Comparison of Recovery Procedures for the Reduction of Exercise Stress

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of three types of recovery procedure on (a) circulatory recovery from a standardized bicycle ergometer exercise, (b) performance in a second standardized bicycle ergometer exercise, and (c) circulatory recovery from the second exercise. The recovery procedures were complete rest, light activity, and cold showers. Each of 10 male subjects underwent each recovery procedure on separate days. Analysis of variance for a randomized complete blocks design was used in the analysis of the data. Results indicated that cold showers decreased recovery heart rate after the first standardized exercise from 115 to 96 beats/minute and after the second exercise from 164 to 152 beats/ minute when compared with the other two conditions. Speed of performance in the second exercise was improved from 40.4 and 40.3 sec. in the case of rest and light activity to 38.9 sec. for cold showers. These improvements were all statistically significant at the .05 level. Three physiological explanations, not necessarily independent, are advanced: (a) local vasoconstriction of the skin vessels and vasodilatation of the muscle vessels causing a greater proportion of total blood flow to the working muscles, (b) establishment of a greater thermal gradient between the core and shell of the body allowing heat movement to the surface of the body by conduction between tissues rather than by skin blood flow, and (c) a decrease in sweat rate, thereby suppressing release of bradykinin, a vasodilator substance.     

Baumgartner's Modified Pull-Up Test For Male and Female Elementary School Aged Children

Abstract

Nineteen college men and women (aged 18–23 yrs, × = 21.1) were studied to ascertain the force-time components of a rapid maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) for ankle dorsiflexors, knee extensors, elbow flexors, wrist flexors and hand grip. Standardized isometric strength testing protocol was used. After a practice period subjects were instructed to make an MVC without jerking and as quickly as possible, for each of the muscle actions noted above. Force readings were taken from a load cell assembly through an analogue-to-digital converter and analyzed to yield time values for MVC, 3/4 MVC, 1/2 MVC, and 1/4 MVC. The results indicated significant differences (p < .01) between the responses of the men and women, with the women reaching full MVC more rapidly than the men. Also, there were significant differences among the five muscle groups tested, with the wrist flexor muscle group developing MVC most quickly, while the knee extensors took the longest time to full MVC. Based upon these data it may be concluded that the time to full MVC differs between men and women, and also that the time to full MVC differs among the five muscle groups tested in this experiment.     

Thurstone Scale for Measuring Attitudes of College Students toward Physical Fitness and Exercise

Abstract

Employing modified Thurstone techniques, two equivalent forms of an equal-appearing intervals attitude scale were constructed around the topic “physical fitness and exercise.” Experimental test items were subjected to an extensive refinement process preceding the formulation of the final alternate test forms. Validity of the test was based upon authoritative opinion and expert judgment. A reliability coefficient derived from test, retest sampling was .83 ± .06. A correlation coefficient of .87 ± .03 was obtained on the parallel lest forms.     

Gender Relations,Education and Social Change in Poland

The significance of patterns of gender inequality in education in Poland cannot be adequately grasped without a wider understanding of the specific nature of gender relations under State socialism. The present article approaches this problem by posing a fundamental question: how is it possible to reconcile what is known concerning gender inequalities and the sexual division of labour in Poland with the documented absence of feminist awareness in that country? The answer is sought in terms of the specific ways in which the public and private domains exist under State socialism. The analysis provides an interpretation of social transition in Poland, arguing that this fundamentally entails a shift in the nature of patriarchy. The conclusion is that the lived experience of a ‘civil society’ and the revaluation of gender identity this brings, is prerequisite if sexist thinking and practice is to be perceived as such and challenged—in education as in other areas of social life.     

Student Drivers and the Fiduciary Duty of School Boards

Following E.D.G. v. Hammer, Canadian law has held that school boards, although they have a fiduciary duty to their students, do not guarantee the safety of their students from the acts of their employees. The scope of that fiduciary duty is narrow, restricted to a board acting with disloyalty, in bad faith, or in a conflict of interest to its students, which causes them injury. This paper takes the position that the scope of that duty should include cases where a school board’s policy allows students to use their own cars to drive fellow students to school-sponsored functions.     

Maltreated children's developmental scores: treatment versus nontreatment

Following treatment in a therapeutic day treatment program, a group of 35 maltreated children were compared to a matched group of 35 maltreated children who had not been enrolled in a therapeutic day treatment program. The results of matched pairs t-test analyses indicated that the treatment subjects had significantly higher developmental scores in five areas of development--fine motor, cognitive, gross motor, social/emotional, and language. Further, pretest and posttest comparisons of the percentile scores of the treatment group indicated that the posttest scores were significantly higher than the pretest scores. This study demonstrates that remediation of developmental delays in maltreated children under the age of 6 years can be accomplished through an intensive day treatment program.