The purpose of this study was to display increase in eccentric hamstring strength after 10-weeks training program. Secondly, if such an increase occurred, would this strength change result in altered landing kinetics and improved jumping performance? 27 recreational female athletes assigned into experimental (n = 14) and control (n = 13) groups. Baseline measures of landing kinetics were collected using a force plate, strength data and proprioceptive measurements were evaluated using an isokinetic dynamometer and vertical jump performance were determined by a jumping mat. Results indicated that NHST group increased their eccentric hamstring strength after eccentric strength training program (week-1 = 233.6&plusmn / 27.5, week-10 = 253.8&plusmn / 28.4 Nm/kgbw / p&lt / .05). The results demonstrated that there were significant differences in landing mechanics for NHST group. PVGRF (week-1 = 6.2&plusmn / 0.9, week-5 = 5.3&plusmn / 0.9 / p&lt / .05), PAPGRF (week-1 = 1.1&plusmn / 0.2 &amp / week-10 = 0.8&plusmn / 0.3 / p&lt / .05) and APImp results demonstrated significant differences in trained group (week-1 = 78.1&plusmn / 13.6 &amp / week-10 = 67.8&plusmn / 9.2 / p&lt / .05). NHST group exhibited significant increase in vertical jumping ability (week-1 = 0.25&plusmn / 0.0 &amp / week-10 = 0.27&plusmn / 0.0 cm / p&lt / .01). This study supported the following points: 1) increases in the eccentric hamstring strength were evident after NHST program, 2) the increases in isokinetic strength were sufficient to cause alterations in landing kinetics to decrease the applied joint forces, so the NHST program would be an influential factor in decreasing the lower extremity injuries, and 3) the increase in the efficiency of force transfer at the final take off phase of jumping contributed to a higher performance in vertical jump.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Swiss ball training on (1) knee joint reposition sense (knee proprioception), (2) core muscle strength and (3) dynamic balance in sedentary collegiate students. In this thesis, two different participant groups and two different training methods were used. In order to evaluate the effect of Swiss ball training on knee proprioception and core strength, 3 days per week training was conducted throughout 10 weeks (Study 1). In order to evaluate the effect of Swiss ball training on dynamic balance, 2 days per week training was conducted throughout 10 weeks (Study 2). 60 sedentary university students participated in Study 1. 47 sedentary university students participated in Study 2. The results of the study indicated that Swiss ball training has significant effect on knee proprioception and core muscle strength. For dynamic balance, at the end of the 10-week Swiss ball training, in both groups (Swiss ball and control), dynamic balance scores were improved significantly. Therefore, effect of the Swiss ball training on dynamic balance could not be determined. As a conclusion, an instability training program using Swiss balls with body weight as resistance can provide prolonged improvements in joint proprioception and core strength which would contribute to general health and performance.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2001. / Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 191-196). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 2003. / "December 2003." Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-175). Also available on the Internet.

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis is one of the common causes leading to musculoskeletal disability of the elderly around the world. Total knee replacement (TKR) is an effective and common treatment for end stage knee arthritis. Most papers suggest that early rehabilitation could improve postoperative knee function. However, postoperative pain and local swelling are the complications that diminish range of motion (ROM) and inhibit patients’ recovery. A comprehensive review of the literature reveals that cryotherapy is an effective and safe method to overcome these complications. In this paper, a guideline of using cryotherapy in reducing postoperative pain and knee swelling so as to improve the ROM of patients and promote recovery after TKR has been developed. Objectives: The objectives of this translational research are: (1) to look for relevant papers that related to cryotherapy in reducing postoperative pain and knee swelling so as to improve the ROM of patients after TKR; (2) to gather and criticize the data obtained; (3) to develop a guideline of using cryotherapy in reducing pain, knee swelling and improving ROM of patients after TKR based on the evidence from the reviewed literature; (4) to assess the implementation potential of the newly developed guidelines; and (5) to establish the implementation and evaluation plans for the new innovation. Methods: An empirical literature search published from 2001 to 2011 by several searching engines regarding cryotherapy in reducing postoperative pain and knee swelling with the aim to improve the ROM of patients after TKR has been conducted. After that, the qualities of relevant studies were retrieved and criticized by using the appraisal checklist of the SIGN (2004). The derived evidences were then be summarized and synthesized. An evidence-based guideline was established with reference to the evidence from the reviewed literatures and the results of the quality assessment. Recommendations are graded by SIGN (2004). The implementation potential including transferability, feasibility and cost-benefit ratio of the innovation were assessed as well. Lastly, implementation and evaluation plans have been developed to assess and appraise the effectiveness of the new guideline. Results: Finally, seven studies were chosen as final references after methodological quality assessment. Four main types of comparison were made from these seven reviews including: (1) continuous compressive cryotherapy vs. compressive crepe bandage; (2) comparison in different temperature of cryotherapy; (3) outcome measures; and (4) complications in cryotherapy. After the summary, six main categories of recommendations were synthesized: (1) continuous compression cryotherapy; (2) effective temperature; (3) potential complications; (4) regular assessment; (5) duration; and (6) intermitted ice pack regimen. Based on these syntheses and recommendations, a guideline of using cryotherapy for patients after having TKR was developed. Conclusion: With the implementation of the newly developed evidence-based cryotherapy guidelines for patients after having TKR in local clinical settings, the improvement in the ROM of the knee joint will be anticipated as a result of the reduction in postoperative pain and knee swelling. / published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether 3 days of dietary nitrate supplementation has positive effects on exercise performance and energy metabolism at rest and during strenuous knee exercise, and exercise recovery. The experimental protocol was a double blind, placebo-controlled, two-period, and within-subjects design. Fourteen healthy nonsmoking males (22.71 ± 0.72yr, 72.93 ± 2.35kg, and 47.67 ± 1.56 ml/kg/min VO2max) participated in the study. Two supplements (nitrate lozenge; NO-L or placebo; PLA) were orally administrated randomly at 48 and 24 hours before each trial day and again 40 minutes before each exercise trial. Total work, peak torque, and respiratory gases were automatically collected during repeated knee extensions/flexions (isokinetic concentric contractions with dominant leg; 4 sets of 28 repetitions at 180°/sec with 30 sec rest intervals) and recovery (6 contractions of 1 repetition maximum with 120 vii sec between contractions). For these results, peak torque, rate of fatigue, work efficiency, and rate of recovery were calculated. Blood specimens were collected at rest before and after the treatment, post exercise, and end of recovery to track the changes in blood glucose and lactate concentrations. There was a significant inverse correlation for total work during knee extension exercise and oxygen consumption (PLA: r = -.560 and NO-L: r = -.546; p < .01, respectively). During the exercise, RER was significantly higher for PLA compared with NO-L (PLA: 1.42 ± 0.02 vs. NO-L: 1.38 ± 0.02: p = .03). Work within each set and total work performed were higher for NO-L, but these differences were not significant. However, NO-L enhanced exercise efficiency by 3.3% when compared with PLA (PLA: 2497.5 ± 134.56 ft-lb/L/min vs. NO-L: 2578.7 ± 132.24 ftlb/L/min; p = .05). Extensor peak torque recovery rate slope was not significant, but meaningfully faster for NO-L (PLA: 2.39 ± 0.52% vs. NO-L: 3.06 ± 0.54%; p = .09) and significant interaction effect (p = .02) was found during recovery contractions, especially from contractions 2 to 3 (p = .03). It is also worth noting that differences in time to peak torque during knee extension exercise for NO-L and PLA approached significances (PLA: 0.213 ± 0.01 sec vs. NO-L: 0.200 ± 0.01 sec; p = .08). The results suggest that 3 days of dietary nitrate supplementation improves rate of exercise recovery and enhances work efficiency during vigorous resistance exercise. / text

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

A generally accepted goal in orthopaedic surgery today is to maximize conservation of tissue and reduce tissue damage. Bone-conserving implants have bone-mating surfaces that reproduce the natural curvature of bone structures, requiring less bone removal. No small, reliable, inexpensive and universal bone sculpting technique currently exists, however, that can both create and accurately align such complex surfaces. The goal of this thesis was to develop a haptic hard surface emulation mechanism that could be applied to curvilinear bone sculpting using a surgical robot. A novel dynamic physical constraint concept was developed that is able to emulate realistic hard constraints, smooth surface following, and realistic surface rigidity, while allowing complete freedom of motion away from the constraints. The concept was verified through the construction of a two-link manipulator prototype. Tests were run on nine users that involved each user tracing out five different virtual surfaces on a drawing surface using the prototype. The primary purposes of prototype testing were to obtain subjective data on how effectively the dynamic physical constraint concept simulates simple surfaces, to assess how it reacts to typical user interactions and to identify any unexpected behaviour. Users were 100% satisfied with the prototype’s ability to emulate realistic and stiff hard surfaces and with its ease of manipulation. The amount of incursion into each of the virtual surfaces by all the users was measured to assess the precision of the system with the goal of deciding whether this new haptic concept should be further developed specifically for precision applications such as surgery. For curvilinear surfaces, 90% of the cumulative distribution of the measured data was less than 2mm, while for linear surfaces it was less than 6mm. Four behavioural effects were noticed: lateral deflection, reverse ‘stickiness’, hysteresis and instability in certain areas. These effects were studied in detail to determine how to either eliminate them or to minimize them through system design optimization. A computer simulation was also used to model the behaviour of the prototype and to gain further understanding of these effects. These analyses showed that the concept can be successfully used in curvilinear bone sculpting.