Physical Fitness Appraisal

Catalog description

In KINES 456 , students assess the five components of health-related physical fitness through fitness testing measures: body composition, joint flexibility, muscle strength, muscle endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness. The importance of a comprehensive pre-participation health screening, including relevant medical history, physical examination findings, cardiovascular disease risk factor assessment and laboratory testing is emphasized. Several current pre-participation screening instruments are reviewed. The American College of Sports Medicine physical activity guidelines and guidelines for exercise testing and prescription are discussed and grounded in best practices in monitoring signs and symptoms of physical stress leading to test termination. Students explore the role that cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal and metabolic disease risk factors and signs and symptoms play in the development of atherosclerosis and the impact each has on fitness appraisal. Modifications and/or alternative assessments for each health-related component of physical fitness are discussed for clinical populations, children and older adults. The required laboratory allows students practical opportunities to assess these components across the lifespan utilizing both field testing and laboratory testing and interpreting results using normative data. The required laboratory experience reinforces the course content and aids in skill acquisition by requiring that all students participate in the testing procedures as both test administrators and subjects. As EKG interpretation is a valuable skill in fitness appraisal, students receive instruction in basics of EKG interpretation to include: determination of mean electrical axis, heart rate and rhythm, EKG waveform norms, and normal and abnormal EKG responses before, during and after exercise testing. Atrial, junctional and ventricular arrhythmias, heart blocks and bundle branch blocks are included in the latter portion of the course. ACSM metabolic calculations for exercise testing and prescription are reviewed and utilized.