Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

Kinesiology and Sport Studies

Date of Award

12-2011

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Michael W. Ramsey

Committee Members

Duane A. Williams, Hugh S. Lamont, Kimi Sato

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of isometric mid-thigh pulls to determine lower-limb asymmetrical strength differences in NCAA D-I athletes. Sixty-six subjects (40 males and 26 females) performed 2 maximal effort isometric pulls over two force plates sampling at 1000 Hz each. Peak force was scaled for body weight, and rate of force development was examined from 0-200ms. Results of the study show subjects' produced significantly greater scaled force with the left leg as compared to the right leg; however, no significant differences existed for rate of force development (RFD). Men exhibited significant differences between both scaled peak force and RFD, while women only showed significant differences in scaled peak force. Of the 66 subjects tested, 6 subjects (5 men and 1 woman) exhibited percent differences of 15% or greater asymmetry for scaled peak force. The results indicate that isometric mid-thigh pulls are a way to show the presence of asymmetries in D-I athletes.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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