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Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Ankle--Wounds and injuries; Foot--Wounds and injuries; Academic theses;

Abstract

Context: Assessing outcomes measure, with pedometers, allows a practitioner to monitor an injury throughout recovery. Therefore, to be utilized in practice and research, step counts should be able to effectively detect changes in physical activity, under free-living conditions, throughout recovery following an ankle or foot injury for student-athletes. Therefore the purpose of this study was to provide evidence of reliability and sensitivity for physical activity under free-living conditions, via step counts, as a measure of function during recovery (3-14 days) following ankle and foot injuries for student athletes. Objective: Determine the reliability and sensitivity of physical activity under free-living conditions, via pedometers, during recovery (3-14 days) following ankle and foot injuries for student-athletes. Design: Observational, Matched-pair. Setting: Freeliving. Participants: 16 injured collegiate (n=8), high school (n=4), and recreational (n=4) athletes with a foot or ankle injury and 16 matched pairs (matched for gender, age, height, weight, and activity level). Methods: Over 12 days, injured and matched pair wore a pedometer (except during sleeping, grooming, practices, and PE classes). Also, FADI scores were collected on days 3, 7, and 14. Main Outcome Measures: Step Counts measured via a pedometer on days 3, 7, and 14 following foot and ankle injury and F ADI scores. Results: The 3x2 repeated measures ANOVA indicated no significant interactions (F = 0.877, df= 2, p = .430), no significant time effect (F=0.715, df= 2, p = 0.50), or injury status effect (F = 1.85, df= 1, p = 0.201). A separate Wilcoxon test indicated that F ADI scores were significantly lower for the injured participants at day three (Z = -3.4, p < 0.001), day seven (Z = -3.3, p < 0.001), and day 14 (Z = -3.1, p < 0.002) when compared to the healthy matched pairs. Furthermore, the Freidman's analysis indicated that F ADI scores had a significant time effect for the injured participants (x2 = 19.96, p <.0001). Post hoc Wilcoxon analyses revealed a significant increase from days three to seven (Z = -2.7, p < .008) and days seven to 14 (Z = -3.2, p < .001). However, there was no significant time effect in FADI scores for the healthy matched pairs (x2 = 0.001, p = 0.99). There was a strong and significant relationship at day 3 (p = 0.703, p < 0.007) between step counts and FADI scores. Therefore, as the number of step counts increased or decreased, the F ADI scores increased or decreased, respectively. However, there was no significant relationship at days 7 (p = -0.218, p = 0.453) or 14 (p = -0.364, p = 0.200). Conclusion: Physical activity under free-living conditions, measured by step counts, is not a reliable or sensitive measure of function following foot and ankle injuries with student-athletes.

Year of Submission

2011

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services

First Advisor

Todd E. Evans

Second Advisor

Windee Weiss

Third Advisor

Peter J. Neibert

Comments

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Date Original

2011

Object Description

1 PDF file (78 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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