A knowledge of neck strength is important for developing conditioning protocols and for evaluating the relationship between neck strength and head and neck injury, but very few studies have examined neck strength in relationship to athletic participation. The purpose of this study was to quantify isometric neck strength in collegiate and high school athletes. We hypothesized that (a) male athletes would have significantly greater neck strength than females; (b) collegiate athletes would be significantly stronger than high school athletes; and (c) neck strength would vary significantly with head posture. A total of 149 subjects participated (77 men and 72 women; 90 college and 59 high school level). Flexion, extension, and lateral flexion neck strength were measured in neutral and rotated head and neck postures. Neck strength varied significantly according to participants' sex, age, and posture (p < 0.05). Male college students were stronger than those in all other groups (female college students, male high school students, and female high school students). The average female neck strength was 61, 54, and 56% of the average male neck strength for extension, flexion, and lateral flexion, respectively. High school athletes' neck strength was 75, 68, and 65% of collegiate athletes' neck strength for extension, flexion, and lateral flexion, respectively. On average, neck strength was the greatest for extension compared with other force directions. The subjects showed large variation in neck strength with posture, but in general, there were no consistent trends among the subjects. This finding suggests that those whose neck strength was considerably lower in nonneutral postures may consider training to increase strength in rotated postures. These data provide important baseline information for future studies evaluating injury risk or training protocols.
The purpose of this article is to propose creation of a consistent, measureable 12-week aquatic exercise progression for individuals diagnosed with asthma. An aquatic exercise option not requiring swim skills may offer real value, but no previous literature explicitly describes a standardized nonswimming aquatic exercise progression. Participants were diagnosed: medically managed asthmatics in a rural community. Guidelines set forth by AEA and ACSM were used in the development of the exercise program and progression. By the end of the 12 weeks, instructors were challenging participants with multilevel travel sets and complex timed sequences, meeting programmatic goals for exercise intensity progression. In conclusion, this 12-week aquatic exercise protocol could effectively be prescribed by aquatic exercise specialists to increase physical activity in an asthmatic population. The design may be used in research studies as a consistent and measurable treatment protocol. According to the National Health Interview Study, in 2007 approximately 40.6 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma at some point during their life. Approximately 16.2 million are affected by asthma symptoms daily. Asthma ranks within the most prevalent conditions causing limitation of activity, which can make asthmatics more likely to suffer from cardiovascular and metabolic conditions resulting from a sedentary lifestyle. Physical activity has been shown to have extensive health benefits both in normally functioning adults as well as in adults with asthma (Lucas & Platts-Mills, 2005; Pedersen & Saltin, 2006). Aquatic exercise programs focusing on respiratory endurance have significantly improved athletic performance in the general population (Romer, McConnell, & Jones, 2002a, 2002b). Researchers have also reported that individuals suffering from asthma typically have subnormal exercise tolerance (
Head impact sensors are increasingly used to quantify the frequency and magnitude of head impacts in sports. A dearth of information exists regarding head impact in un-helmeted sport, despite the substantial number of concussions experienced in these sports. This study evaluated the performance of one small form factor head impact sensor in both laboratory and field environments. In laboratory tests, sensor performance was assessed using a Hybrid III headform and neck. The headform assembly was mounted on a low-friction sled and impacted with three sports balls over a range of velocities (10-31 m/s) at two locations and from three directions. Measures of linear and angular acceleration obtained from the small form factor wireless sensor were compared to measures of linear and angular acceleration obtained by wired sensors mounted at the headform center of mass. Accuracy of the sensor varied inversely with impact magnitude, with relative differences across test conditions ranging from 0.1% to 266.0% for peak linear acceleration and 4.7% to 94.6% for peak angular acceleration when compared to a wired reference system. In the field evaluation, eight male high school soccer players were instrumented with the head impact sensor in seven games. Video of the games was synchronized with sensor data and reviewed to determine the number of false positive and false negative head acceleration event classifications. Of the 98 events classified as valid by the sensor, 20.5% (20 impacts) did not result from contact with the ball, another player, the ground or player motion and were therefore considered false positives. Video review of events classified as invalid or spurious by the sensor found 77.8% (14 of 18 impacts) to be due to contact with the ball, another player or player motion and were considered false negatives.
This paper investigates the over-representation of student-athletes in academic majors, a pattern known as clustering. Three issues are examined. The first is whether clustering occurs at college entrance or later. The second is whether some athletes are at extra risk of clustering. The third is whether clustering contributes to future income inequalities. Analyses of a major university's student records revealed that athletes clustered at the start of college but the tendency to do so was moderated by race, sex, and type of sport played. Clustering also intensified greatly over time, particularly for African American athletes. By the eighth semester, 64% of African American athletes were social science majors. In the short-term, clustering lowered athletes' projected incomes, but long-term income projections based on academic major slightly favored groups of athletes who clustered within the social sciences.
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