published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the validity and reliability of the Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester (NMMT), a portable dynamometer, as a measure of the isometric strength in women with arthritis. Female subjects (N=13; 66 �� 13.89 yrs.) with arthritis were tested for isometric muscle strength on the shoulder and hip (abduction, adduction, flexion, extension). Subjects were tested on three separate days using NMMT and Kincom 500-H dynamometers. Each subject performed three maximal isometric contractions for each joint action. A visual analog pain scale was used to determine level of pain prior to testing. Reliability values based on intraclass correlations coefficients (R) ranged from .85 to .93., with the exception of shoulder abduction being .49. Validity was determined correlating the mean value of the NMMT score with corresponding Kincom isometric measure. Pearson product moment correlations ranged from (r) .02 to .86, with 4 of 8 values meeting .05 level of significance. Correlation coefficients for pain and isometric force values were inconclusive and ranged from -.305 to .218. Major conclusions were: a) NMMT had high test-retest reliability in this sample; b) NMMT provides little criterion evidence of validity with the Kincom for most movements of hip and shoulder; c) level of pain was not a significant factor in subject reliability. / Graduation date: 1995

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)- Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2008. x, 52 leaves, Appendices A-E, [25] leaves. / To determine whether a relationship exists between core stability and bowling speed in Action Cricket bowlers. Methods: Thirty asymptomatic indoor Action Cricket fast and fast-medium bowlers were divided into two groups of 15 each, with Group A having well-developed core stability and group B having poorly-developed core stability. The concept of matched pairs was used for age and cricket experience in order to maintain homogeneity between the groups. The core stability and bowling speed of each participant was measured using a pressure biofeedback unit (PBU) and speed sports radar respectively. SPSS version 15.0 was used to analyse the data.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic at the Durban University of Technology, 2009 / Objectives: When we consider the body position of a field hockey player, the lumbar spine is always in a flexed position, which combined with rotational movements during various hitting and pushing techniques, increases the strain upon the spine and surrounding muscles, thus leading to low back pain. To determine the relationship between core strength and trunk extensor endurance relating to the incidence of acute low back pain in field hockey players. Project Design: The research project was in the form of a quantitative cross-sectional study, using human subjects. Setting: The research project occurred during the field hockey season (2008) with players who had acute low back pain. The players were clinically assessed and subdivided into necessary groups at the Chiropractic Day Clinic at the Durban Institute of Technology. Subjects: Adult, male patients, aged between 18 and 30 years of age, playing premier field hockey. Out of the thirty players, 12 players have played in the National u/21 squad, 7 players have played in a Junior National team and 11 players have played senior provincial field hockey. Outcome measure: This included three tests. Firstly, the absolute difference of pressure from the reference value of 70mmHg (prone) and 40mmHg (supine) was used as the outcome measure on a Pressure Biofeedback Unit and length of time (in seconds), a correct contraction of the core stability muscles was maintained. Secondly, the length of time (in seconds) for Trunk Extensor Endurance. Thirdly, repeated measures for NRS-101 and Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale for the duration of the research period. v Results: It was found that there was no statistical evidence or convincing trend to show that the training programmes (core stability and trunk extensor endurance) increased the subjects’ core strength or trunk extensor endurance in the time allocated, although there seemed to be a placebo effect in the Trunk Extensor Group, which showed improvement in some of the core stability outcomes. There was statistical evidence that the intervention (training programmes) reduced pain, according to the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (Quebec) score over time, and a non-significant trend suggested this according to the Numerical Rating Scale-101 (NRS). Since both groups’ NRS and Quebec scores were not significantly different at baseline, the difference can be attributed to the effect of the intervention. Conclusions: The results of this study found that the Trunk Extensor Endurance Group, that performed the trunk extensor endurance training programme, yielded better results in core stability and trunk extensor endurance. However, the Core Stability Group, that performed the core stability training programme, showed a quicker reduction in pain levels during the three week intervention period. Therefore, by combining both training programmes, future rehabilitation of athletes suffering from acute low back pain will be more successful. Sport performance of the athletes (field hockey players), through the proponents of swiss ball training, will also improve.

The Beothuk Indians were an extinct group of Amerinds who were among the earliest founders of Newfoundland. In literature, the Beothuk were described as perhaps being phenotypically more similar to Europeans than Asians (Gatschet 1890, Lloyd 1875, 1876a, Marshall 1996). In this research, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis was performed on a Beothuk individual in order to determine his haplotype and, perhaps, shed light on the origins of the Beothuk.For this analysis, a tooth of Nonosabasut, a Beothuk chief who died in 1819 was loaned from the Royal Museum of Scotland. Ancient DNA was extracted from 172 mg of dentin from the tooth. The DNA was cut with two blunt-end restriction enzymes, RsaI and HaeIII. Double-stranded DNA adapters were ligated to the blunt ends. A single adapter was used to amplify the resulting fragments using PCR. In this manner, two libraries of the DNA were created that could be readily reamplified using a small amount of the PCR product. mtDNA type was determined by amplifying specific regions and performing Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis and sequencing. It was determined that the Beothuk individual had a 9-bp deletion at nucleotide position (np) 8272, an Alul restriction site at np 5176, and heteroplasmy for a HincII restriction site at np 13,259, indicating that the Beothuk individual falls into the Native American Haplogroup B. Haplogroup B is not present in modern Siberian populations, whereas the remaining Native American mtDNA haplogroups are. It has been hypothesized that Haplogroup B arrived in the Americas at a different time than haplogroups A, C, D, and X, about 16,000-13,000 YBP (Years Before Present) (Starikovskaya et al. 1998). Haplogroup B can be found in some modern Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, Evenk, and other Asian populations.Sequencing of the D-Loop region revealed a G to A transition at np 16303. To our knowledge, this transition was never previously reported in a Native American. This transition has been reported in Tibetans, Koreans, Hans, and Japanese, all considered to be southeast Asian Causacoids (Torroni et al. 1993b, 1994b). This transition, also frequently described in the Caucasian Haplogroup H, is especially prevalent in Spain and among the Basque. It is described as a root haplotype of Haplogroup H whose expansion was estimated to be between 12,300-13,200 YBP (Torroni et al. 1998). This time estimate coincides with the expansion of Haplogroup B. One possible explanation for this transition may be some admixture of the Beothuk with a Caucasian population. / School of Physical Education

Fourteen college softball players were recruited to participate in this study to determine if a strength imbalance between the lower extremities, how significant this difference this may be and of any correlations existed among all the functional tests. Subjects took part in isokinetic flexion and extension at 60 and 240 deg/sec, parallel squats, 2-legged vertical jump, single leg vertical jump, and a five-hop test. Peak and average torque was recorded for isokinetic testing and revealed significant differences between the dominant and non-dominant limbs (13.00%- 16.00%). Peak and average force was analyzed for squats and all vertical jumps. Significance was found among all activities between dominant and non-dominant legs, other than average force for single leg vertical jump. A significant difference was also exhibited for the five-hop test between the lower extremities. Significant correlations were also found at the 0.05 and 0.01 levels amongst the various functional tests. Overall findings revealed a significant strength imbalance between the dominant and non-dominant limbs. Further research needs to be conducted in determining how detrimental these differences could be in daily performance for athletes. / School of Physical Education

Graduation date: 1993

M.Tech. / Purpose: To determine the effect of Chiropractic spinal adjustive therapy (SAT) of the lumbar spine and Sacroiliac joints on performance utilising indicators such as vertical jump height and T-test time of moderate to highly active sport participants. It has been suggested that a dysfunctional vertebral subluxation complex can cause a decrease in performance. The decreased performance may be due to dysfunctional biomechanics and altered neurological functioning of the lumbar spine and Sacroiliac joints. Methods: A randomised study design with thirty asymptomatic male subjects, which were moderate to highly active as indicated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), participated in this study. Participants were divided into two equal groups, group A (n=15) received Chiropractic SAT of the lumbar spine and Sacroiliac joints, group B (n=15) were rested for five minutes. The study design consisted of six consultations, with intervention being applied at each consultation between objective measurements. Objective data was obtained by the vertical jump test and T-test which determined participant’s explosive power and agility respectively. Objective data was obtained before and after intervention on each of the six consultations. The immediate effect of intervention was represented by the before versus the after measurements of consultations. The short term effect was represented by comparing the before values of consultation one (baseline) to consultation six. Results: The objective results showed that there was a short term and immediate improvement in vertical jump height and T-test time of both groups. With vertical jump height group A showed an immediate mean improvement of 3.845 cm (7%) and a short term mean improvement of 0.74 cm (1%); group B showed an immediate mean improvement of 1.6 cm (3%) and a short term mean improvement of 1.47 cm (3%). With the T-test time group A showed an immediate mean improvement of 0.433 s (4%) and a short term mean improvement v of 0.673 (6%); group B showed a immediate mean improvement of 0.1745 s (2%) and a short term mean improvement of 0.6 s (5%). Conclusion: Although results obtained were not statistically significant (p>0.05), it demonstrated from a clinical perspective that interventions caused an improvement in jump height and T-test time in both groups. Group A showed a greater improvement in every aspect, except in the short term effect of Chiropractic SAT on vertical jump height. It is therefore postulated that improvements noted were as a result of the adjustment providing an enhanced biomechanical and neurological advantage, and therefore in performance indicators such as the vertical jump test and T-test in the participants.

The purpose of the study was to determine anthropometric characteristics that may affect deadlift performance. Fourteen powerlifters performed isometric pulls on a force plate at 3 key positions of the deadlift (at the floor, just above the patella, and 5-6 cm short of lockout) and the mid-thigh pull (MTP). RM ANOVA revealed that forces generated at each bar height differed significantly (F(3,39) = 51.058, p<0.05). Discriminant analysis was able to classify lifters into "stronger" and "weaker" groups with 100% accuracy using measured anthropometric dimensions. Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that height to body mass ratio was important in differentiating performance in all positions but lockout. Segment and various measures of height were also important in discriminating performance in the knee, lockout, and MTP positions. Results of this analysis should provide some insight to the anthropometric dimensions that are related to success in various phases of the deadlift.

This study intended to determine if, by using coefficients of variation derived from data collected by Fisher [1989], it would be possible to develop prediction equations to discriminate between sincere and deceptive isokinetic knee extension tests, whether these equations could be applied to a new sample, and whether prediction accuracy is dependent on test speed. Fisher [1989] trained 76 college-age males subjects to either give a true maximal response or fake an injury during an isokinetic knee extension/flexion test at 60, 180, and 300 deg/sec. Data were transmitted to a computer running Segmental Curve Analysis [Wynn, 1988; Sebolt and Earles-Price, 1989], which computed six variables for each torque curve: peak torque (PT), torque at five degrees prior to and post-PT (T-5, T+5), area to five degrees prior to PT (A-5), area beyond five degrees post-PT (A+5), and area between five degrees pre- and post-PT (A55). Coefficients of variation were computed for each variable, which were used to develop prediction equations for each speed, and for all speeds combined. The prediction equations accurately predicted condition assignments (p = 0.572 - 0.79) when applied to Fisher's [1989] data. A second sample was solicited, trained, and tested in a manner similar to Fisher [1989], and the same prediction equations were applied. There was no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the prediction accuracy of these equations between their application to Fisher's [1989] data or to data collected in the current study. Furthermore, there appeared to be no significant effect of test speed on prediction accuracy. These data suggest that coefficients of variation could be used to discriminate between sincere and deceptive isokinetic performances. / Master of Science