Sports -- Physiological aspects

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) resists excessive anterior translation and
internal rotation of the tibia during athletic activities and stabilizes the knee. In the US,
annually, over 200,000 cases of ACL disruption are reported. The impact on the quality of life of the subject and its cost to healthcare is tremendous. The objectives of this study were to determine any significant associations between the size of the tibial eminence and ACL injury and to develop a finite element model for structural analysis. The results suggest that the size of the tibial eminence plays a role in loading the ACL and is therefore a risk factor. In addition to the epidemiological analysis, a finite element model of the knee was developed that with added modifications can be used for complex knee loading situations. The results in this thesis may be used to develop strategies for ACL injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Evidence in humans suggests that men are especially competitive with other men over resources and, if successful, are valued as attractive mating prospects by women. Previous studies also show that men experience an increase in testosterone following a win and a decrease in testosterone following a loss. If an increase in testosterone following a victory is an evolved physiological response aimed at readying a man for an increase in mating opportunities, then experimentally manipulating competitive outcomes should differentially affect men’s sex-drive. One-hundred thirteen men were randomly assigned to experience a win, a loss, or no competitive feedback. Participants’ sex-drive was gauged by their responses to photographs of women of differential attractiveness. Results showed that only single men exhibited a higher sex-drive in the winning condition, followed by the control and losing conditions, respectively. Limitations and practical applications to decreasing instances of rape and sexual coercion are discussed.