Comparison of Muscle Activity Using Unstable Devices During a Forward Lunge.

Context: Unstable devices in various forms are used as therapeutic adjuncts for prevention or following an injury. A slip-over-the-shoe design with inflatable domes (STEPRIGHT® Stability Trainer) was developed to improve balance. It is unknown how this unstable device affects muscle activity during a closed-chain exercise such as the forward lunge.

Electromyographic assessment of muscle activity between genders during unilateral weight-bearing tasks using adjusted distances.

Purpose/background: Researchers have observed differences in muscle activity patterns between males and females during functional exercises. The research methods employed have used various step heights and lunge distances to assess functional exercise making gender comparisons difficult. The purpose of this study was to examine core and lower extremity muscle activity between genders during single-limb exercises using adjusted distances and step heights based on a percentage of the participant's height.

Dynamic Balance Differences as Measured by the Star Excursion Balance Test Between Adult-aged and Middle-aged Women.

Background: Middle-aged women have less postural control than younger women. The Star Excursion Balance Test is a functional and inexpensive postural control measurement tool that is sensitive to age-related changes in balance.

Hypothesis: The middle-aged females will experience lower excursion scores compared with the younger women.

Use of a functional movement screening tool to determine injury risk in female collegiate athletes.

Background: Athletes often utilize compensatory movement strategies to achieve high performance. However, these inefficient movement strategies may reinforce poor biomechanical movement patterns during typical activities, resulting in injury.

Objectives: This study sought to determine if compensatory movement patterns predispose female collegiate athletes to injury, and if a functional movement screening (FMS™) tool can be used to predict injuries in this population.

Comparison of training between 2 cycle ergometers on dynamic balance for middle-aged women.

Context: Interval cycle training could positively influence dynamic balance in middle-aged women.

Objective: To compare training effects of a strength ergometer and a standard ergometer on 3 dynamic balance tests.

Design: Repeated measures.

Strength cycle training: effects on muscular strength and aerobic conditioning.

The strength cycle ergometer has been proposed as a method of simultaneously increasing aerobic conditioning and muscular strength, because of its unique capacity of disengaging the pedal crank, thus allowing for concurrent single-leg cycling. The purpose of this study was to assess the aerobic and muscular strength effects of strength cycle training (SCT), comparing it to similar standard cycle training. A total of 28 recreationally-trained adult subjects (9 men, 19 women) were paired for VO2peak and randomly assigned to either SCT or Monark cycle training (MCT).