Communicator, Nov. 2014

Volume 27, Issue

Examining College Student Athlete Attitudes Towards Concussion Testing and Reporting Concussions

Examining College Student Athlete Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Baseline Neurocognitive Concussion Testing FryK, Anderson, M, Anderson, M, Schatz, P, Elbin, RJ: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas Context: Examining athletes’ attitudes toward concussion diagnosis, management, and treatment can lead to improved multi-faceted management of a concussion injury. Although attitudes towards concussion injuries have been studied, the examination of athletes’ attitudes towards baseline computerized neurocognitive testing is understudied and is warranted. Objective: To examine the relationship between sex, concussion history, and previous exposure to baseline testing on athletes’ perceptions of effort provided during baseline testing and the utility of neurocognitive testing. Methods: College athletes (18-23 years) completing a baseline neurocognitive test (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test: ImPACT) were asked to complete an anonymous 33-item online survey. Survey questions included demographics and inquired about athletes’ effort and utility of baseline and post-concussion neurocognitive testing. A series of chi-square analyses measured the association between sex, concussion history, and previous exposure to baseline testing on effort provided during testing and utility of the test. Level of statistical significance was p \u3c .05. Results: One hundred eighty-two (88 males, 95 females) athletes (M =19.05, SD = 1.15 years) completed the survey. Thirty-eight percent (70/183) reported prior concussion history and 27% (50/182) were first time test takers. Ninety-four percent (172/183) reported providing above average to maximal effort on the baseline test they completed prior to completing the survey. Ninety percent (158/176) and 87% (156/179) of the sample reported that the baseline and post-concussion test results were useful in mitigating premature return to play, respectively. There was no association between sex, concussion history, or previous exposure to baseline testing on reported effort or perceptions of utility for baseline neurocognitive testing (p \u3e .05). Conclusion: The majority of athletes report high effort on baseline neurocognitive testing and recognize the utility of this measure for safe return to play

Spartan Daily, November 13, 2014

Volume 143, Issue 32https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/1531/thumbnail.jp

Approaches to Teaching in Kinesiology: KINE 2640 Lesson Plan Outline and Teaching Rubric

As a result of the transformation from Pedagogy to the soon to be titled Physical Education/Adapted Physical Education (PEAPE) concentration in the Kinesiology Department, it was necessary to adjust some classes to fit the needs of our majors. One change was our shift in providing one team sports class KINE 2640 – Teaching/Coaching for Team Sports that covers multiple team sports instead of several classes that covered one sport each. As a result, we streamlined our lesson plan template and teaching rubric to meet the needs of this course and all of our Teaching/Coaching sequence courses. The attached template and rubric provide a clear and explicit grading scale to encourage grading transparency for our students. In addition, the template provides an objective-based guide to enforce strong teaching practices. We stress alignment between outcomes/objectives, assessment measures, and content, and tools such as these help us to prepare our future physical educators for student teaching and beyond. The teaching rubric allows for partial points when we grade our majors, so it allows for room for improvement. In addition, the comments section allows us to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson

Thirty-year Trends of Study Design and Statistics in Applied Sports and Exercise Biomechanics Research

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(1): 239-259, 2018. This study documented the change in study design and statistics employed in applied sports and exercise biomechanics research from 1985 to 2014. The sample comprised 676 data based original research reports published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics (JAB) from 1985 to 2014. Eight design and 10 statistical criteria were extracted from each study. Descriptive statistics were calculated and change in study criteria over time were documented. Design criteria that did not change over time, remaining at relatively low levels of rigor, were widespread (71%) use of small (2-20) sample sizes and examination of numerous dependent variables (26.6% with \u3e13). The number of experimental groups and independent variables also did not change with typically 1 to 2 reported. There was a significant 61% linear increase in randomization of participants into groups, however by 2014 still a minority (39%) of studies were not reporting randomized assignment. Types of statistical analysis showed positive changes over time with a 48% quadratic decrease in descriptive analyses, a 3% linear increase in nonparametric statistics, and a 45% linear increase in reporting parametric statistical analysis. Changes in specific statistical methods included a 9% linear decrease in bivariate correlation and a 73% linear increase in ANOVA. Reporting of assumptions had a 35% linear increase, yet in 2014 sixty-five percent still did not report on meeting statistical assumptions. Changes in test statistics included a linear 56% increase of reporting observed P values and a quadratic 29% increase in reporting effect sizes beginning in the late 1990s. It was concluded there was evidence of small improvements in research design and statistics in JAB over the last 30 years; however, there is still room for improvement to meet higher levels of research rigor and current recommendations on statistical analysis and reporting

The Effects of Exercise on Mental Cognition

Like many other Kinesiology experiments, the relationship between exercise and mental clarity has been researched in many different settings. However, few researches have been conducted on determining a specific type of exercise, anaerobic or aerobic exercises, that shows the best positive increase on mental clarity. This series of manuscripts dives into the ins and outs of exercise as it relates to mental clarity to best narrow down exercises that show the most improvements. Three manuscripts are written on different subjects that all relate to each other in an overarching theme, mental clarity. These manuscripts were broken down to reveal the most important aspects of each type of exercise, anaerobic and aerobic exercise, while also linking the direct effect of exercise on mental clarity. The types of exercises were measured using their biological effects on the brain and the body. Further research was done in the exercise and mental clarity abstract to determine the correlation between the biological effects on the brain and mental improvement in certain brain areas. These manuscripts support the feasibility to conduct further research in this field and what important areas to focus on. Because there is substantial research supporting the theory that exercise improves mental clarity, new topics such as specific exercises is important to discover. This new research can shed a new light on ways to improve mental clarity for children and adults of all ages

An Examination of Spasticity of the Lower Extremity among Young People with Cerebral Palsy

Background: Spasticity is the most common symptom among individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Spasticity is often presented as stiff limbs often resulting in pain. Currently, clinicians are limited in diagnosing spasticity using observational tools. The purpose of this study was compare spasticity at various functional levels using dynamometry. Methods: Participants included nine adolescents (12-19) with CP and nine adolescents (age-matched) without CP. The participants participated in passive stretches delivered by the Biodex System 4 Pro Dynamometer at four different speeds (90, 120, 150, and 180 deg/s), Measurements of the quadriceps will be collected before and during passive knee extension stretches with the isokinetic dynamometer using angular displacement, torque, and angular velocity. Results: This study showed significant differences of resistive torque values (peak and mean) between controls and individuals with high CP. A significant difference of resistive torque values (peak and mean) was also shown between left and right lower extremities. A significant difference between different velocities was not found comparing mean resistive torque values but was found comparing peak resistive torque values at 180°/s to all of the other velocities. Conclusions: Dynamometry is able to detect muscle contractions that resist gravity by detecting the amount of torque present. A higher negative resistive torque value represents little to no muscle contraction present while a lower negative resistive torque value represents high muscle contraction present that was resisting gravity. Future research is needed to examine underlying mechanisms with the joint use of dynamometry and surface Electromyography (sEMG)

Letter from President-Elect

The JSMAHS is proud to present Volume 5 Issue 1 of the journal. This issue comes in conjunction with the OATA Annual Symposium and Meeting Poster Presentations. Please enjoy this innovative research and letter from your President-Elect, Brian Huck

A Letter from the President

Thank you for viewing this Special Edition of the Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences. As we continue to grow and continue to provide a platform for excellent scholarship your continued support is greatly appreciated

Scapular Fracture in a Collegiate Football Player: A Case Study

In volume 4, Issue 1 of the JSMAHS you will find Professional Research Abstracts, as well as Bachelor Student Research Abstracts and Case Reports. Thank you for viewing this 4th Annual OATA Special Editio