By Alexandra Sager
Many athletes who are serious about a sport will most likely experience the discomfort of sprained ankles or even broken bones.
Two graduate students at BYU are undertaking studies to determine the effects of several treatments on sprained joints and broken bones.
Jody B. Brucker, from Calgary, Alberta, received his master''s degree in athletic training from Ohio State. He is performing a study on the effects of immersing injured joints in ice to determine if that has any affect on movement.
Mack D. Rubley, from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, received his master''s degree in kinesiology from Penn State. He is undertaking an experiment to determine which of two methods of strength training causes the greatest increase of strength in the shortest period of time.
Brucker''s experiment will consist of two sessions on two consecutive days. One day, the patient will receive a control treatment and an ice treatment on the other day, chosen at random.
'We do this because subjects have to serve as their own control,' he said.
One session will instruct the volunteer on completing a questionnaire and the volunteer will practice walking along a carpeted walkway, Brucker said.
Following the walking trials, the ankle will be immersed in 1 degree Celsius ice water for 20 minutes. This treatment will be followed by another set of walking trials to determine any differences in walking pace, Brucker said.
Individuals who wish to volunteer must be 18 to 30 years old, male, and have been free of lower body injury for 12 months, or have suffered a sprained ankle within the last 10 days, Brucker said.
'We are using males because men and women walk differently and we want to have more control in the experiment,' he said.
The benefits from the completion of this study include, 6 free rehabilitation treatments over a two-week period from a certified athletic trainer, he said.
Rubley''s experiment will try to solve a 30-year debate on which method of injury rehabilitation is more effective.
The two forms of injury rehabilitation include isotonic training, the use of free weights, and isokinetic training, the use of fixed weights, Rubley said.
'The difference between isotonic and isokinetic strength training is isokinetic uses resistance, which is dependant on the individual; with isotonic, 10 pounds will always be 10 pounds,' Rubley said.
This experiment will require participants to wear a fiberglass cast on the left arm, which will eliminate any movement for two weeks. Strength training will follow the injury simulation, he said.
This study will also use male subjects who are not currently strength training, Rubley said.
Benefits from the completion of this study include a payment of 50 dollars, he said.
Individuals interested in volunteering for either study can call the Human Performance Research Center at 378-9156 or go to room 117 in the Richards Building.