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Biomedical subjects

D J Cotten

Publications and source records attributed to D J Cotten.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

An analysis of the NCYFS II Modified Pull-up Test.

The findings of this study are summarized as follows: 1. To obtain a reliable pull-up score for male subjects, it is necessary to administer the test on two days and use the mean of the two scores. For female subjects, a reliable score may be obtained by administering the test once. 2. The test scores are weight-dependent for both sexes, but particularly for the older females. 3. The test is far superior to the pull-up and flexed-arm hang tests in regard to the zero-score problem. Zero scores are virtually eliminated with the modified pull-up test. In conclusion, the NCYFS II Modified Pull-up Test has two weaknesses--reliability for male subjects and weight dependency. The test, however, seems to be less weight dependent than the pull-ups or flexed-arm hang tests and virtually eliminates the zero-score problem. It therefore seems to be the most desirable of the tests of upper body strength currently in use. Further research regarding the validity of the test is recommended.

Body Weight

Effects of fatigue on stabilometer performance and learning of males and females.

The effect of severe physical fatigue on the learning and performance of males and females was compared. The task used in the study was a stabilometer balance task, and fatigue was induced by walking on a treadmill. Thirty male and 30 female subjects were randomly assigned to 2 experimental and 2 control groups. Each subject was pretested, received 20 trials, and was post-tested the following day. The experimental groups were fatigued to a heart rate between 175 and 180 bpm for 5 minutes prior to the first trial and for one minute following every second trial. The control groups were not fatigued. Both time on balance (TOB) and total error (TE) scores were recorded for each trial. The TOB data indicated that fatigue was detrimental to both performance and learning of this dynamic balance task. In addition, the TOB learning data revealed that learning is detrimentally affected by fatigue. Conclusions were that severe fatigue is detrimental to both performance and learning of stabilometer balance and that fatigue has similar effects on balance performance and learning of males and females.

Fatigue