even lead to physical disability. Junge, Cheung, Edwards and Dvorak (2004) recommends the development and implementation of preventative interventions to reduce the rate and severity of injuries in Rugby Union. The Medical and Risk Management Committee of USA Rugby (2003) also reports that the key to preventing injuries in any sport is identifying and addressing the risk factor associated with it. Various studies have identified weakness in plyometric strength, proprioception arid balance as - of lower leg and ankle injuries (Margison, Rowlands, Gleeson arid Eston, 2005; Stasiwpoulos, 2004; Verhagen, Van der Beck, Twisk, Bahr and Mechelen, 2004; Baltaci & Kohl, 2003; Mlophy, Conaoly and Beynnon, 2003; Moss, 2002; Anderson). Aims: ThE aim of this study was to investigate the influence of proprioception, balance and plyometric strength on the occurrence of lower leg injuries in schoolboy rugby players. A further aim was to develop a preventative training programme to address these variables, should they prove to have an influence on lower leg injuries. The possible inclusion of these tests in talent identification test batteries will also be examined. Design: A prospective cohort study. Subjects: A group of 240 schoolboys in U/14, U/15, U/16 and U/18 age groups in two schools (Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom ("Volkskool") and Potchefstroom Boys High School ("Boys High")) in the North West Province of South Africa was used as the test cohort. Method: At the beginning of the 2006 rugby season all players were tested for proprioception, balance and plyometric strength. These tests were conducted using a computerised tilt board for proprioceptive testing; Star Excursion Balance Test for Balance and an electronic timing mat for plyometric strength. During the season, weekly injury clinics were held at both schools to document all injuries that occurred following the preceding weekend's matches. A statistical analysis was done on all the data collected from the test batteries and injury clinics. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviation, minimum and maximum) were used as well as practical significant differences (d-values) (Cohen, 1988). The ratios for left and right leg plyometric strength to bilateral plyometric strength (L+R/Bil) and individual left and right leg plyometric strength to bilateral plyometric strength (L/Bil and R/Bil) were also calculated. Results: A profile of proprioception, balance and plyometric strength was compiled for schoolboy rugby players using the test data The U/18 players generally bad the best test results of all the age groups, outperforming U/14, U/15 and U/16 players with most tests. U/15 players outperformed both U/14 and U/16 players. Backline players performed better than loose forwards and forwards in plyometric tests in most age groups. Loose-forwards also outperformed tight-forwards with plyometrics at most age groups. At U/15 and U/16 level, tight-forwards slightly outperformed loose-forwards with Star Excursion Balance Tests. Generally, A-teams performed better than B-teams with all the tests except L+R/Bil; L/Bil and R/BiI. The difference between the teams, however, only had a small to medium effect and cannot be considered practically significant. At U/14 and U/15 levels, there were more practically significant differences between the A- and B-teams, with A-teams outperforming B-teams. The tests could have some value for talent identification at this age level. A rugby epidemiological study was done on the data collected in the weekly injury clinics. This study recorded 54 injuries at the two schools involved during the 2006 season from April to July. Two hundred and forty players were involved in 10890 hours of play. Eight thousand nine hundred and ten of these player hours were practices and 1980 were match hours. These injuries occurred at a prevalence rate of 4.96/1000 player hours. Match injuries accounted for 77.78% of all injuries with training sessions resulting in the remaining 22.22% of injuries, with a match injury rate of 1 injury per individual player every 3.14 matches. U/14 players showed an overall match injury rate of 11.11/1000 match hours. U/15 players showed a rate of 2.47/1000 match hours. The low rate may be attributed to underreporting of injuries by the U/15 players. U/16 players showed a late of 22.33/1000 hours, while U/18 players showed an exceptionally high rate of 45/1000 match hours. The tackle situation was responsible for the highest percentage of injuries (57.14%). Boys High presented with more injuries (57.4%) than Volkskool at a higher prevalence rate (5.60/1000 player hours). In a positional group comparison, backline players presented with 51.85% of injuries. Since backline players only present 46.7% of players in a team, this shows that backline players have a higher risk of injury. A-team players presented with 66.6% of injuries at a prevalence rate of 6.37/1000 player hours. B-team players had an injury rate of 3.43/1000 player hours. The test values for the players suffering lower leg injuries were compared to those for uninjured players. There were eight players with nine lower leg injuries: one player had injuries of both legs. Six of the injuries were intrinsic of nature and two players had extrinsic injuries. Test values for all five tested players with intrinsic injuries were weaker by a high practically significant margin for the L+R/Bil ratio. Conclusion: L+R/Bil proved to be the test result with the most influence on the occurrence of intrinsic lower leg injuries. When the individual test results for the players with intrinsic injuries are compared to the percentiles for all players, it becomes visible that the injured players fall in the 20th percentile for both L+R/Bil and Injured leg/Bil ratios. These 20th percentile values could thus be used as a standard for determining the possible occurrence of intrinsic lower leg injuries. These 20th percentile values are 1.012 for R+L/Bil ratios; 0.483 for L/Bil ratios and 0.492 for R/Bil ratios. This study shows that plyometric ratios for L+R/Bii, L/Bil and R/Bil have an influence on lower leg injuries in schoolboy rugby players. Proprioception and balance did not have any practically significant effects on the occurrence of these injuries. A preventative training programme was also designed following a study of the literature, combined with these results. The tests could also possibly be integrated in talent identification test batteries at U/14 and U/15 level. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

Čiupkevičius T., Propriocepcijos lavinimo įtaka sportininkų pusiausvyrai ir funkciniams judesiams, magistro baigiamasis darbas – mokslinė vadovė dr. B. Zachovajevienė. Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universitetas, Medicinos akademija, Slaugos fakultetas, Sporto Institutas – Kaunas, 2013. Darbo tikslas: Įvertinti propriocepcijos lavinimo įtaką sportininkų pusiausvyrai ir funkciniams judesiams. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti statinę ir dinaminę pusiausvyrą vyrų ir moterų grupėse prieš ir po propriocepcijos lavinimo programos taikymo. 2. Įvertinti funkcinius judesius vyrų ir moterų grupėse prieš ir po propriocepcijos lavinimo programos taikymo. 3. Palyginti vyrų ir moterų rezultatus prieš ir po propriocepcijos lavinimo programos taikymo. 4. Įvertinti sąsajas tarp statinės ir dinaminės pusiausvyros bei funkcinių judesių. Tiriamųjų kontingentas: Tiriamųjų kontingentą sudarė 24 sportininkai vyrai, kurių amžiaus vidurkis buvo 21,29±2,42 metai, ir 24 sportininkės moterys, kurių amžiaus vidurkis buvo 22,00±2,23 metai. Tiriamieji turėjo sportuoti ne trumpiau kaip 2 metus. Tyrime taikyti metodai: Statinei psusiausvyrai įvertinti: balansavimo (pusiausvyros) platforma SIGMA. Dinaminei pusiausvyrai įvertinti: modifikuotas žvaigždės nuokrypio testas. Funkciniai judesiai įvertinti 7 testai: gilus pritūpimas, žingsnis per kliūtį, įtūpstas vienoje linijoje, peties mobilumas, tiestos kojos pakėlimas, atsispaudimas ir rotacinis stabilumas. Duomenys buvo apdoroti SPSS 20.0 for Windows kompiuterine... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Čiupkevičius T., Impact of proprioception exercise on balance and functional movement in atheletes, master thesis – supervisor dr. B. Zachovajevienė. Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical Academy, Faculty of Nursing, Institure of Sport – Kaunas, 2013. Aim of study: To assess the impact of proprioception exercise on balance and functional movement in atheletes. Objectives: 1. To assess static and dynamic balance of men and women before and after applying program of proprioception exercise. 2. To assess functional movement of men and women before and after applying program of proprioception exercise. 3. To compare the results of men and women before and after applying program of proprioception exercise. 4. To evaluate the relationship between static and dynamic balance and functional movement. Experimental participants. 24 male (age mean ± standard deviation 21,29±2,42 years) and 24 female (age mean ± standard deviation 22,00±2,23 years) athletes were included into the experiment. The participants had to be active in sports for no less than 2 years. Methods. Balance platform SIGMA was used to evaluate static balance. Dynamic balance was measured using modified star deviation test. Functional movement was assesses by 7 tests: deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight-leg raise, trunk stability push-up and rotary stability. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20.0 for Windows statistical package. Results and conclusions. Statistically... [to full text]

The current study evaluated whether robotic guidance can influence movement planning and/or the use of online proprioceptive feedback. Participants were divided into three groups wherein they practiced an aiming task unassisted or via a robotic device that led them through a trajectory with an asymmetric or symmetric velocity profile. Baseline performance was measured prior to training and a post-test included control and tendon vibration trials. Temporal, spatial, and kinematic variables were used to assess planning and online control mechanisms. Results indicated that tendon vibration altered the way individuals planned their movements and used online sensory feedback. Robotic-guided groups appeared to use online feedback to a lesser extent than the unassisted group during tendon vibration trials, based on kinematic data. Individuals may become less inclined to use erroneous proprioceptive feedback following robotic guidance, supporting the potential benefit of robotics in neuro-motor rehabilitation for those with proprioceptive deficits.

Proprioceptive information appear to play an important role in stability and movements of shoulder joint in sporting activities especially in tennis. The purpose of this study was to measure the shoulder proprioceptive differences, and assess proprioceptive sense between dominant and non-dominant shoulders between male tennis players and controls between ages 14 - 16. 15 young male tennis players with a mean age 14.6 &plusmn / 0.7 years and 15 young male sedentary individuals with a mean age 14.8 &plusmn / 0.9 years participated in this cross-sectional descriptive study. Average height, weight, and BMI of the players were 169.4 &plusmn / 5.9 cm., 63.9 &plusmn / 5.5 kg., and 22.2 &plusmn / 1.0 kg/m2 respectively. Mean height, weight, and BMI of the non-players were 168.3 &plusmn / 5.3 cm., 64.4 &plusmn / 10.2 kg., and 23.1 &plusmn / 3.9 kg/m2 respectively. Proprioceptive sense was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer. Measurements were made in two positions: &lsquo / sitting&rsquo / versus &lsquo / standing&rsquo / for service, forehand, and backhand positions. Differences between players and control groups were investigated by MANOVA. Paired t-test was used to evaluate differences between dominant and non-dominant shoulders and sitting and standing positions. There was no statistically difference between players and non-players in means of age, body height, weight, and BMI. The study revealed the following results: 1) There was a significant difference between shoulder proprioceptive senses of players and controls (p &lt / 0.05) at service, forehand, and backhand positions. 2) Significant difference between dominant and non-dominant shoulders at 15&ordm / and 30&ordm / was not observed (p &lt / 0.05). 3) No significant difference was observed between sitting and standing positions at 30&ordm / (p &lt / 0.05). It was concluded that tennis players had better proprioceptive sense than their age matched sedentary controls.

The assessment of proprioception in contemporary clinical practice usually involves having the patients with eyes closed attempt to identify passively held test positions using verbal descriptions or limb matching responses. It is equally common for the examiner to estimate the accuracy of these responses without the aid of a measuring instrument. Since these uninstrumented assessments are unlikely to allow adequate identification or quantification of a patient’s proprioceptive deficits, the aim of this study was to develop and validate an improved method for the clinical assessment of joint position sense. The two main types of assessment investigated were: (1) replication of joint positions using limb matching responses, during which the test and response positions were measured using computer-aided or manual digitisation of videotape images, and (2) joint position sense assessments where rating scales were used to define either the test or response positions. (For complete abstract open document)

Thesis (M.S.)--Indiana 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.)--Purdue University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Purdue University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D)--University of Oregon, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-101)