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BACKGROUND: Ultrasound is an important tool to diagnose many clinical conditions. Yet hand-held devices may be prone to more data variability in part from the greater likelihood of human error. OBJECTIVE: Quantify intra-rater reliability of subcutaneous skin fold thickness from a hand-held ultrasound device. PARTICIPANTS: College-age subjects (18 men, 14 women) submitted to two sets of ultrasound subcutaneous skin fold measurements spaced (mean + sem) 10.6 + 2.2 days apart. Per measurement, they stood relaxed as ultrasound measured the subcutaneous skin fold thickness that covered their left leg’s calf muscle group. Measurements occurred with a hand-held device (BodyMetrix Pro System BX2000; Livermore, CA) used in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. Four subcutaneous measurements were made 90∘ apart (anterior, medial, posterior, lateral) at the portion of the left calf with the largest circumference. To assess intra-rater reliability, we used intraclass correlation coefficients, limits of agreement, coefficient of variation and the smallest real difference. RESULTS: Intra-rater reliability was high for most of our statistical tests. CONCLUSION: Despite the relatively long period between measurements, our hand-held ultrasound device exhibited a high degree of intra-rater reliability. Given our results, ultrasound measurements may be a useful tool to quantify skin fold thickness.

BACKGROUND: Analytics, to quantify baseball pitch metrics, take on many forms and are unlike earlier methods to assess performance. OBJECTIVE: Quantify associations of flight kinematic and anthropometric variables on pitch release speed. METHODS: Male college-age pitchers (n= 182) from 2021 Division I games provided data. A 3D radar system collected data. Fixed effects regression OLS models analyzed data for sliders, changeups, curveballs, and fastballs. RESULTS: Spin rate (r= 0.017–0.514, p< 0.05) and vertical break (r= 0.374–0.703, p< 0.05) were positively associated with pitch release speed per pitch type. Release height (r=-0.286–0.051, p<-0.05) and pitch extension (r=-0.176–0.43, p< 0.05) were negatively associated with pitch release speed per pitch type except sliders. Spin axis had a negative association with pitch release speed for fastballs (r=-0.235, p< 0.05) and sliders (r=-0.311, p< 0.05), and a positive association (r= 0.029, p< 0.05) with curveball pitch release speed. Weight only related to pitch release speed for fastballs (r=-0.315, p< 0.05). Height did not impact pitch release speed. CONCLUSIONS: Results refute long-held beliefs of anthropometry’s influence on performance and instead reveal flight kinematics’ impact on baseball pitch release speed.

A total of 22 participants (14 ± 3 years old; male, n = 14, 63.6%) returned for an educational consult after completing the initial fitness assessments. For diabetes management 17 participants used an insulin pump, 12 of which incorporated a continuous glucose monitor, and 5 who relied on manual insulin injections. The average body mass index based on age and sex was in the 62 nd percentile. Average pre-testing HbA1c was 8.4 ± 1.4, which significantly decreased (p=0.04) to 7.6 ± 1.1 following the education consult. CONCLUSION: Results from this study show that incorporating a CEP to work alongside a CDCES in a pediatric endocrinology clinic could improve the management of T1D for their patients. Participants who completed the sports medicine program had a significant reduction in HbA1c following the feedback that was received during the education consult. Considering that a CEP certification qualifies someone to become a CDCES it would be prudent for more CEP professionals to consider becoming a CDCES as well.

BACKGROUND: Portable metabolic carts are a popular tool to assess aerobic capacity and affirm many cardiorespiratory conditions. They may also measure strength training performance. Given their popularity and increased usage to assess strength training performance; their data accuracy and consistency are important to determine. OBJECTIVE: Measure Cosmed K4 b2 portable metabolic cart data repeatability from consecutive seated calf press workouts. METHODS: Fifteen women and twelve men did two workouts that began with a stationary cycling warm-up followed by calf presses. Gases were measured before the calf press portion of workouts to establish baseline VO2 and VCO2 values, as well as continually throughout and after the calf press protocol. Subjects were detached from the cart once gas values returned to baseline after workouts concluded. In addition to VO2 and VCO2, repeatability was quantified for: breaths per minute, tidal volume, ventilation, O2 uptake relative to body mass, expired O2 and CO2 fractions, percent fat and carbohydrate utilization, METS and total energy cost. Mean and peak values per variable were analyzed. Repeatability was assessed separately for male and female data, as well as with values pooled, by the following: intraclass correlation coefficients, eta squared, limits of agreement, coefficient of variation and smallest real difference percent. RESULTS: Per variable, repeatability values across workouts were low. Female intraclass correlation coefficient mean values were more repeatable for variables related to gas measurements, yet male data were generally more repeatable for those related to substrate usage. CONCLUSIONS: Results for some repeatability indices were influenced by measurement magnitude. Peak values were predictably less repeatable than those for mean values. Most smallest real differences percent scores are so high they were rendered irrelevant or meaningless to determine true differences among paired values. Results suggest low data repeatability that are likely appropriate and realistic for the exercise protocol, hardware and intensity examined.