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Comparison of a Low Load Eccentric Training Protocol and a Static Stretching Protocol on Hamstring Muscle Flexibility
Get PDFInternational Journal of Exercise Science 18(8): 263-274, 2025. The purpose of this study was to compare eccentric strengthening to static stretching for increasing hamstring flexibility. Sixty-three asymptomatic participants were recruited via convenience sampling. Nineteen participants did not meet the inclusion criteria, thus leaving 44 participants. Inclusion criteria included hamstring tightness defined using the passive knee extension test (PKE). Exclusion criteria included a history of any lower extremity injury, including hamstring injury, within the past 12 months. Participants were randomized into one of three groups: Nordic Hamstring Exercise (NHE) eccentric group, static hamstring stretching, or control group. Hamstring flexibility was assessed, via the PKE, at baseline, 3 weeks, and six weeks. Between and within group differences in hamstring flexibility were assessed using a mixed model ANOVA. The analysis yielded a significant time x group interaction ( \u3c 0.05). At six weeks, both the static stretching and eccentric group had greater improvements in flexibility compared the control group (p \u3c 0.001). This study adds to the body of research by demonstrating the positive effect of eccentric training on gross muscle length. It revealed the NHE results in similar increases in hamstring flexibility when compared to static hamstring stretching. As a result, either stretching or eccentric training can be used effectively to address hamstring flexibility deficits
Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 34. Did Alfred Russel Wallace’s Chief Assistant from His Expedition to the Malay Archipelago Really Name Himself Ali Wallace?
Get PDFIn 1907, Thomas Barbour met Alfred Russel Wallace’s former chief assistant Ali on Ternate Island, Indonesia. Ali apparently told him that he had adopted “Wallace” as his second name. This claim has been questioned by historian John van Wyhe and anthropologist Gerrell Drawhorn, probably because it appeared unprecedented. However, this was not an isolated example; in 1872, John Thomas Cockerell recorded that a man from the Aru Islands, Indonesia, employed by Wallace in 1857, along with his eldest son, had similarly adopted “Wallace” as part of their personal names
Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 35. Natural Selection by Evolution.
Get PDFAlfred Russel Wallace (1823?1913) is remembered, with Charles Darwin, as the co-originator of the concept of evolution by natural selection. But Wallace’s framing of the idea increasingly became one in which natural selection itself was regarded as a law of nature, not a theory per se
Relationships Between Performance in the Frequency Speed Kick Test, Heart Rate Variability, and Body Composition in Amateur Muay Thai Fighters
Get PDFInternational Journal of Exercise Science 18(6): 428-442, 2025. In martial arts, heart rate variability (HRV) measurements can potentially be used to assess injury risk and susceptibility to fatigue. Muay Thai uses the Frequency Speed of Kick Test (FSKT) to measure kick speed, but it is unknown whether better fitness results in improved autonomic function and body composition, which may affect athletic performance and recovery. We aimed to evaluate the correlations between FSKT, HRV, and body composition measures in amateur Muay Thai fighters. This is a cross-sectional study with 37 Muay Thai fighters. They underwent FSKT-10s and multiple FSKT to measure the kick fatigue index (KFI). In addition, body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis and HRV using a heart rate monitor. When comparing the values before and during the FSKT-10s, there was a decrease in the percentage of interval differences of consecutive successive NN intervals greater than 50 ms (pNN50), approximate entropy, and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) index, with an increase in the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) index. The number of kicks assessed by FSKT-10s positively correlated with fat-free mass (FFM) and low frequency (LF) of the HRV assessment. The KFI correlated negatively with the FFM and PNS index, and positively with the LF and SNS index. When amateur Muay Thai fighters perform the FSKT-10s, there is an acute effect on autonomic modulation with increased sympathetic activation and vagal withdrawal. FFM and sympathetic activation are related to performance and susceptibility to fatigue. These results indicate the importance of assessing HRV in Muay Thai fighters to improve performance
Mental Toughness, Session Format, and Athlete Engagement: A Repeated-Measures Analysis in Collegiate Dancers
Get PDFPreliminary results demonstrate mental toughness (MT) is key to sustaining athlete engagement, but how training formats influence this relationship is less understood. Team sessions are more generalized while personalized coaching is more customized. A combination of individual and group consulting is recommended. PURPOSE: To examine the direct relationship between MT and athlete engagement and assess whether session format moderates this effect. METHODS: Both team and one-on-one sessions were designed to develop a mentally tough mindset and were carried out by the same practitioner. Team sessions focused on foundational knowledge applicable to all participants. One-on-one sessions allowed for personalized MT training. Twenty-four female collegiate dancers participated in a repeated-measures study (107 observations), attending varying numbers of both session types across a four-month period. Athlete engagement was assessed using the Employee Engagement Scale, and MT was measured via the Mental Toughness Index. A linear mixed-effects model was employed to evaluate the relationship between MT and engagement, with session format as a moderator. All data analyses were conducted in Python (3.11.8). RESULTS: MT significantly predicted engagement, F(1,99) = 89.20, p \u3c .001, β = 5.27. Team and one-on-one sessions alone did not significantly influence engagement (p = .976, p = .762, respectively). However, MT × Team Interaction was significant, F(1,99) = 5.71, p = .018, β = -2.09, indicating team sessions slightly weakened the positive effect of MT on engagement. Conversely, MT × One-on-One Interaction was significant, F(1,99) = 5.31, p = .023, β = 1.40, suggesting that one-on-one sessions enhanced MT’s impact on engagement. Lastly, MT × Both Sessions Interaction was strongly negative, F(1,99) = 14.62, p \u3c .001, β = -4.81, indicating that excessive engagement in both session types concurrently diminished the overall effect of MT on engagement. CONCLUSION: The study confirms MT is a strong predictor of athlete engagement, but the way training sessions are structured matters. One-on-one sessions enhance the positive effect of MT on engagement, while high exposure to both session types concurrently may diminish the overall effect of MT on engagement. Mental performance specialists should strategically balance session types
Sit-to-Stand Power,Grip strength, and Performance Outcomes in Older Adults
Get PDFGNYACSM Original Research Abstract
Sit-to-Stand Power,Grip strength, and Performance Outcomes in Older Adults
LENO BENNY, RENEE LUSTIN, NORBERTO QUILES & ANOOP T. BALACHANDRAN
Exercise and Aging Lab, Department of Family, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences, Queens College, The City University of New York, Flushing, NY
Category: Graduate
Advisor / Mentor: Balachandran, Anoop T. ([email protected])
ABSTRACT
Hand grip strength is widely used as a marker for strength and sarcopenia in older adults. Although power is more strongly associated with physical performance, power testing is sparingly used due to high cost, expertise required and portability issues. The sit-to-stand power test is a low-cost,fairly accurate, portable, and functional method to assess muscle power. PURPOSE: To compare grip strength and sit-to-stand power with performance outcomes in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Eighty-seven older adults completed the sit-to-stand power test using a linear transducer. The highest peak power from the three trials was recorded. Grip strength was assessed using a Jamar dynamometer. Performance measures included the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) for balance, walk speed, and chair stand test, Timed Up and Go (TUG) at fast and normal paces, and physical function and mobility questionnaires as self-reported outcome measures. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to examine correlations. RESULTS: Participants (70.5 years; 55% female) had an average SPPB score of 10.6 out of 12. Sit to stand peak power was moderately correlated with grip strength (r = 0.67, 95% CI (0.53, 0.77). Sit-to-stand power had a stronger correlation than grip strength with SPPB (0.38 vs. 0.22), chair stand test (-0.43 vs. -0.25), TUG fast pace (-0.43 vs. -0.30), TUG normal pace (-0.40 vs. -0.29), physical function questionnaire (0.43 vs. 0.34),and mobility questionnaire (0.38 vs. 0.27). CONCLUSION: Sit-to-stand power showed stronger associations with physical performance and self-reported outcomes than grip strength in community-living older adults
Relationship Between Pelvic Tilt and Landing Mechanics in Division I Male and Female Student Athletes
Get PDFThe pelvic-hip complex serves as a central component in the kinetic chain, facilitating load distribution and linking the upper and lower body. Prior research has indicated that atypical pelvic tilt (PT) is associated with compensatory activation in surrounding musculature, however the relationship between PT and landing mechanics is sparse. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between landing mechanics and PT in Division I male and female student athletes. METHODS: During a preseason screening, 331 student athletes (167 male: 19.9 ± 1.5 y, 1.8 ± 0.1 m, 82.5 ± 11.4 kg and 164 female: 19.7 ± 1.7 y, 1.7 ± 0.1 m, 66.4 ± 9.5 kg) completed a standardized jump-landing task and evaluation of PT following clearance to participate by the Head Athletic Trainer. The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) was used to evaluate landing mechanics during the standardized jump-landing task (no errors = LESS0, errors = LESS1). To assess PT, athletes stood in a quarter squat position. Athletes were classified as normal if an anterior PT was observed. If no tilt was visible, a physical therapist stood behind the athlete and provided vertical compression by placing their hands on the athlete’s shoulders. If the athlete was able to go into an anterior PT, they were classified with compromised stability, and if not, compromised mobility. Relationship between LESS and PT performance was examined with a Chi-squared test, using SPSS version 30 (IBM Corp) and an alpha significance level of p \u3c 0.05 (n \u3e 5 in each cell). RESULTS: A significant relationship between LESS and PT performance was shown for males [χ2 (2, N = 167) = 7.731, p = 0.021], but no significant relationship was observed for females [χ2 (2, N = 164) = 0.538, p = 0.764]. CONCLUSION: Impaired pelvic mobility and stability in males may lead to compensatory landing strategies, potentially increasing musculoskeletal injury risk from abnormal force distribution during landing. This highlights the importance of adequate pelvic and hip complex mobility and stability for optimal performance and injury risk reduction. However, the PT assessment relied on visual observation and manual compression, which may lack the precision of more objective measures, potentially introducing measurement bias and affecting the reliability of the findings
Use of objective tools for early detection of Parkinson’s symptoms
Get PDFParkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by asymmetrical motor symptoms that are difficult to detect early, thus the need for more sensitive tools. People with early PD (PwPD) participate in high level physical activity, are susceptible to injury, and in need of exercise professionals (EP). However, assessment tools used by EPs for healthy populations may be underutilized in PD. We suggest these tools can quantify early lower extremity (LE) motor impairments otherwise not found during the Five Times Sit to Stand test (FTSTS), commonly used to assess LE strength and function in the rehabilitation setting. PURPOSE: Examine LE asymmetry, force and velocity during the FTSTS using commonly used tools by the EP in PwPD and healthy controls (HC). METHODS: Twenty PwPD (12 male, mean age 68.8 years, mean Hoehn and Yahr stage 2.25) and 11 HC (4 male, age 63.6 years) were tested in blocked order: FTSTS with the Tendo power analyzer and VALD Forcedecks FDLite, and dynamometry of hip and knee strength using VALD DynaMo handheld dynamometer. Statistical analysis includes Descriptives, Spearman’s rho correlation, Mann Whitney U tests and Independent ttests. RESULTS: Spearman’s correlations showed a positive relationship between HY stage and FTSTS time (ρ = 0.577, p = 0.008), indicating that participants with more advanced PD took longer to complete the FTSTS task. A moderate correlation was observed between UPDRS Part III scores and FTSTS time (ρ = 0.440, p = 0.052), suggesting a potential link between motor impairment and functional performance, though this did not reach statistical significance. Mann–Whitney U tests reveal PwPD had significantly greater percent asymmetry in 1-leg sway during single leg stance (p = .011) and hip peak force asymmetry (p = .036) during the FTSTS compared to HC. Slower Tendo average (0.006) and peak velocities, (p = .026) for PwPD were also found during the FTSTS compared to HC. FTSTS time showed a moderate effect with PwPD performing slower than HC (r ≈ 0.4) but did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.090). CONCLUSION: Although the time taken to perform the FTSTS was not different between PwPD and HC, differences were found in asymmetries, force, and movement velocities indicating that these tools are valuable in identifying symptoms in PD not captured by typical use of a common timed measure, the FTSTS
DISPROPORTIONALITY OF ENGLISH LEARNERS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
Get PDFThe purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the presence of disproportionality of English learners in special education. The search process yielded evidence of both overrepresentation and underrepresentation of English learners in special education, with some studies indicating disproportionality in specific disability categories. Underrepresentation was found to be present in categories of emotional behavioral disability, speech and language impairment, other health impairment, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism. Overrepresentation was found to be present in multiple disability categories, especially with specific learning disabilities and speech language impairment. Potential variables that could be contributors to overrepresentation were found to be educators’ lack of information on the students’ level of English proficiency, characteristics of language acquisition mirroring characteristics of a student with a learning disability, educator beliefs about referring students quickly, and a lack of explicit state guidance on specific learning disability identification. Suggested ways to improve the referral system included the implementation of a culturally responsive referral guide, implementing policy change, and more emphasis on evaluating the interaction between students, teachers, and the classroom environment
