Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if various convenient and cost affordable body composition techniques correlate well with more expensive “gold standard ” instruments for measuring body composition in female collegiate... more
Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if various convenient and cost affordable body composition techniques correlate well with more expensive “gold standard ” instruments for measuring body composition in female collegiate athletes. Methods: Thirty-two Division I track and field and basketball female athletes participated in the study. The host university’s Institutional Review Board approved the protocols towards ethical treatment of all subjects before the study commenced. Within one hour, each subject underwent body composition assessments via air displacement plethysmography (ADP), skinfold (SF) measurements, and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Results: No significant differences were found between basketball and track athletes thus data was normalized. No significant difference in calculated percent body fat was noted between ADP and SF (p =.002), but there was a significant difference between ADP and BIA (p =.478). Per Pearson correlations, moderate corre...
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Introduction: The reported prevalence of heart disease in asymptomatic adolescents is approximately 3.6%, while sudden cardiac death (SCD)is estimated at 0.6 to 6.2 per 100,000. While the incidence of SCD may be low, the potential for... more
Introduction: The reported prevalence of heart disease in asymptomatic adolescents is approximately 3.6%, while sudden cardiac death (SCD)is estimated at 0.6 to 6.2 per 100,000. While the incidence of SCD may be low, the potential for prevention is high, since almost all cases occur in individuals with a pre-existing cardiac abnormality. The identification of cardiac problems is highly dependent on the examination process. The recommendation of the American Heart Association for adolescents and young adults engaging in athletic events is a health screen that includes a personal and family medical history, and a physical examination. The purpose of this study was to establish prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in asymptomatic adolescents and young adults using 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and modified echocardiogram (echo) results. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in adolescents and young adults is higher than previously reported. Methods: ...
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Methamphetamine (meth) is the most widely used illegal stimulant in the United States and is especially prevalent in Midwestern states. The sense of euphoria caused by the drug, the ease of manufacturing and the relatively low cost make... more
Methamphetamine (meth) is the most widely used illegal stimulant in the United States and is especially prevalent in Midwestern states. The sense of euphoria caused by the drug, the ease of manufacturing and the relatively low cost make it a drug of choice for many. The broad range of systemic effects potentially caused by the use of this drug is wide reaching and can vary in degree and presentation from patient to patient. Abnormalities include cardiac and pulmonary disorders as well as observable integumentary problems, psychoses, CNS disturbances, problems associated with immunity and constitutional signs and symptoms. Health care providers need to be vigilant in their efforts to identify patients who may be users of meth and to identify any subtle abnormal findings that may be indicative of significant underlying systemic pathology. Questionnaires like the RAFFT (Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble) and the MINI (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) can be helpful i...
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To analyze the effectiveness of the American Red Cross Emergency Response Course (ARC ERC) in improving decision-making skills of physical therapists (PTs) and third semester clinical doctorate student physical therapists (SPTs) when... more
To analyze the effectiveness of the American Red Cross Emergency Response Course (ARC ERC) in improving decision-making skills of physical therapists (PTs) and third semester clinical doctorate student physical therapists (SPTs) when assessing acute sports injuries and medical conditions. An existing questionnaire was modified, with permission from the original authors of the instrument. The questionnaire was administered to PTs and SPTs before the start of and immediately after the completion of 5 different ARC ERCs. The overall percentages of "Appropriate" responses for the 17 case scenarios were calculated for each participant for the pre-and post-tests. Participants also rated their perceived level of preparedness for managing various conditions using a 5-point Likert Scale (ranging from Prepared to Unprepared). The overall percentage of "Prepared/Somewhat Prepared" responses for the 16 medical conditions was calculated for each participant for the pre-and po...