Title: Evaluation criteria in running techniques in younger school age Objectives: The aim of this work is to perform the evaluation criteria in running technique in younger janitor age. In selected children I observed their technique of running in individual criteria. From the obtained data we will further find out how and in what the selected children improved. We will observe and assess individual criteria that will help us to the overall technique in the run. Methods: The experimental method of observation and measurement under artificially induced conditions was used. Results: I have found that children of younger school age can be significantly improved in the running technique for two months. In this period, children have great potential to learn new movements. I think that repeated specific running exercises help to improve the technique in running. Keywords: reflection, running step, vertical and horizontal movement of center of gravity, movement of upper limbs

Accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to detect foot strike (FS), i.e., the moment when the foot first touches the ground. However, it is unclear whether different conditions (footwear hardness or foot strike pattern) influence the accuracy and precision of different FS detection methods when using such micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS). This study compared the accuracy of four published MEMS-based FS detection methods with each other and the gold standard (force plate) to establish the most accurate method with regard to different foot strike patterns and footwear conditions. Twenty-three recreational runners (12 rearfoot and 11 forefoot strikers) ran on a 15-m indoor track at their individual running speed in three footwear conditions (low to high hardness). MEMS and a force plate were sampled at a rate of 3750 Hz. Individual accuracy and precision of FS detection methods were found which were dependent on running styles and footwear conditions. Most of the methods were characterized by a delay which generally increased from rearfoot to forefoot strike pattern and from high to low midsole hardness. It can be concluded that only one of the four methods can accurately determine FS in a variety of conditions.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005 xiv, 99 leaves / Plantar Fasciitis (PF), also called ‘the painful heel syndrome’, is a common cause of heel pain (Barrett and O’Malley, 1999:2200), accounting for between 7% and 10% of all running injuries (Batt and Tanji, 1995:77; Chandler and Kibler, 1993:345). Primarily an overuse injury, resulting from tensile overload, it involves inflammation and micro-tears of the plantar fascia at its insertion on the calcaneus (Lillegard and Rucker, 1993:168; Barrett and O’Malley, 1999:2200). The body’s attempt to heal these micro-tears leads to chronic inflammation and the formation of adhesions (Ambrosius and Kondracki, 1992:30). Transverse friction massage has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of PF (Hyde and Gengenbach, 1997:478,481; Hertling and Kessler, 1996:137). Cyriax (1984) and Prentice (1994) state the effect of frictions to include the breakdown of adhesions (scar tissue), as well as preventing the formation of further adhesions. Graston Technique Instrument-assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation (GISTM), based on the principles of frictions, aims to break down adhesions, realign collagen fibres and aid in the completion of the inflammatory process (Carey-Loghmani, 2003:31, 51-62; Hammer, 2001). Enabling us to see changes on ultrasonography, which has been found to be an objective, non-invasive way of evaluating PF (Wall and Harkness, 1993:468; Tsai et al, 2000:259; Cardinal et al, 1996:258). These changes include decreased thickness of the fascia. The aim of the study was to see the effect of GISTM on PF in runners, in terms of ultrasonography, and identify any correlation between these findings and other objective and subjective findings.

The following thesis investigates contemporary issues within the applied physiology of soccer refereeing. 1) Training performance. The impact of a high intensity training regime was examined in a group of elite-level soccer referees. Following a 16-month training period the referees’ performance on the YoYo Intermittent Recovery Test (level 1) improved by 46.5%. 2) Match Demands. The effect of match standard and referee experience upon the objective and subjective match loads of referees was investigated. Match heart rates (HR) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were both related to standard of competition, with the match loads being higher on the higher standard of competition. Referee experience had no effect upon the referees’ match responses. Using a semi-automatic, video match analysis system the referees’ match activities and factors affecting these activities were also examined. Physical performances were related in part to the physical performances of the players; whilst the distances covered during the first half were related to second half coverage. 3) Ageing and performance. The effect of ageing upon referees’ fitness levels and physical match performances was addressed. Regression analysis revealed a trend towards an agerelated reduction in physical fitness, as determined by the referees’ fitness tests. Match activity analysis demonstrated a clear age-related decline in physical match performance, although this decline did not impair the referees’ ability to keep up with play. 4) Fitness and match performance. The validity of the FIFA referees’ fitness tests was examined. Interval test HR load was significantly correlated to the referees’ match coverage, both total distance and high intensity running. Sprint test scores also demonstrated a significant relationship with the referees’ match sprinting distances. However, given the strength of the relationships only the sprint test showed appropriate construct validity for the physical assessment of soccer referees.

The purpose of my research was to analyze how three female running bloggers describe that running contributes to an improved health from an existential physical and mental health dimension, and furthermore if running in nature has health improving impacts. My analysis was based on a deductive method and the research was based on a transversal text analysis supported by OpenCode. Melder’s operationalization of the existential health dimension and WHO’s operationalization of the physical and mental health dimension was used to categorize and structure the material, as well as researcher Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory. Part one was based on Melder’s existential health aspects to analyze whether the aspects recur in descriptions of the bloggers’ running. Part two and three of the analysis was based on WHO’s operationalization of the physical and mental health aspects and whether those are present in the bloggers’ descriptions and expressions of running. The analysis of part one, two and three showed that all existential, physical, and mental health aspects were included in the bloggers’ descriptions of running. Part four dealt with the relation between existential and physical health aspects while part five examined whether the existential and mental health aspects are interrelated. The result of analysis four and five showed that the existential health dimension indeed affects and contributes to both a physical and mental health dimension. The final analysis uses the Attention Restoration Theory to examine how the bloggers’ express that running in nature contributes to improved health. The result of this analysis shows that running contributes to improved health.

The vast majority of experiments in particle physics can be described by the Standard Model of particle physics (SM). However, there are indications for physics beyond it. The only experimentally demonstrated problem of the model is the difficulty to describe neutrino masses and leptonic mixing. There is a plethora of models that try to describe these phenomena and this thesis investigates several possibilities for new models, both full theories and effective frameworks.   The values of the parameters in a model are dependent on the energy scale and we say that the parameters run. The exact behavior of the running depends on the model and it provides a signature of the model. For a model defined at high energies it is necessary to run the parameters down to the electroweak scale in order to perform a comparison to the known values of observed quantities. In this thesis, we discuss renormalization group running in the context of extra dimensions and we provide an upper limit on the cutoff scale. We perform renormalization group running in two versions of a non-supersymmetric SO(10) model and we show that the SM parameters can be accommodated in both versions. In addition, we perform the running for the gauge couplings in a large set of radiative neutrino mass models and conclude that unification is possible in some of them.   The Higgs boson provides new possibilities to study physics beyond the SM. Its properties have to be tested with extremely high precision before it could be established whether the particle is truly the SM Higgs boson or not. In this thesis, we perform Bayesian parameter inference and model comparison. For models where the magnitude of the Higgs couplings is varied, we show that the SM is favored in comparison to all other models. Furthermore, we discuss lepton flavor violating processes in the context of the Zee model. We find that these can be sizeable and close to the experimental limits. / <p>QC 20170221</p>

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

TITLE: Possibilities of running technique training options at the lower primary level AUTHOR: Pavlína Kopáčiková DEPARTMENT: Department of Physical Education SUPERVISOR: Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeňka Engelthalerová ABSTRACT: The thesis deals with the complex view to running technique training of children in middle childhood. Theoretical part attends to a child character and describes his/her motive skills. Teaching of athletics and its inclusion to the Physical Education lessons are described in the thesis. Attention is paid to the specification of the running characteristics, its structuring, history and technics. A methodical series was prepared for the purpose of this thesis. The effects of these methodical series have been verified by an experiment. KEYWORDS: running technique, training, middle childhood, athletics, methodology, physical education

Title: Evaluation and training of speed in strength and conditioning preparation of youth basketball players Aims: The aim of this thesis was to validate effectivity of the training program which goal was to improve speed abilities of youth basketball players under 14 year old category during their competitive period. In the same time, I tried to evaluate how changes in selected anthropometric characteristics, practice attendance, game involvement and a length of participation in organized sport and basketball preparation influenced selected speed and agility manifestation. Methods: This thesis uses experiment as its research method. Research sample including youth basketball players (n = 9; mean age 13.39 ± 0.22 years) completed six months long training intervention with elements for speed and general strength development. Players were tested before intervention, three months and six months after beginning of the intervention. Three performance tests were used: 20 m sprint, 15 m flying with 10 m run up and lane agility drill. Video recordings of 20 m sprint and 15 m flying tests were made to evaluate changes in technique of running. Changes and interrelationships of all measured parameters were evaluated in the six months period. Results of the research sample after the first three months of...

SAMMANFATTNING Bakgrund: Incidensen av löprelaterade skador varierar mellan 19.4-79.3% varje år. Knäsmärta är den vanligaste skadeorsaken. Ökad stegfrekvens har visat sig minska fotisättningsbelastning mot underlaget, minska vertikal förflyttning av tyngdpunkten och belastning mot leder i nedre extremitet. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om 10-15% stegfrekvensökning vid föredragen hastighet minskar knäsmärta hos vuxna löpare på motionsnivå. Design: Pilotstudie Metod: Stegfrekvens hos 15 vuxna försökspersoner med knäsmärta under eller efter långdistanslöpning undersöktes vid en föredragen hastighet. Stegfrekvensen ökades med 10-15% vid samma hastighet och de fick därefter springa med den nya frekvensen i två veckor. En metronom styrde frekvensen. Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) samt upplevd knäsmärta mättes med Numeric Rating Scale, (NRS). Mätningar gjordes före och efter träningsperioden. Resultat: En signifikant reducering av knäsmärta uppmättes på NRS (p=0.001). Signifikant förbättring av KOOS (p=0.004), KOOS funktion, fritid och idrott (p=0.007) och KOOS livskvalité (p=0.023) vid ökad stegfrekvens på 10-15% efter två veckors träning. Slutsats: Resultatet av denna pilotstudie visar att det förefaller vara viktigt att analysera stegfrekvens som första rehabiliteringsinsats hos motionslöpare med knäsmärtor. / ABSTRACT Background: The incidence of running related injuries every year ranges from 19.4-79.3%. Knee pain is the most common injury. It has been shown that increased step-rate reduces peak ground forces, vertical displacement of the centre of mass and joint loads in the lower extremity. The purpose of this study was to investigate if 10-15% increased step-rate at self selected speed could decrease knee pain in adult recreational runners. Design: Pilot study Methods: 15 adult recreational runners with knee pain during or after training sessions were recruited. Step rate/min were measured at self selected speed. Step-rate was increased by 10-15% at the same speed. The participants used a metronome to remember the frequency in a 2 week training session and then we did a follow up. Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome score (KOOS) and numeric rating scale (NRS) were measured before and after the training session.   Results: There was a significant reduction in knee pain on the NRS (p=0.001). Significant improvement in KOOS (p=0.004), KOOS sport/recreation (p=0.007) and KOOS knee related quality of life (p=0.023) after two week training session with increased step rate 10-15% at a self selected speed. Conclusion: The results from this pilot study implies that it is important to analyze step-rate as a first intervention in physical therapy when we rehabilitate long distance runners with knee pain.