Exercise science practitioners have access to mountains of research findings, expert opinions, novel techniques, and program plans via blogs, fitness magazines, conference presentations, and peer-reviewed journals. To facilitate effective practice, practitioners must sift through this information and retain only the best evidence to form a sound base of knowledge. Evidence-Based Practice in Exercise Science: The Six-Step Approach equips readers with the basic skills and competencies for discerning the value of scientific research. Using a methodical approach, students and professionals will learn to identify appropriate evidence to support novel interventions and avoid counterproductive or dangerous information to eliminate ineffective exercise options. The authors, well-known advocates in the study and application of evidence-based practice in the field of exercise science, take the five-step method of evidence-based practice that has been established in medicine, adapt it specifically for exercise science, and expand it to embrace individuality in exercise training. The content is accessible for students in a variety of courses in exercise science curricula; those seeking certification through professional organizations; and practitioners in the fields of exercise, nutrition, sports medicine, and sport science. This text is an instruction manual in understanding and applying evidence-based practice. The process is divided into six steps that begin with asking a question and then finding, evaluating, implementing, confirming, and re-evaluating the evidence. (...).
Part I: Overview and Historical Background of Evidence-Based Practice -- Chapter 1. The Need for Evidence-Based Practice in Exercise Science ; Evidence-Based Practice in Action ; Defining Evidence-Based Practice ; Applying Evidence-Based Practice in Exercise Science ; Team Approach to Evidence-Based Practice ; Becoming an Evidence-Based Practitioner ; Conclusion -- Chapter 2. The Process of Evidence-Based Practice ; The Importance of Evidence in Exercise Science ; Applying the Five Steps of Evidence-Based Practice ; The Case for Evidence-Based Practice ; Criticisms of Evidence-Based Practice ; Conclusion -- Chapter 3. Philosophy, Science, and Evidence-Based Practice ; Epistemology ; Epistemology of Modern Science ; The Paradigm of Evidence-Based Practice ; Conclusions -- Chapter 4. Sources of Evidence ; Sources of Knowledge ; Types of Evidence ; Conclusion -- Chapter 5. Reading and Interpreting Research Evidence ; Consumers of Research ; What is Research? ; Components of a Research Paper ; Steps to Critically Reading Research ; Conclusion -- Part II: The Six Steps of Evidence-Based Practice -- Chapter 6. Developing a Question ; Question Development Areas ; Types of Questions ; Components of a Foreground Question ; Conclusion -- Chapter 7. Searching for Evidence ; Searching for Preliminary Information ; Finding Peer-Reviewed Sources ; Searching a Research Database ; Conducting a Secondary Search From Reference Lists ; Conclusion -- Chapter 8. Evaluating the Evidence ; Why is it Important to Rank the Evidence? ; Critically Appraising the Literature ; Levels of Evidence ; Conclusion -- Chapter 9. Incorporating Evidence into Practice ; Translating Research Into Practice ; Deciding When to Act on Evidence ; The Influence of Evidence ; Implementing Research-Based Evidence ; Conclusion --
Chapter 10. Confirming the Evidence in the Individual ; Generalizability of Research ; n-of-1 as a Model for Confirming the Evidence ; Confirming the Evidence in the Individual in Exercise Science ; Basic Principles in Testing and Measurement ; Deciding to Continue or Discontinue an Intervention ; Collaboration in Evidence-Based Practice ; Conclusion -- Chapter 11. Reevaluating the Evidence ; Prompts to Reevaluate ; Techniques to Stay Current ; Conclusion -- Part III: Case Studies in Evidence-Based Practice -- Chapter 12. Exercise Prescription ; Case Study 1: Strength Training and Cycling ; Case Study 2: Static Stretching and Soccer ; Case Study 3: ACL Injury Prevention in Female Athletes ;Case Study 4: Single Versus Multiple Sets for Strength Improvement ; Case Study 5: Models of Periodization ; Conclusion -- Chapter 13. Exercise for Special Populations ; Case Study 1: Resistance Exercise and Functional Outcomes in Those Who Are Elderly ; Case Study 2: Exercise and Cancer Cachexia ; Case Study 3: Exercise and Traumatic Brain Injury ; Conclusion -- Chapter 14. Nutrition and Supplementation ; Case Study 1: Creatine Monohydrate and Cycling ; Case Study 2: Caffeine, Coffee, and Performance Enhancement ; Case Study 3: Protein Intake for Endurance Athletes ; Case Study 4: HMB and Strength-Power Athletes ; Conclusion -- Chapter 15. Exercise Devices, Equipment, and Apparel ; Case Study 1: Chains ; Case Study 2: Vibration and Muscle Strength and Power ; Case Study 3: Instability Training and Muscle Strength ; Case Study 4: Minimalist or Barefoot Running and Running Economy ; Conclusion -- Part IV: Integrating Evidence-Based Practice into Exercise Science --
Chapter 16. Disseminating and Sharing Knowledge ; Local Discussion and Networking ; Conferences ; Formal and Informal Publications ; Conclusion -- Chapter 17. The Future of Evidence-based Practice in Exercise Science ; Ability, Judgment, and Evidence ; Review of the Rationale for Evidence-Based Practice ; The Future of Exercise and Science ; Spreading the Evidence-Based Practice Philosophy ; Working With Scientists ; Becoming an Evidence-Based Practitioner ; Conclusion