ABSTRACT
The sport of volleyball creates considerable dynamic trunk stability demands. Back injury occurs all too frequently in volleyball, particularly among female athletes. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to review functional anatomy, muscle coactivation strategies, assessment of trunk muscle performance, and the characteristics of effective exercises for the trunk or core. From this information, a conceptual progressive 3-phase volleyball-specific training program is presented to improve dynamic trunk stability and to potentially reduce the incidence of back injury among volleyball athletes. Phase 1 addresses low-velocity motor control, kinesthetic awareness, and endurance, with the clinician providing cues to teach achievement of biomechanically neutral spine alignment. Phase 2 focuses on progressively higher velocity dynamic multiplanar endurance, coordination, and strength-power challenges integrating upper and lower extremity movements, while maintaining neutral spine alignment. Phase 3 integrates volleyball-specific skill simulations by breaking down composite movement patterns into their component parts, with differing dynamic trunk stability requirements, while maintaining neutral spine alignment. Prospective research is needed to validate the efficacy of this program.
Subject(s)
Abdominal Muscles/anatomy & histology , Back Injuries/prevention & control , Muscle Contraction/physiology , Volleyball/injuries , Abdominal Muscles/physiology , Electromyography , Humans , Muscle StrengthABSTRACT
Childhood obesity is an increasing health problem because of its strong associations with chronic health problems in children and adults. Obesity during childhood commonly persists into adulthood and is resistant to interventions that involve only recommendations to decrease caloric intake and to increase caloric expenditure through increased physical activity. The challenge with this approach to childhood obesity is that it is not theoretically based, nor does it consider the child's or the parent's perceptions of the health problem or their transition along the stages of behavioral change. Case management has been proven to be successful in managing various chronic health problems in both adults and children. This article will introduce a new intervention model based on the transtheoretical framework by utilizing case management in a primary care setting to treat childhood obesity.
Subject(s)
Case Management/organization & administration , Child Nutrition Disorders/prevention & control , Models, Nursing , Models, Psychological , Obesity/prevention & control , Primary Health Care/organization & administration , Attitude to Health , Child , Child Behavior/psychology , Child Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology , Child Nutrition Disorders/psychology , Energy Intake , Exercise , Feeding Behavior , Health Behavior , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Life Style , Nurse's Role/psychology , Nursing Assessment , Obesity/epidemiology , Obesity/psychology , Patient Education as Topic , Pediatric Nursing/organization & administration , Psychology, Child , Self Care/psychology , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Childhood obesity is an increasing health concern that is strongly associated with chronic health problems persisting into adulthood. Obesity in childhood is resistant to interventions that involve only recommendations to decrease caloric intake and to increase caloric expenditure. The challenge with this approach to childhood obesity is twofold: It is neither theoretically based nor does it consider the children's or their parent's perceptions of their health problems. Of significance, this traditional approach also ignores the transition along the stages of behavioral change. Case management has proven to be successful in managing various chronic health problems in both adults and children. This case study will present a new intervention model to treat childhood obesity based on the transtheoretical framework utilizing case management in a primary care setting.
