The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) resists excessive anterior translation and internal rotation of the tibia during athletic activities and stabilizes the knee. In the US, annually, over 200,000 cases of ACL disruption are reported. The impact on the quality of life of the subject and its cost to healthcare is tremendous. The objectives of this study were to determine any significant associations between the size of the tibial eminence and ACL injury and to develop a finite element model for structural analysis. The results suggest that the size of the tibial eminence plays a role in loading the ACL and is therefore a risk factor. In addition to the epidemiological analysis, a finite element model of the knee was developed that with added modifications can be used for complex knee loading situations. The results in this thesis may be used to develop strategies for ACL injury prevention and rehabilitation. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Orientador: Afonso Antonio Machado / Banca: Daniel Presoto / Banca: Flávio Rebustini / Resumo: A prática da arbitragem no futebol de alto rendimento produz sentidos significativos na vida do árbitro, pois ao mesmo tempo em que se sentem satisfeitos em realizar a atividade, são extremamente cobrados e exigidos jogo a jogo na difícil tareda de não poder cometer erros. Os objetivos desta pesquisa se pautaram em investigar as razões pela escolha e as motivações para a permanência da atividade profissional de árbritos de futebol, além de investigar o estresse da função e o desejo pelo abandono da carreira... / Abstract: Not available / Mestre

A survey research design was employed to explore the relationship between negative addiction to running and running commitment, through the construct of running enjoyment, amongst black, Zulu-speaking runners. Translated versions of the Biographical Information Questionnaire (Leask, 1997), Negative Addiction Scale (Hailey & Bailey, 1982), and Running Enjoyment Questionnaire (Basson & Macpherson, 1998) were administered to an opportunity sample of 79 Zulu-speaking runners, drawn from athletic clubs in the Durban and Pietermaritzburg regions of KwaZulu-Natal. On the basis of their negative addiction scale scores, runners were assigned to either a high (n = 23), moderate (n= 35), or low addiction group (n= 21). Multiple correlation analyses, parametric and nonparametric analysis of variance procedures, factor . analyses, and multiple regression procedures were used to examine the relationship between running dependence, the four sources of running enjoyment, and demographic variables. Significant relationships were found between running dependence and all four sources of running enjoyment. Further, the length of running history , the importance given to running by the participant, perceived fitness levels, and the number of Comrades marathons run were shown to play a role in both running dependence and commitment processes. For Zulu-speaking runners, both intrinsic and achievement running enjoyment sources were found to be more motivating than either extrinsic or nonachievement factors. Extrinsic and achievement factors were found to be more motivating for Zulu-speaking runners compared to Macpherson's (1998) sample of white runners. These results were discussed with reference to the literature on running dependence, running commitment, and cultural influences on motivation. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

This study aimed to distinguish the coping efforts of athletes who endured shorter, and longer, durations of competitive suffering. Eleven male and 15 female endurance athletes (Mage= 35.8, sd= 12.1) completed a 5km competitive suffering running time-trial task. Following the task, threat perceptions and coping function use (problem focused, PFC; emotion focused, EFC; and avoidance, AvC) were measured in 200 meter intervals using video mediated recall. Control beliefs were also assessed. Those who suffered for shorter durations used more EFC during initiation and at the peak of competitive suffering, as well as less AvC during initiation, in comparison to longer duration sufferers. PFC use did not distinguish competitive suffering duration. Non-significant correlations were revealed between control beliefs and both suffering duration and coping function use. Overall, the results imply that emotion-focused coping is the most appropriate coping function to decrease competitive suffering duration, regardless of control beliefs. / xi, 106 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm

[Truncated astract] Talent Identification (TI) in sports begins by mass screening individuals' motor abilities. du Randt (2000) wrote that, as test items from one country might not necessarily suit another, appropriate basic motor skill test items are important for developing a TI mass screening instrument. Three hundred and thirty Malaysian adolescents aged from 12-15 years were tested on three motor skill test batteries: the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND, McCarron, 1982); the Australian Talent Identification Test (AIS, Australian Sports Commission, 1998); and a Balance and Movement Coordination Test which was specifically developed for this project. In the current research, the motor performance data recorded from the adolescents underwent several types of analyses. Principal Component analyses were conducted on the MAND, AIS and BMC motor skill instruments to understand what the three motor skill instruments were assessing globally in the Malaysian adolescents. Then, first-order and higher-order factor analyses were conducted on the 13 parameters making up the AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to examine the concept of general motor ability (GMA). After descriptive analyses of the adolescents' motor skill performances, age and gender differences were examined using two (gender) by four (age) ANOVAs. Finally, stepwise discriminant function analyses were conducted on a combined AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to determine the best sub-set of motor skills that reliably classified the Malaysian adolescents into three levels of motor performance.... Two stepwise discriminant analyses were undertaken to find the best set of motor skills for classifying Malaysian adolescents into three motor coordination groups based on scores on the MAND and three motor ability groups derived from scores on the motoric 'g'. The ability of a combined AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to classify Malaysian adolescents into the three groups was good for those classified as Normal, not so great for those adolescents classified as High, and poor for those adolescents classified as Low. The motor skills consistently reported across both sets of analyses were Balance-Eyes-Open, Balance-Eyes-Closed, Dynamic Balance, Hopping Speed, Quadrant Jump, Hopping-in-Square, Basketball Throw and Shuttle-Run-with-Object. Hence, motor skills assessing static balance, dynamic balance and postural control appeared to reliably discriminate the Malaysian adolescents into three motor performance groups. Finally, an examination of the misclassifications found in the discriminant analyses revealed two things. Those individuals being predicted into a lower group performed a large number of the motor skills to a lesser standard when compared with their correctly classified cohorts. Conversely, those predicted into a higher group performed a number of motor skills to a standard higher than their correctly classified cohorts. Thus, at a global level, certain individuals could be overlooked for further athletic development and is a concern when developing a rigorous TI program. Therefore, practitioners need to be cautious of any single ability score, and how that represents an individual's athletic potential. These results are discussed, limitations noted, and directions for future research provided.

This thesis comprises one review paper and five experimental studies, all of which are presented in the form of journal article submissions. These six research papers attempt to further our understanding of the physiological and metabolic requirements of repeated-sprint activity, specific to field-based team sports. Although coaches and sport scientists have suggested that repeated-sprint ability is an important fitness component of team sports, this area of investigation has only become more common in the past 10 years.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-13T14:50:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-02-11Bitstream added on 2014-08-13T18:00:10Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000764714.pdf: 883370 bytes, checksum: 2ea60784f87fc1b83d34218d0afce1aa (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2015-01-05T11:00:45Z: 000764714.pdf,Bitstream added on 2015-01-05T11:01:45Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000764714.pdf: 1153813 bytes, checksum: 13ae6db59cf38ebceb0fcb3ae082ee12 (MD5) / A prática da arbitragem no futebol de alto rendimento produz sentidos significativos na vida do árbitro, pois ao mesmo tempo em que se sentem satisfeitos em realizar a atividade, são extremamente cobrados e exigidos jogo a jogo na difícil tareda de não poder cometer erros. Os objetivos desta pesquisa se pautaram em investigar as razões pela escolha e as motivações para a permanência da atividade profissional de árbritos de futebol, além de investigar o estresse da função e o desejo pelo abandono da carreira...

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The purpose of this project is to review current literature on the mechanics and physiology of the vertical jump and to provide an understanding of the jump itself. The second purpose is to develop a step by step program to increase vertical jump from grade school through high school.