title: The use of compression garments for recovery following team-sport exercise

authors: Atkins, Rebecca Leith

subjects: fatigue

abstract: Recovery interventions are constantly being sought after and investigated to determine which method is the most beneficial for exercise recovery. Some athletes (e.g. basketball) must prepare for events such as 3-5 day tournaments; during these types of tournaments, there is a short turn around between games, often having to play multiple games within a 24h period (e.g. two games on the same day or one at night and one in the morning). The short turn around presents a limited time for recovery, which means interventions are often implemented to assist in expediting the recovery rate. The use of compression garments following exercise has been said to increase the rate of recovery by increasing blood flow, reducing space for swelling and reducing levels of muscle damage and inflammatory markers. Research has been performed in different sports and for different time frames when wearing compression garments following exercise. This thesis will firstly review the current literature on compression garments used for recovery in the sport setting and identify the gaps in the literature. The thesis then includes an experimental study in chapter 2, which investigates the effects of compression garments (full length, lower-limb) worn overnight (approx. 15 hours) on markers of recovery, in an attempt to fill some of the gaps highlighted in the literature review. 
The experimental study in this thesis included a parallel-group design, where 30 male basketball athletes (mean ± SD age: 23 ± 4 years) were allocated to either a control group (participants wore loose-fitted clothing following exercise) or an experimental group (participants wore lower-limb compression garments following exercise). An exercise session including basketball specific movements was used to induce physical fatigue. Physical tests (countermovement jump, 20m repeated sprints and 5-0-5 agility tests) and perceptual measures (fatigue and muscle soreness) were conducted pre-exercise, post-exercise and the following morning 15h post-exercise. Perceived and actual sleep measures were recorded during the overnight stay in the laboratory. The main result found in the original study was the perceptual ratings of muscle soreness and fatigue. The results were in favour of the compression garments group with large differences (d = -1.27 and d = -1.61 respectively) and significant improvement (p = 0.04) compared to a control group. This thesis adds knowledge to the existing literature on compression garment use for recovery in a team sport, reporting the limitations, practical implications and future research directions for compression garment in recovery.

text: The use of compression garments for recovery following team-sport exercise Recovery interventions are constantly being sought after and investigated to determine which method is the most beneficial for exercise recovery. Some athletes (e.g. basketball) must prepare for events such as 3-5 day tournaments; during these types of tournaments, there is a short turn around between games, often having to play multiple games within a 24h period (e.g. two games on the same day or one at night and one in the morning). The short turn around presents a limited time for recovery, which means interventions are often implemented to assist in expediting the recovery rate. The use of compression garments following exercise has been said to increase the rate of recovery by increasing blood flow, reducing space for swelling and reducing levels of muscle damage and inflammatory markers. Research has been performed in different sports and for different time frames when wearing compression garments following exercise. This thesis will firstly review the current literature on compression garments used for recovery in the sport setting and identify the gaps in the literature. The thesis then includes an experimental study in chapter 2, which investigates the effects of compression garments (full length, lower-limb) worn overnight (approx. 15 hours) on markers of recovery, in an attempt to fill some of the gaps highlighted in the literature review. 
The experimental study in this thesis included a parallel-group design, where 30 male basketball athletes (mean ± SD age: 23 ± 4 years) were allocated to either a control group (participants wore loose-fitted clothing following exercise) or an experimental group (participants wore lower-limb compression garments following exercise). An exercise session including basketball specific movements was used to induce physical fatigue. Physical tests (countermovement jump, 20m repeated sprints and 5-0-5 agility tests) and perceptual measures (fatigue and muscle soreness) were conducted pre-exercise, post-exercise and the following morning 15h post-exercise. Perceived and actual sleep measures were recorded during the overnight stay in the laboratory. The main result found in the original study was the perceptual ratings of muscle soreness and fatigue. The results were in favour of the compression garments group with large differences (d = -1.27 and d = -1.61 respectively) and significant improvement (p = 0.04) compared to a control group. This thesis adds knowledge to the existing literature on compression garment use for recovery in a team sport, reporting the limitations, practical implications and future research directions for compression garment in recovery.

year: 2019

title: Factors Affecting Caregiver Outcomes

authors: Calder, Nicole

subjects: caregiver

abstract: Research in the area of caregiving has tended to focus on the impact of the caregiving experience itself without consideration of continued psychological distress for caregivers after institutionalisation or death. Seven caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer's Dementia (mostly spousal) were interviewed about their experiences of caregiving and their emotional well-being after placement of their loved one into a residential care facility or death. The  nature of the carers relationship with their loved one (e.g.  highly dependent), lack of social supports, inactivity and a poor experience of transition into care seemed to be factors relating to poorer outcomes for these caregivers. Utilisation of social supports, involvement in pleasant events, adequate preparation and information relating to the disease and collaboratively planned transition into care played protective roles for the remaining carers who reported decreased levels of anxiety, guilt, depression and stress post-institutionalisation/death. The implications of the current research for practise, policy change and prevention are extensive and suggest that risk factors may be identifiable and thus poorer mental health outcomes in caregivers preventable. A need for greater support to be made available to caregivers is necessary.

text: Factors Affecting Caregiver Outcomes Research in the area of caregiving has tended to focus on the impact of the caregiving experience itself without consideration of continued psychological distress for caregivers after institutionalisation or death. Seven caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer's Dementia (mostly spousal) were interviewed about their experiences of caregiving and their emotional well-being after placement of their loved one into a residential care facility or death. The  nature of the carers relationship with their loved one (e.g.  highly dependent), lack of social supports, inactivity and a poor experience of transition into care seemed to be factors relating to poorer outcomes for these caregivers. Utilisation of social supports, involvement in pleasant events, adequate preparation and information relating to the disease and collaboratively planned transition into care played protective roles for the remaining carers who reported decreased levels of anxiety, guilt, depression and stress post-institutionalisation/death. The implications of the current research for practise, policy change and prevention are extensive and suggest that risk factors may be identifiable and thus poorer mental health outcomes in caregivers preventable. A need for greater support to be made available to caregivers is necessary.

year: 2008

title: “Whānau Vibes”: Reclamation of self, space and community within group fitness gyms.

authors: Metekingi, Cydney

abstract: Group fitness gyms are becoming more popular in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This thesis is an investigation of the lived experiences of Māori members within a commercialised fitness space called BFT Hamilton East, located in Kirikiriroa, Hamilton. Drawing on Indigenous anthropology and autoethnography, and grounded in Kaupapa Māori theory, this thesis firstly explores how the gym becomes a site in which Māori members seek to reclaim the narrative around their own bodies. I explore the colonial depictions, the politics of the Indigenous body and how Māori-owned clothing brands contribute to this reclamation. I then examine how Māori gym members use the gym space with a sense of purpose, balancing the values of culture and commercialisation. And finally, I investigate the importance of relational well-being and the use of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga to create a sense of belonging among participants in their search for connection. In foregrounding Indigenous ways of knowing, being and moving in a commercial group fitness gym, this thesis aims to contribute to the anthropological conversations that advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous methodologies into Anthropology, centring Indigenous agency and advocating for the decolonisation of fitness spaces.

text: “Whānau Vibes”: Reclamation of self, space and community within group fitness gyms. Group fitness gyms are becoming more popular in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This thesis is an investigation of the lived experiences of Māori members within a commercialised fitness space called BFT Hamilton East, located in Kirikiriroa, Hamilton. Drawing on Indigenous anthropology and autoethnography, and grounded in Kaupapa Māori theory, this thesis firstly explores how the gym becomes a site in which Māori members seek to reclaim the narrative around their own bodies. I explore the colonial depictions, the politics of the Indigenous body and how Māori-owned clothing brands contribute to this reclamation. I then examine how Māori gym members use the gym space with a sense of purpose, balancing the values of culture and commercialisation. And finally, I investigate the importance of relational well-being and the use of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga to create a sense of belonging among participants in their search for connection. In foregrounding Indigenous ways of knowing, being and moving in a commercial group fitness gym, this thesis aims to contribute to the anthropological conversations that advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous methodologies into Anthropology, centring Indigenous agency and advocating for the decolonisation of fitness spaces.

year: 2025