Robert H. Deusinger

Weight Changes, Exercise, and Dietary Patterns During Freshman and Sophomore Years of College

Weight gain and behavioral patterns during college may contribute to overweight and obesity in adulthood. The aims of this study were to assess weight, exercise, and dietary patterns of 764 college students (53% women, 47% men) during freshman and sophomore years. Students had their weight and height measured and completed questionnaires about their recent exercise and dietary patterns. At the beginning of freshman year, 29% of students reported not exercising, 70% ate fewer than 5 fruits and vegetables daily, and more than 50% ate fried or high-fat fast foods at least 3 times during the previous week. By the end of their sophomore year, 70% of the 290 students who were reassessed had gained weight (4.1 ± 3.6 kg, p> .001), but there was no apparent association with exercise or dietary patterns. Future research is needed to assess the contributions of fat, muscle, and bone mass to observed weight gain and to determine the health implications of these findings.

Changes in Weight and Health Behaviors from Freshman through Senior Year of College.

OBJECTIVE To assess weight changes, exercise and diet behaviors among college students from the beginning of freshman year until the end of senior year. DESIGN Longitudinal observational study. SETTING Private university in St. Louis, Missouri. PARTICIPANTS College students (138 females, 66 males). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Weight and height were measured, body mass index (BMI) was calculated, and exercise and dietary behaviors were assessed by questionnaire. ANALYSIS Changes in weight, BMI, exercise, and dietary patterns from the beginning of freshman year to the end of senior year. RESULTS Females gained 1.7 +/- 4.5 kg (3.75 +/- 9.92 lb) [mean +/- SD] from freshman to senior year, and males gained 4.2 +/- 6.4 kg (9.26 +/- 14.11 lb) (both P < .001). Weight changes were highly variable between students, however, ranging from -13.2 kg to +20.9 kg (-29.10 to +46.08 lb). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Weight gain was common but variable among college students. Importantly, exercise and dietary patterns did not meet the recommended guidelines for many college students, which may have long-term health implications.

Gender Differences in Surface Rolling and Gliding Kinematics of the Knee

The purpose of the current study was to determine whether knee surface rolling and gliding kinematics differed between genders during open and closed kinetic chain movement conditions. Eleven unimpaired adults (six men and five women) participated in this study. Sagittal plane path of instant center of rotation measurements were obtained with videographic motion analysis and applied to a mathematical knee model from which joint surface rolling and gliding kinematics were obtained. In addition, normalized electromyographic data were collected from subjects’ quadriceps and hamstring muscles. During closed kinetic chain knee extension, as the knee approached terminal extension, female participants showed significantly greater relative joint surface gliding than male participants. Female participants also extended the knee in the closed kinetic chain with less relative hamstring activity than males. The relationship between joint surface gliding and relative hamstring activity in females during closed kinetic chain knee extension may explain, in part, the greater incidence of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury that occurs in females.

Physical therapy in the emergency department: development of a novel practice venue.

Background and Purpose The American Physical Therapy Associations Vision 2020 advocates that physical therapists be integral members of health care teams responsible for diagnosing and managing movement and functional disorders. This report details the design and early implementation of a physical therapist service in the emergency department (ED) of a large, urban hospital and presents recommendations for assessing the effectiveness of physical therapists in this setting. Case Description Emergency departments serve multiple purposes in the American health care system, including care of patients with non–life-threatening illnesses. Physical therapists have expertise in screening for problems that are not amenable to physical therapy and in addressing a wide range of acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain problems. This expertise invites inclusion into the culture of ED practice. This administrative case report describes planning and early implementation of a physical therapist practice in an ED, shares preliminary outcomes, and provides suggestions for expansion and effectiveness testing of practice in this novel venue. Outcomes Referrals have increased and length of stay has decreased for patients receiving physical therapy. Preliminary surveys suggest high patient and practitioner satisfaction with physical therapy services. Outpatient physical therapy follow-up options were developed. Educating ED personnel to triage patients who show deficits in pain and functional mobility to physical therapy has challenged the usual culture of ED processes. Discussion Practice in the hospital ED enables physical therapists to fully use their knowledge, diagnostic skills, and ability to manage acute pain and musculoskeletal injury. Recommendations for future action are made to encourage more institutions across the country to incorporate physical therapy in EDs to enhance the process and outcome of nonemergent care.

Reliability and gender differences of internal skeletal dimensions using volumetric quantitative computed tomography

This study obtained internal skeletal dimensions of computed tomography (CT) tibiofemoral joint (TFJ) images that will be used to create skeletal based knee joint models. CT image data were acquired for knee joints of 10 subjects (4 males and 6 females). CT image data were converted to triangulated surface models using Materialize Mimics software then loaded into Geomagic Studio software for acquisition of tibial and femoral skeletal landmark location coordinates from which internal skeletal dimensions were obtained. A total of 28 skeletal landmark location coordinates were identified from which 28 internal skeletal dimensions were measured. Intertester and intratester reliability analyses were performed for the internal skeletal dimensions. Then internal skeletal dimensions were compared between male and female subjects. For all 28 internal skeletal dimensions intratester reliability coefficients ranged from 0.877 to 0.999. Six of the 28 internal skeletal dimensions were significantly smaller in females. Intratester reliability was excellent but intertester reliability was only fair. These results support continuation of this research.