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Why sports should embrace bilateral asymmetry: a narrative review
Get PDF(1) Background: Asymmetry is ubiquitous in nature and humans have well-established bilateral asymmetries in their structures and functions. However, there are (mostly unsubstantiated) claims that bilateral asymmetries may impair sports performance or increase injury risk. (2) Objective: To critically review the evidence of the occurrence and effects of asymmetry and sports performance.
(3) Development: Asymmetry is prevalent across several sports regardless of age, gender, or competitive level, and can be verified even in apparently symmetric actions (e.g., running and rowing).
Assessments of bilateral asymmetries are highly task-, metric-, individual-, and sport-specific; fluctuate significantly in time (in magnitude and, more importantly, in direction); and tend to be poorly correlated among themselves, as well as with general performance measures. Assessments of sports-specific performance is mostly lacking. Most studies assessing bilateral asymmetries do not actually assess the occurrence of injuries. While injuries tend to accentuate bilateral asymmetries, there is no
evidence that pre-existing asymmetries increase injury risk. While training programs reduce certain bilateral asymmetries, there is no evidence that such reductions result in increased sport-specific
performance or reduced injury risk. (4) Conclusions: Bilateral asymmetries are prevalent in sports, do not seem to impair performance, and there is no evidence that suggests that they increase injury risk
British and Iranian parents’ and children’s awareness of the child’s weight status, physical activity, sedentary behaviours and fundamental movement skills: A mixed methods approach
Get PDFChildhood obesity (CO) is an epidemic issue in developed and developing countries (e.g. UK as developed and Iran as developing country) which needs to be addressed. Parents’/children’s awareness of weight status and health behaviours of the child are considered an initial step to prevent and mange CO. Thus, the aim of this thesis is to examine and explain parents’ and children’s awareness of the child’s weight status, Physical Activity (PA), Sedentary Behaviour (SB) and Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) among normal weight and overweight children, in two different countries (i.e. Uk and Iran) with high rate of CO through a mixed method approach. Adopting a sequential explanatory design, this research is conducted in two consecutive phases, including three quantitative studies (using questionnaires) in phase one, following by qualitative study (using interview) in phase two to explain findings of quantitative studies. It should be noted that the studies in this thesis were conducted prior to the covid-19 pandemic.
The sample in the three quantitative studies (studies 1-3) consisted of 217 children (aged 8-10 years); 98 British and 119 Iranian as well as their parents. To assess actual weight status, Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile was measured and children were categorised as normal weight (N=71 British & 74 Iranian, if BMI <85th percentile) and overweight (N=27 British & 45 Iranian, if BMI ≥85th percentile). PA, SB (GeneActive accelerometers) and Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) (Test of Gross Motor Development–2) of children were objectively measured. Verbal and visual tools were applied to assess weight status perception. Questionnaires were used for assessing PA, SB and FMS perception.
Results of quantitative studies found that many overweight children and their parents in both countries underestimated the child’s weight status verbally and visually, while British parents and children had lower accuracy than Iranian. In both weight groups Iranian parents, their children and British children overestimated the child’s PA level while British parents accurately perceived it. Iranian children’s overestimation of PA was more than British children. In addition, British parents and their children as well as Iranian normal weight children underestimated the child’s SB while Iranian overweight children were aware of their SB. Iranian parents overestimated SB of their children. Concerning FMS, in both countries parents of normal weight children were aware of the FMS levels of children whereas parents of overweight children and all children themselves were not aware of that. Comparing the two countries in study 3, British overweight children had higher levels of overestimation than Iranian overweight children.
The qualitative study (study 4) used semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 40 parents (20 in each country) who had an 8-10 year old child and were fluent in their respective native languages (English and Farsi). Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically.
Results of the qualitative study showed that in both countries parents felt responsible for CO and un/healthy behaviours of children, however Iranian parents, attributed the responsibility also to school and government as well. British parents placed less responsibility on these organisations. ‘Denial’ was suggested as a parental reaction to CO, and low activity levels and poor FMS of children which may impact parents’ awareness. There were a variety of reasons for denial but denial to avoid the social stigma attached to CO was raised mainly among Iranian parents while denial due to normalisation of obesity as well as to deflecting parental responsibility was raised more by British parents. While denial of high SB leading to underestimation was discussed by British parents, overestimation of SB was also discussed by Iranian parents as a strategy to encourage children to be more active, to avoid labelling their child as ‘hyperactive’ and also to persuade schools and government to promote PA of children. Nonchalant and positive attitudes towards CO and the notion that children will grow out of it was another parental reaction to CO discussed by parents in both countries. These factors were suggested by parents as potential reasons for parents’ misperception of their child’s weight. Time, cost, convenience, parents’ lack of knowledge (on all aspects of obesity, nutrition, PA, SB and FMS) child’s preference and weight as well as peer pressure were proposed by parents as barriers to behaviour change.
Overall, the results of the studies in this thesis showed that parents’ lack of awareness of CO, PA, SB and FMS of children is a critical issue for managing and treating CO and promoting healthy behaviours of children. In this regard, it was also found parents face various barriers that they need to be supported to overcome them suggesting that increasing awareness alone might not be sufficient. CO prevention and management is a shared responsibility that needs a multi-disciplinary multisector approach. In addition, the results of the studies in this thesis showed that to improve efficacy of intervention programs they need to be tailored to countries/cultures
The promise: searching for the creative moment in theatre, business and life
No full textThis thesis critically explores my public works as a theatre maker (Artistic Director of The Imaginary Body theatre company since 2001), improvisation teacher (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London since 2005) and designer-facilitator of corporate leadership and team development events (over the last fifteen years and since 2013 with my own company Spacecraft Ltd). The intention has been to examine the learnings from these public works and the interconnections between the different disciplines I have been working in, in order to document and share any insights, and gain more clarity for the creation of my future public works.
The three public works that I explore are: my theatre play 100 (2001 - 2004 and currently on Pearson’s UK GCSE Drama curriculum); my improvisation teaching at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London (2005 - ongoing) and the corporate leadership and team development work of my company Spacecraft Ltd (2013 - ongoing).
Key insights for my own practice and to share with others include:
• the role and value of improvisation in Reflective Practice
• how improvisation can be a gateway to a different kind of knowing that enables individuals, teams or organisations to meet their promise
• the significance of games in building the skills in individuals and groups to meet and manifest their potential
• the ambiguity of storytelling as a tool that is both enabling and limiting in the pursuit of the promise of an individual, team or organisation
• why imagination is a key factor in making virtual collaboration successfu
Culturally competent and compassionate LGBTQ+ inclusive education in health and social care
No full textEvidence shows issues with professional conduct and discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT+) people in health and social care, continue to exist in the UK and most probably in other EU countries. This indicates the need to ensure that health and social care professional education must include exploration of LGBT+ issues, in order to enable professionals to provide culturally competent and compassionate care which is free from prejudice to this population. This presentation discusses the need to develop more culturally competent and compassionate teaching tools and resources to include LGBT+ issues in the curriculum and training for the future workforce. The talk will present the IENE-LGBT project, an Erasmus+ funded project, which adopted a mixed-method and innovative approach for gathering and developing teaching tools and resources for a more culturally competent and compassionate LGBT+ education in health and social care curricula across Europe
Brexit or brand it? The effects of attitude towards Brexit and reshored brands on consumer purchase intention
Get PDFBrexit has caused a seismic shift in the British socio-economic and political landscapes, creating widespread uncertainties, while simultaneously giving hope and national pride to millions. The decision by a number of organizations to reshore their production has opened a new era for business management that challenges the axiomatic assumption of the benefits of offshored production. Although reshoring predates Brexit, the link between the two in the British context is not just serendipitous and they are argued to have reasonable interlinkages. However, there is inadequate empirical evidence to suggest that British consumers’ attitude towards Brexit has any effect on their intention to purchase reshored brands. Through a mixed-methods study comprising a survey of 415 respondents and 20 in-depth interviews, this paper addresses this research gap. Findings suggest that corporate social responsibility (CSR) and consumer reshoring sentiment (CRS) have positive effects on consumers’ attitude towards reshored brands. Despite CRS's positive influence on attitude towards Brexit, the latter does not have any significant effects on the intention to purchase a reshored brand, which is positively influenced by the attitude towards the same brand. As such, companies should enhance the image of their brands and CSR in order to harness the benefits of reshoring
Exploring the use of coaching for the development of Saudi Arabian healthcare managers through the perspectives of coaches, coachees and coaching sponsors
Get PDFThis qualitative research which arose from questions that originated in my coaching and healthcare practices explores the use of coaching for developing healthcare managers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) through the perspectives of coaches, coaching recipients/ coachees, and coaching sponsors. The overall purpose of the research is to contribute to positive developments in models of coaching practice in healthcare and to generate local and international interest in conducting research into coaching in KSA. The research aims are to undertake research that illuminates coaching practice in KSA healthcare; raise the profile of coaching for development in KSA healthcare; explore the use of coaching in KSA healthcare through the perspectives of the participants, and richly describe the context of the research and of the research participants. Four research objectives were identified to deliver the research aims.
The research makes distinctive theory and practice contributions. Firstly, it contributes to crosscultural coaching theory by exploring the use of coaching in KSA healthcare and elucidating the significant and complex cultural meanings that apply within this context. Secondly, it provides an emerging framework for coaching in KSA healthcare, which I currently use in my own practice, and which has potential utility to Human Resource and Organisational Development (HROD) practitioners working in KSA.
Utilising a qualitative, case study design viewed through an ethnographic lens, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of fourteen coaches, coachees, and coaching sponsors. Through thematic analysis of the interview data, five main themes were constructed. Coaching as a Way of Living reveals that coaching is encouraged in Islam. Trust is critical and its anatomy is complex and nuanced. Coaching Defined indicates that clarity about what coaching is/is not is apparently not as important as other issues such as trust. Coaching Impact denotes that success is measured through constructs such as impact and value. The Coach’s personal attributes emerges as being critical to coaching success.
While coaches constitute the main audience for this research, there are implications for coaching recipients and coaching sponsors. Recommendations are made relative to theory, practice, policy, and future research
Parental perception of childhood obesity
No full textBackground and aims: Childhood obesity rate continues to grow in the UK with children from deprived backgrounds being at greater risk. While a large part of the literature focuses on the determinants of child obesity less is known about the factors that can lead a parent to misclassify their child’s weight status. The aim of this study was to investigate parental perception of their child's weight status, compared to their measured weight.
Methods: Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured for 232 school children enrolled in Year 2 and Year 5 during the academic year 2019-2020 from ten schools in Barnet Council, London, UK. In addition, data were collected from parents on their child’s weight status and perception, health beliefs, eating habits, exercise habits, family anthropometrics and health information. Information from 110 mothers and 17 fathers was retrieved. The WHO growth charts were used to classify the children’s BAZ scores.
Results: Results show that 46% of the parents classified their child’s weight status incorrectly, they either overestimated or underestimated their child’s body weight and/or shape. Specifically, 52% of parents of overweight/obese children reported their children as normal weight. Factors associated with parents’ child weight status misclassification child’s age (p = .771), ethnicity (p = .445), parents’ education (p = .227), and marital status (p=0.07).
Conclusions: Parental perception of child’s weight status has important implications in terms of changes in household eating behaviours and attitudes. Understanding the key factors affecting parental perception is of paramount importance when developing interventions and policies aimed at tackling child obesity.
Key messages
• Parents classify their children’s weight status incorrectly, making it hard for policy change to be effective.
• Policy change can only happen if parents play an active role in understanding and perceiving if their child is overweight or obese
Development of a biosensor for fast point-of-care blood analysis of Troponin
Get PDFWe present the development of novel tetrapolar EIS biosensor for the detect of troponin. Troponin has considerable diagnostic power and provide invaluable prognostic information for risk stratification. of acute coronary syndromes. Clinical Relevance— A feasibility study was undertaken to assess the diagnostic performance of serial cardiac troponin measurements which is excellent as these structural proteins are unique to the heart and thus sensitive and specific of damage to the myocardium. clinical molecular diagnostics and home healthcare. Troponin’s biosensors would provide point-of-care and rapid decision making for the early detection of CS. Clinically relevant window of cTnI testing, concentrations from 10pM to 0.1μM were achieved
Clemence Dane's Broome Stages - novel and play
No full textIn 1952/3 the film director Michael Powell suggested to Clemence Dane that her 1931 novel Broome Stages would make a good film, and suggested that she write a stage version as a way of testing it out. Dane wrote the play, and sent it to Powell, who drew up a contract for the stage rights, but never staged the play or made the film. My paper is an examination of both novel and play, and what they tell us about Dane and Powell