Your search

Athletic trainers have assumed several roles and responsibilities over the years, but perhaps there is no more important role than that of a counselor. Are they prepared to do so? One hundred and thirty-two modified Revised Wylie Inventories were mailed to college/university athletic trainers to examine their educational preparation and experiences with counseling in various areas. Most athletic trainers surveyed reported that they were predominantly counseling in the areas of injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, and nutrition, and felt academically prepared to do so. However, it was reported that preparation to counsel in other less common areas (eg, family matters, financial matters, etc) was not adequately addressed in academic programs. The athletic trainers surveyed sought continuing education in order to meet the other counseling needs of student-athletes. Although they used several psychological referral services, it was apparent that most athletic trainers frequently served as counselors on many nonorthopedic topics. We suggest that athletic training educators consider incorporating both academic knowledge and clinical experience in a wider variety of counseling areas into their curricula.

A 37-year-old male ruptured the distal biceps brachii tendon performing a gymnastics routine. At Week 8 postsurgery, a bilateral isokinetic test demonstrated a 64 and 50% (at 60° • s-1and 300° • s-1) peak torque deficit between uninjured and injured arms during elbow flexion. The subject participated in a concentric isokinetic exercise program 3 days a week for 4 months. At 1 year postsurgery a bilateral test demonstrated a 14% deficit in peak torque at 60° • s-1, and faster test velocities of 180° • s-1and 300° • s-1indicated higher torques for the injured biceps muscle. The rehabilitation program returned the ruptured biceps to a level of concentric strength nearly equivalent to the contralateral limb at the velocities tested. © 1995 National Strength & Conditioning Association.

The purpose of this investigation was to identify dynamic balance strategies used by 18 boys and girls who were deaf. Each child was simultaneously videotaped from the frontal and sagittal planes while walking forward on a balance beam and stepping over a stick placed knee high. Next their performance was evaluated on a pass-fail basis. Following testing, each participant was assigned to the respective group (pass n = 9; fail n = 9) for kinematic analysis. Based on a discriminant function analysis of the data, head and trunk ranges of motion (ROM) were significant (p < .05) predictors of pass/fail performance. Children in the fail group had significantly greater head and trunk sway causing them to lose balance. Factors contributing to poor dynamic balance among children who are deaf are discussed as are implications for intervention and further research.

A characteristic of scapulothoracic dysfunction is the tendency for the upper regions of the trapezius to hypertrophy in relation to its middle and lower portions. This creates a muscular imbalance that can alter scapular position and subsequently the length-tension relationship of the shoulder muscles. Tape was applied over the right upper trapezius to inhibit electrical activity in the muscles of 10 uninjured subjects. EMG activity was recorded in two locations of the upper trapezius and one location in the middle to lower trapezius region while each subject maintained an isometric contraction designed to activate both muscles. With the tape applied, there was a statistically significant reduction in EMG activity of the upper trapezius with a corresponding increase in the middle/lower trapezius. The ability of the tape to alter trapezius activity in this fashion may help correct muscular imbalances in the trapezius muscle.

The purposes of this article are to identify exercise performance-related factors that may contribute to shoulder pain and dysfunction and to describe appropriate training strategies for promoting shoulder stability and enhanced function. This article is not intended to help the reader diagnose and treat injuries or prescribe therapeutic interventions. Strength and conditioning professionals should encourage injured clients to consult a physician, physical therapist, or other appropriate health care professional before starting a conditioning program. © National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Arthritic conditions affect more than 40 million americans and are a major cause of physical disability. Resistance training has been found to improve muscular performance in persons with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. This column discusses the benefits of resistance training in persons with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and provides general suggestions for developing safe, effective resistance training programs. © National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Learning objective: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) significantly affects quality of life, particularly when doing activities such as walking and climbing stairs. In addition, persons with PAD have an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, and limb amputations. This article will summarize PAD, address exercise benefits specific to the disease, and discuss exercise training for those with PAD in both the clinical and the health and fitness setting. © 2010 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Weightlifting movements require sufficient body speed to squat down and catch the barbell. Body speed can only be maximized if the correct positions are reached before the turnover and catch phases. The snatch from full extension (SFFE) and the clean from full extension (CFFE) allow the athlete to transition from the full extension position to a quick squat underneath the barbell. The SFFE and CFFE can be included into the warm-up or cooldown periods of a training session, focusing on the respective lifts. Correct body positions and speed, as opposed to barbell load, should be emphasized.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between ankle-brachial index (ABI) and indicators of cognitive function. Design: Randomized clinical trial (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Trial). Setting: Eight US academic centers. Participants: A total of 1601 adults ages 70-89 years, sedentary, without dementia, and with functional limitations. Measurements: Baseline ABI and interviewer- and computer-administered cognitive function assessments were obtained. These assessments were used to compare a physical activity intervention with a health education control. Cognitive function was reassessed 24 months later (interviewer-administered) and 18 or 30 months later (computer-administered) and central adjudication was used to classify individuals as having mild cognitive impairment, probable dementia, or neither. Results: Lower ABI had a modest independent association with poorer cognitive functioning at baseline (partial r= 0.09; P < .001). Although lower baseline ABI was not associated with overall changes in cognitive function test scores, it was associated with higher odds for 2-year progression to a composite of either mild cognitive impairment or probable dementia (odds ratio 2.60 per unit lower ABI; 95% confidence interval 1.06-6.37). Across 2 years, changes in ABI were not associated with changes in cognitive function. Conclusion: In an older cohort sedentary individuals with dementia and with functional limitations, lower baseline ABI was independently correlated with cognitive function and associated with greater 2-year risk for progression to mild cognitive impairment or probable dementia. © 2015 AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of different pretest pedaling cadences on power outcomes obtained during the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT). Vigorously exercising adult men (n 14, 24.9 ± 1.2 years) and women (n 14, 20.4 ± 0.6 years) participated in a randomized crossover study during which they performed the 30-second WAnT on a mechanically braked cycle ergometer (0.075 kg·kg-1 body weight) under 2 conditions. Participants pedaled maximally with an unloaded flywheel during 5 seconds before resistance was applied and the test began (FAST). In another trial, participants maintained a moderate cadence (80 revolutions per minute [rpm]) during 5 seconds before the test began (MOD). All other components of the WAnT were identical. Peak power (PP), mean power (MP), minimum power (MinP), fatigue index (%FAT), and maximum cadence during test were recorded. Comparisons were made using a 2 × 2 factorial repeated-measures analysis of variance. Regardless of gender, the FAST condition resulted in 22.2% lower PP (612.6 ± 33.0 W vs. 788.3 ± 43.5 W), 13.3% lower MP (448.4 ± 22.2 W vs. 517.2 ± 26.4 W), 11.7% lower MinP (280.9 ± 14.8 W vs. 318.3 ± 17.2 W), and 9.0% lower %FAT (53.5 ± 1.3% vs. 58.8 ± 1.5%) than MOD condition (p < 0.01; mean ± SD). Similar outcomes were observed within gender. The authors conclude that practitioners of the WAnT should instruct participants to maintain a moderate pedal cadence (∼80 rpm) during 5 seconds before the test commences to avoid bias from software sampling and peripheral fatigue. Standardizing the pretest pedal cadence will be important to exercise testing professionals who compare data with norms or generate norms for specific populations. © 2015 National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Background--Data are sparse regarding the value of physical activity (PA) surveillance among older adults-particularly among those with mobility limitations. The objective of this study was to examine longitudinal associations between objectively measured daily PA and the incidence of cardiovascular events among older adults in the LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) study. Methods and Results--Cardiovascular events were adjudicated based on medical records review, and cardiovascular risk factors were controlled for in the analysis. Home-based activity data were collected by hip-worn accelerometers at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 months postrandomization to either a physical activity or health education intervention. LIFE study participants (n=1590; age 78.9±5.2 [SD] years; 67.2% women) at baseline had an 11% lower incidence of experiencing a subsequent cardiovascular event per 500 steps taken per day based on activity data (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.96; P=0.001). At baseline, every 30 minutes spent performing activities ≥500 counts per minute (hazard ratio, 0.75; confidence interval, 0.65-0.89 [P=0.001]) were also associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events. Throughout follow-up (6, 12, and 24 months), both the number of steps per day (per 500 steps; hazard ratio, 0.90, confidence interval, 0.85-0.96 [P=0.001]) and duration of activity ≥500 counts per minute (per 30 minutes; hazard ratio, 0.76; confidence interval, 0.63-0.90 [P=0.002]) were significantly associated with lower cardiovascular event rates. Conclusions--Objective measurements of physical activity via accelerometry were associated with cardiovascular events among older adults with limited mobility (summary score > 10 on the Short Physical Performance Battery) both using baseline and longitudinal data. © 2017 The Authors.

Prevention of sports injuries is a priority for sport stakeholders across the spectrum of training and competition. Achieving this objective requires a multidisciplinary approach with strength and conditioning coaches playing an important role in the process. When considering sports injury prevention strategies, the role of the strength and conditioning coach can extend beyond observing exercise technique and prescribing training to develop a robust and resilient athlete. This paper provides strength and conditioning coaches with a broad overview of the sports injury prevention process and outlines examples of how strength and conditioning coaches can work to promote and improve athlete safety. © 2017 National Strength and Conditioning Association.

BACKGROUND: Despite the positive impact of social and emotional learning (SEL) on the emotional well-being of children, literature on physical activity engagement and SEL among this population has been limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether school students' SEL would improve after participation in a before-school physical activity program. METHODS: A total of 138 fourth and sixth grade students from 1 elementary school and 1 middle school participated in this study. Seventy-five students participated in the before-school physical activity program, while 63 students were in the control group. The physical education teachers implemented the program 3 days per week, for 3 weeks. The participants completed a 10-question adapted Devereux Student Strengths Assessment-Mini before and after the program. Repeated measures ANOVA was run to determine the effects of the program on SEL competence. RESULTS: The fourth and sixth grade students who participated in the program reported a 7 and 10% improvement in pre- versus post-intervention SEL competence, respectively. Students in the control group reported no change in their SEL competence. CONCLUSION: Considering the benefits of a before-school physical activity program on students' SEL, stakeholders should consider including more physical activity programming within school policies. © 2022 American School Health Association.

Purpose: Measuring heart rate recovery (HRR) holds valuable cardiovascular information and requires minimal technical skill and cost. Understanding the associations between HRR and more robust cardiovascular indicators, such as central systolic blood pressure (CSBP), can provide valuable cardiovascular information with less involvement. CSBP is a strong predictor of certain cardiovascular diseases. The study aims to examine the association between measures of HRR and CSBP and the augmentation index (AIx) in a group of young, healthy individuals and based on sex. Participants and Methods: One-hundred and seven participants (men – 55, women – 52) were measured for HRR at one minute (HRR1) and two minutes (HRR2) after maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) testing, CSBP, and the AIx at a heart rate of 75 beats∙min−1 (AIx@75). Results: The Pearson correlation indicated no association between HRR1, HRR2, and CSBP in men and women combined: r = 0.06, P = 0.53; r = 0.05, P = 0.59, respectively, or based on sex: men = r = 0.01, P = 0.95; r = 0.04, P = 0.79, respectively, and women = r = −0.05, P = 0.75; r = −0.09, P = 0.52, respectively. However, there were associations between HRR1 and AIx@75 in men and women combined: r = −0.37, P &lt; 0.001, and based on sex: men = r = −0.31, P = 0.02, and women = r = −0.38, P &lt; 0.01. Conclusion: Measures of HRR were not associated with CSBP in a combined group of young men and women or based on sex. Most measures of HRR, especially those established by parasympathetic nervous activity, were associated with lower AIx@75. Though measures of HRR might be good indicators of cardiovascular disease, they might not be good indicators of CSBP in young, healthy individuals. © 2022 Latchman et al.

Purpose: To determine whether perceived changes (i.e. perception of engagement during the pandemic relative to pre-pandemic) in specific health behaviors differ by weight status (i.e. healthy weight, overweight, obese). Design: Cross-sectional. Recruitment took place between June-August 2020, via social media posts and Qualtrics online panels. Setting: Participants completed the survey online through the Qualtrics platform. Sample: Analyses included N = 502 participants (≥18 years); 45.2% healthy weight (n = 227), 28.5% overweight (n = 143), and 26.3% obese (n = 132). Measures: Study-specific survey items included questions about demographics and perceived changes in health behaviors. Analysis: Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, race, ethnicity, gender, education, and COVID-19 diagnosis, assessed the odds of perceiving changes in health behaviors considered a risk for weight gain. Results: Participants with obesity, but not overweight, were significantly more likely to report deleterious changes to health behaviors compared to healthy weight peers, including: (1) decreased fruit/vegetable consumption [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.92; 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.13, 3.26)]; (2) increased processed food consumption [AOR = 1.85; 95%CI: (1.15, 3.00)]; (3) increased caloric intake [AOR = 1.66; 95% CI: (1.06, 2.61)]; (4) decreased physical activity [AOR = 2.07; 95%CI: (1.31, 3.28)]; and (5) deterioration in sleep quality [AOR = 2.07; 95%CI: (1.32, 3.25)]. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that adults with obesity may be at greater risk for unhealthy behaviors during a period of prolonged social distancing, potentially exacerbating the obesity epidemic. © The Author(s) 2021.

Context: The Athletic Training Locations and Services (ATLAS) Annual Report suggested that athletic trainer (AT) employment status differed based on geographic locale. However, the influence of geographic locale and school size on AT employment is unknown. Objective: To determine if differences existed in the odds of having AT services by locale for public and private schools and by student enrollment for public schools. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Public and private secondary schools with athletics programs. Patients or Other Participants: Data from 20 078 US public and private secondary schools were obtained. Main Outcome Measures(s): Data were collected by the ATLAS Project. Athletic trainer employment status, locale (city, suburban, town, or rural) for public and private schools, and school size category (large, moderate, medium, or small) only for public schools were obtained. The employment status of ATs was examined for each category using odds ratios. Logistic regression analysis produced a prediction model. Results: Of the 19 918 public and private schools with available AT employment status and locale, suburban schools had the highest access to AT services (80.1%) with increased odds compared with rural schools (odds ratio = 3.55 [95% CI = 3.28, 3.85]). Of 15 850 public schools with known AT employment status and student enrollment, large schools had the highest rate of AT services (92.1%) with nearly 18.5 times greater odds (odds ratio = 18.49 [95% CI = 16.20, 21.08]) versus small schools. The logistic model demonstrated that the odds of access to an AT increased by 2.883 times as the school size went up by 1 category. Conclusions: Nationally, suburban schools and large public schools had the greatest access to AT services compared with schools that were in more remote areas and with lower student enrollment. These findings elucidate the geographic locales and student enrollment levels with the highest prevalence of AT services. Ó by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, Inc