Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Diploma in Technikon: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 1998. / Mechanical low back pain is a common clinical entity which needs professional treatment (Margo 1994). Due to the nature of mechanical low back pain, recurrence of pain is a common entity that can cripple a patient and the ~tate financially. It is for'this reason that the professionals need to establish a cost effective method of treatment that helps maintain the pain free state and prevent recurrences / M

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of strength training by eccentric and isometric contractions in relation to isometric right leg strength. A secondary purpose was to determine if individual differences in eccentric strength gains were related to individual differences in isometric strength gains. Forty-five volunteer subjects were systematically assigned to three groups in such a manner that these groups were balanced in terms of initial isometric leg strength. The groups were then randomly assigned to experimental and control conditions. One group trained with eccentric contractions, another with isometric contractions and the last acted as a control. The groups were tested for isometric leg strength before and after a six week training program. The Eccentric Group was also tested for eccentric leg strength during the first and last training sessions. The training sessions took place three times per week and three maximal contractions were performed during each session. The results indicated that both isometric and eccentric training produced significant isometric strength gains (t = 7.13, 6.64 respectively, p < .05) when compared to the Control Group. However, there was no significant difference between the strength gains of the two experimental groups (t = .49, p > .05). Within the eccentrically trained group it was also found that eccentric strength was significantly improved due to training (t = 5.52, p < .05) but that this improvement was uncorrelated (r = .27) with isometric improvement scores. Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that isometric and eccentric training were of approximately equal value in increasing isometric strength. Further, there was no relationship between isometric improvement scores and eccentric improvement scores. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Counselling Psychology) in the Department of Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2005. / Health is viewed as a complete state of well-being and not only the prevention of disease. This research was embarked upon to highlight the importance of health promotion as a method of improving one's health as compared to disease prevention. This study aims to detect whether there is a substantial difference in psychological wellness between individuals who exercise and those individuals that a sedentary. Secondly, this study aspires to determine whether there is a difference in psychological wellness between individuals who engage in different forms of physical activity. This study motivated by the fact that no other previous international research has implemented the RyfFs scales of psychological well-being (1995) and Fox's physical self-perception profile (1990) concurrently. It is hoped that results from the proposed scheme of work will afford experts in the field of health with further insight as to the importance of physical activity as a prescription for health promotion.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to establish an exercise protocol that demonstrated a relationship between rest-interval duration and the exercise induced human growth hormone (hGH) response. Ten recreationally trained male subjects (23 ± 0.9 yrs) performed three leg extension trials on an Eagle — Cybex leg extension machine that consisted of 4 sets of 10 repetitions. The workload and volume was kept constant, but each trial had different rest-interval durations. Rest-interval durations between sets were at: 30 sec intervals (T-30), 60 sec intervals (T-60), or 120 sec intervals (T-120). Blood samples were obtained pre- and 0 — 30 minutes post-exercise and analyzed for lactate and hGH. All blood lactates rose significantly above baseline after exercise, with no differences in time of occurrence between trials. Blood lactates were significantly greater after the T-30 trials, compared to that of the T-60 and T-120 trials. There was no significant difference in hGH concentrations between trials. However, the data did suggest a relationship between rest-interval duration and the variability of hGH responses. The T-30 trials yielded significantly greater variation in hGH concentrations than the T-120 trials, and the T-120 trials showed significantly less variation than both the T-30 and T-60 trials. Although significant differences were found in these variations between trials, they did not prevent any significant differences in concentrations between trials from being found. In summary, the results of this study demonstrated an exercise related increase in lactic acid that had an inverse relationship to the length of the rest-intervals. hGH data on the other hand, did not show a relationship between rest-interval duration and the hGH concentrations. The connection between rest-interval duration and variability of hGH responses could possibly suggest that hGH values may have been significantly different if an exercise protocol higher in volume were utilized. Additionally, the results indicate that there is no direct relationship between blood lactate and hGH concentrations, as others have suggested. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Fibrinolysis is the process by which fibrin blood clots are dissolved. Fibrinolytic research is clinically relevant because decreased fibrinolytic potential is linked to increased risk of an ischemic event. Fibrinolysis is known to increase in response to aerobic exercise, however, few research studies have focused on the fibrinolytic response to resistance exercise. Furthermore, women are severely underrepresented in fibrinolytic research, and there are no current studies that focus on women and resistance exercise. Estrogen has been shown to affect basal fibrinolytic potential resulting in the need for fibrinolytic research focused on female subjects. Body composition is known to influence basal fibrinolysis leaving individuals with higher absolute amounts of body fat at risk for cardiovascular events due to decreased fibrinolytic potential. Little is known, however, about the influence of body composition on the fibrinolytic response to exercise. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe the fibrinolytic response to acute resistance training in young women, and further, to determine how body fat percentage affects fibrinolysis at rest and following resistance exercise. Methods. Twenty-three sedentary, healthy women (22.5 ± 4 yrs, 22.3 ± 3.0 kg•m 2) participated in the study. Body fat percentage and fat distribution were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and subjects were separated into two groups by body fat percentage: <30% (lean, n=12) and >30% (obese, n=11). Each subject performed 6 sets of 10 leg extension repetitions at an intensity associated with 70% of her one-repetition maximum. The two primary mediators of fibrinolytic potential, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1(PAI-1), were assessed at baseline and immediately after exercise in venous blood. Results. tPA activity increased in response to acute resistance exercise (p<0.05), however, there was no significant change in PAI-1 activity (p>0.05). A significant main effect of group was observed, indicating the lean women had higher tPA activity (p<0.05) and lower PAI-1 activity (p<0.05) than the obese group. A significant time x group interaction indicated that the tPA response was blunted in the obese group (p<0.05). Conclusions. Fibrinolytic potential increases in response to acute resistance exercise in young women due to increases in tPA activity. Obese women demonstrate a decreased fibrinolytic potential at rest and following acute resistance exercise compared to lean women. Given the relationship between fibrinolytic potential and outcomes of cardiovascular disease, these physiological responses suggest that overweight women may be at elevated risk of an adverse cardiovascular event both at rest and during exercise. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed Jan. 21, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-53).

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) currently recommends 1 set of 8 - 12 repetitions as the minimal dose of resistance training (RT) required to achieve the health and fitness benefits gained from RT. Yet, certain benefits derived from resistance training are not mentioned by the ACSM. An increase in basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a possible health benefit derived from RT. However, no previous studies have examined the effect of the ACSM's current resistance training recommendations on BMR. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if this low level of RT could increase BMR in currently active older men. Sixteen subjects were assigned to either a training group or control group for 10 weeks of training. The training group continued their current aerobic activity while adding 1 set of RT 2x/week as recommended by the ACSM. The control group continued their aerobic activity with no modifications. Measurements of strength, fat free mass (FFM), and BMR were made pre- and posttraining. The training group showed an increase in strength (P<0.05) while the control group did not change. The training and control groups showed no change in FFM or BMR (P<0.05). The strength increases reported in the current study were of expected values while FFM and BMR have not been previously examined with this protocol. It was concluded that 10 weeks of RT using 1 set of 8 - 12 repetitions does not increase BMR in currently active older men. / School of Physical Education