Exercise is medicine: Sport contributes to Canadian student well-being and chances of academic success
Only 8% of school age Canadian students meet the recommended daily goal of more than 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Youth mental health problems have doubled over the past 2 decades. As family life represents a primary vehicle for child growth and development, lifestyle movement habits are learned in early childhood. As such, one hopes…
Balancing Act: Navigating weight cutting in sports for athlete well-being
Weight cutting in sport sounds harsh because it is. As a U19 national champion wrestler with international experience and a mixed martial artist, I have first-hand experience losing weight in a short amount of time to compete in my desired category. And I can tell you that it is both mentally and physically daunting. My…
Being Alive and at Risk: Building a Meshwork of Risk and Health Among Young Adults
Introduction and Context The research explores the concept of risk in relation to young adults’ participation in diverse sport and leisure environments. Because of the many broad and divergent definitions of risk as well as its all-encompassing and evolving nature within and beyond sport and leisure, risk scholarship has typically suffered from an inability to…
The impact of COVID-19 on the everyday lives and wellbeing of Atlantic University Sport hockey players
Project summary This exploratory study examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the daily lives and wellbeing of Atlantic University Sport (AUS) ice hockey players around the cancellation of competition in the Fall of 2020 and beyond. It was primarily concerned with disruptions and modifications to sport participation, academic achievement, and personal experiences. It…
The importance of the pelvic floor in returning to physical activity after childbirth
After childbirth, mothers have numerous concerns about their postpartum body and its capacity for returning to physical activity. One of the worries is whether physical activity may negatively affect the pelvic floor after pregnancy and delivery. The pelvic floor is a crucial group of muscles that helps maintain bladder and bowel control, support internal organs,…
The relocation experiences of aboriginal athletes pursuing sport in Euro-Canadian contexts
View the summary of this research here. Project summary Researchers have documented the importance of sport in the lives of Aboriginal people, emphasizing how it can improve health and wellness. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the cultural issues that affect Aboriginal peoples’ sport participation. This project explored the relocation experiences of Aboriginal…
Exploring social support, sport participation, and rural women’s health using Photovoice
Project Summary Research Objectives: Conclusions: See Results Research methods Study participants used the photovoice method which includes picture taking with cameras, recording in log books, and group interviews. Participants first participated in a Research Orientation session, then took relevant photos and recorded in logbooks for two weeks, following which the log books were retrieved and…
Tai Chi (TC) for older adults: Improving physical and psychological health and identifying and overcoming cultural/ethnic barriers to participation
Project Summary Tai Chi (TC), a traditional Chinese exercise, has been shown to have several health benefits. In general, TC is a widely practiced, well received exercise in large populations in China. Such generally positive attitudes towards the exercise result from a long history of practice in Chinese culture. The current literature has identified some…
A promising community-based hip-hop dance intervention for the promotion of psychosocial and physical well-being among youth living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood
Project Summary This project involved a partnership between the University of Ottawa and three community partners: South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre (SEOCHC), Culture Shock Canada, and Heron Road Community Centre. Prior to implementing a new physical activity program in South-East Ottawa, an initial study sought to better understand the needs, barriers, and facilitators to youth…
Predictors of excessive exercise in anorexia nervosa
Project Summary The present study was aimed at determining a model that would predict excessive exercise in individuals with anorexia nervosa. This is very important because exercising excessively while underweight, as can be the case in certain forms of sport participation, has been shown to have dangerous health consequences, and has been linked to negative…