Acute stretching increases postural stability in nonbalance trained individuals. J Strength Cond Res 26(11): 3095-3100, 2012-Studies into the relationship between acute stretching and maintenance of postural balance have been inconclusive. It was hypothesized that familiarization with the task and subsequent learning might be involved in the conflicting results. Therefore, this study was to designed determine if a regimen of static stretching exercises after a familiarization period would improve a person's ability to maintain a stabilometer in a neutral position and whether stretching had the same effect on individuals with extensive involvement with balancing tasks. Forty-Two college students (21 male, 21 female) and 10 surfers (all male) performed tests on a stabilometer on 2 separate days after 3 days of familiarization. Testing followed either 30 minutes of quiet sitting (nonstretched) or 30 minutes of stretching activities (stretched). Stretching exercises consisted of various assisted and unassisted static stretches of the muscles around the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Improved flexibility after the stretching exercises was demonstrated by significant (p , 0.05) 6.5 6 2.7 cm (mean 6 SD) increase in the sit and reach. Balance time for the students improved significantly by 11.4% (2.0-second increase), but the surfers had no significant change. Thus, stretching improved maintenance of balance perhaps by helping the subjects to eliminate the gross muscle contractions that caused large stabilometer displacements and to replace them with fine muscle contractions that caused little or no stabilometer displacements. However, it appears that experience doing balance tasks supplants any stretching benefit.

Smartphones are innovations that currently provide immense benefits and convenience to users in society. However, not all the users of society are accepting and using smart phones, more specifically, for this research study older adults (50+) are a demographic group displaying such an attitude. Currently, there is minimal knowledge of the reasons that older adults adopt and use smartphones. Bearing this in mind, this research study aimed to identify, examine and explain the adoption and usage of smartphones in the UK within the 50 years old and above population. For this purpose, a conceptual framework, a Model of Smartphone Adoption (MOSA) was formed drawing factors from the theories of Unified theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the Diffusion of Innovations theory (DoI) and Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3). Seven variables from the theories were brought to consideration, which were Observability, Social influence, Compatibility, Effort expectancy, Facilitation conditions, Performance expectancy and Perceived enjoyment. For the research method, a quantitative approach was selected to examine and apply MOSA that involved the data collection method of an online questionnaire survey that resulted in 204 completed replies during the pilot phase of this research and 984 in the final phase. The collected data was analysed using SEM-PLS where the results found that six of the eight formed hypotheses were supported, and the factors of Compatibility, Effort expectancy, Facilitation condition, Performance expectancy and Perceived enjoyment were important for the adoption of smartphones. From these results, it was understood that older adults used smartphones because they have enough knowledge, time and money to use. They also think that smartphones are easy to use, provide benefits including enjoyment and are compatible with their lifestyles. In terms of usage, older adults frequently used the basic features of smartphones such as making a phone call, SMS, email, and browsing. Older adults are also likely to use their devices for seeking information about their health and for appointments with their doctors; however, from this research it was found that more than half of the 50 years old and above adults did not use smartphones for health and well-being purposes. The contributions of this research are viewed to be the identification and understanding of the factors that encourage or inhibit smartphones use within the older adult population. Secondly, this research can inform smartphone manufacturers and developers of factors pertinent for the design of computing devices and applications specific to silver surfers. Finally, this research can enlighten policy makers when forming decisions that encourage the adoption and use of smartphones within the older adult population. Regarding limitations, these existed in the form of finance and time. To overcome the limitations, this research recommends further studies that apply qualitative research and/or to provide a comparison between western and eastern countries.

This current study utilized recreation specialization and leisure motivation theory to explore the meanings, perspectives, and behaviors among female surfers. Despite numerous studies previously published regarding recreation specialization and leisure motivation related to activity participation, little research has been conducted on the activity of surfing from a female perspective. Data for this study were collected using in-depth, semi- structured interviews of nine women surfers from the California Central Coast. Content analyses of the data involved coding and identifying key themes, patterns, and categories. The dominant themes significant within recreation specialization included past participation (e.g., preceding activities to eventual participation and wave/swell conditions), perceived skills (i.e., skills important to surfing, perceived skill level), commitment (e.g., central to life activity, central leisure activity, affective attachment, and adoption of social/cultural values), and enduring involvement (e.g., attraction and sensory enjoyment). The major themes that emerged from data specific to leisure motivation included initial attraction (e.g., observing others), initial motivation to participate/actively pursue (e.g., desirable setting and sensory enjoyment) and enduring motivation (e.g., achievement/stimulation, sensory enjoyment, anticipation, attraction and flow). Major themes emerged from the results of this study identify the varying styles of involvement in the participants. Additionally, results revealed the behaviors and feminine perspectives of participants that identified the meanings and experiences associated with these categories. Participants identified the pre-activity routines they engage in to prepare for surfing addressed how surfing provides them opportunities for relational leisure and self-determined leisure. Lastly, participants’ revealed factors that constrain participation and opportunities for relational and autonomous experiences.

The aim of this study was to examine surfers ́ experiences of surf culture in sweden and all over the world how this compares to the rest of the world. The overall research questions for this study were ”How do the surfers experience the culture in Swedish surfing” and ”How do the surfers experience the Swedish surf culture compared to abroad”? In order to answer these questions in the study, five Swedish surfers were interviewed about their experiences. The data was analyzed and categorized into different themes by drawing on Bourdieu ́s concept of field, capital and habitus. The result of the study shows that the surfers thoughts, feelings and experiences was very much the same for how they look at the surfing culture both in Sweden and abroad. They all highlighted key elements of surfing culture and identeties as related to nature experiences. In conclusion the surfers also had a clear picture about their thoughts about nature experiences, hierarchy and localism.