No abstract

The results of this study give direction to specific behaviors in which staff of group-fitness programs might engage to positively influence members' exercise experiences.

No abstract

No abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the reason for faculty and staff (N=657; 35 percent males; M age=45.20) at a large Southern university, for either using or not using the free fitness facilities on campus. Design/methodology/approach – Participants identified themselves as either current (n=306), former (n=213), or never-users (n=138) of the facilities, and completed an on-line self-report qualitative questionnaire asking them to describe their reasons for using or not using the campus fitness facilities. Findings – Thematic coding revealed that motives fell into three broad categories for all user types: personal (i.e. cost, location, social support), facility-specific (i.e. quality and amount of equipment, class variety, hours of operation), and motivational climate (i.e. feeling valued, welcomed, best effort was emphasized). Current users highlighted positive aspects of each category whereas former and never users described each category as a barrier to their exercise routines. Practical implications – The identified themes offer campus administration specific suggestions to entice more non-users and former-users to exercise in the fitness facilities available on campus. Originality/value – While researchers have considered barriers to exercise in past studies, the barriers identified were not specific to fitness facilities. The current work not only examines individuals’ reasons for choosing or not choosing a campus fitness facility for their exercise, but also compares the perspectives of former- and never-users to current-users.

No abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between female college students' perceptions of the motivational climate in their aerobics classes to their adaptive exercise responses. Data were collected from university group exercise classes in spring 2008. The participants (N = 213) responded to a questionnaire measuring perceptions of the climate (i.e., caring, task-, and ego-involving), correlates of intrinsic motivation (i.e., interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, and tension/pressure), commitment to exercise, and reasons for exercising. Canonical correlation analyses revealed that participants who perceived a predominately caring, task-involving climate reported higher interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, and commitment to exercise, as well as lower tension/pressure. Further, those who perceived a high caring, task-involving, and low ego-involving climate were also more likely to report more health-related reasons for exercise versus appearance-focused reasons. Results suggested that important motivational benefits might exist when women perceive caring, task-involving climates in their aerobics class settings. Aerobics class instructors who intentionally create caring, task-involving climates may promote more adaptive motivational responses among their female participants.

Figure skaters are unique athletes who must train for extended periods of time performing motions and routines that create excessive compressive and shear forces between their malleoli and boots. As a result, they are susceptible to the development of a painful adventitious malleolar bursitis. Most often these patients will relate a recent increase in their training schedule or the purchase of a new pair of skating boots. This condition usually responds favorably to nonoperative measures including stretching of the boot over the affected area and protective padding placed around the inflamed bursa. If the swelling is marked, then an aspiration, subsequent injection with cortisone, and a compressive wrap may be indicated. This treatment regimen will enable the majority of figure skaters to continue skating. If the symptoms continue or increase despite nonoperative measures, then cessation of skating for a brief period must be considered. If this is not a viable option for the skater, surgical excision of the bursa may be warranted. If septic bursitis occurs, immediate surgical debridement and intravenous antibiotics are indicated. A Staphyloccocus aureus organism is most often responsible and should be treated with appropriate antibiotics. These patients may return to skating when there is no sign of further infection, the soft tissues have fully healed, and there is no sign of residual inflammatory bursa, usually at 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.