Preparing your abstract

Abstracts are limited to 2,000 characters (not including spaces, title, or author block). If including a table, chart, or graph, character limit will be approximately 1,500 characters depending on the size of the graphic.

Do not use brand names in the abstracts.

Abstracts must be written in English. Use standard abbreviations, symbols, and punctuation. When using abbreviations in the body of the abstract, spell out in first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.

Formatting: All abstracts should be in Times New Roman, 10-point font, with 0.5” margins and single line spacing. If there are major issues with formatting, and you agree to have your abstract published, you may receive your abstract back to meet these guidelines.

Title: The title should be brief (limited to 15 words) and typed in ALL CAPS, BOLD and ITALICIZED.

Authors: The first initial(s) and last names of the authors should be used with the presenting author first. The first author should be bolded. Do not include degrees or titles. Fellows of ACSM should use FACSM after their name. Use numerical values in superscript following the authors last name to identify author affiliations when there is more than one affiliation.

Institutions: The affiliation/institution of the authors should be included. Do not include departments.

Text: The abstract must be informative, including a statement of the study’s specific PURPOSE, METHODS, summary of RESULTS, and CONCLUSION statement using these headings. It is unsatisfactory to state, “The results will be discussed.” Abstracts should include relevant data, including but not limited to, mean data, standard deviation/standard error, and p-values. It is not satisfactory to only include statistical results (such as, “groups were different at p<.05).”

Financial Support: If your research was funded by financial support (e.g. a grant), please place one line of text below the abstract sharing the funding source.

Regulatory Compliance

Human studies must comply with the ACSM statement regarding the use of human subjects and informed consent (MSSE, Vol. 30, No. 7, July 1998, “Policy Statement Regarding the Use of Human Subjects and Informed Consent”). Animal studies must comply with NIH guidelines regarding the use of animals. To ensure consistency and clarity authors must use the terms as defined by MSSE, “Information for Authors” and utilize the units of measurement of the Systeme International de’Unite (SI).

Abstract Rules for Submission - Please read carefully!

1. Please try to limit student and professional submissions to one first author abstract per individual. Individuals may co-author as many other abstracts as desired.
2. The primary author must submit the abstract using the online abstract submission link on the ACSM Rocky Mountain Website.
3. All abstracts should be submitted prior to Friday, March 20 by 5 PM Mountain Time. There will be no extension and abstracts submitted after this time will not be accepted for review.
4. The student level category should be based on student status when the research was completed.
5. By submitting the abstract, the first author is verifying they substantially initiated and performed the research.
6. All files should be submitted as “FirstAuthorLastName_AbstractCategory_ACSMRM2026”.
7. All authors must approve the abstract prior to submission.
8. All abstracts have the option to be published in a special issue of the International Journal of Exercise Science for a $10 fee.  If you want your abstract published, select "YES" to "Would you like your abstract published?" and pay the $10 non-refundable abstract submission at the time of submission using the link below.
   1. PayPal and Venmo are the only methods for payment.
   2. If you forget to submit payment along with your submission you cannot pay the publication fee at a later time!
9. Masters and Doctoral level abstracts will have the option to be considered for the President’s Cup Award. President’s Cup competitors will need to prepare a poster for the competition.
10. Submissions that do not follow these guidelines may be rejected or returned for revision. Revisions must be submitted prior to the deadline to be considered.

THE EFFECTS OF PARKINSONIAN POSTURE AND OBSTACLE CLEARANCE ON GAIT INITIATION IN YOUNG ADULTS 

Author, A., Author, B., Author, C.

The University, Somewhere, Colorado

 Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder kinematically characterized by a hunched posture and freezing at gait initiation. Visual cues and obstacles are used therapeutically to assist patients during gait initiation. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of Parkinsonian posture and obstacle clearance on center of pressure (CoP) and ground reaction force (GRF) variables during quiet standing and gait initiation in young adults. METHODS: Five male and five female college students quietly stood on a force plate for five seconds, initiated gait with their right foot upon hearing an audible prompt, and then walked for three meters. Participants completed this procedure for three trials in the following four conditions: no obstacle (NU) and over a two-inch-high obstacle (OU) in their normal posture and no obstacle (NP) and walking over the two-inch-high obstacle (OP) in a Parkinsonian posture with 25 degrees of trunk flexion. Means of several computed CoP and GRF variables were evaluated between the two postures for quiet standing (t-test) and across the four conditions for gait initiation (ANOVA) (α = .05). RESULTS: During quiet standing, there were no significant differences between the normal and Parkinsonian postures in CoP distance, displacement, velocity, jerk, and maximum or minimum values; however, the minimum (backwards) anteroposterior position was different (NP=-0.015 ± 0.02, NU=-0.010 ± 0.007, p=.021). During gait initiation, there were significant differences in mediolateral impulse between NU and NP (NU=-83.2 ± 13.4, NP=-63.2 ± 12.4, p=.006), and between NP and OU (NP=-63.2 ± 12.4, OU=-79.8 ± 13.6, p=.033). There were also significant differences (p<.05) in maximum mediolateral force (NP>OU), minimum mediolateral force (NP>NU, NP>OP, and NP>OU), and maximum vertical force (NU>NP), though there were no significant differences (p>.05) of any variables between NU and OP. CONCLUSION: Stepping over an obstacle while assuming a Parkinsonian posture resulted in mediolateral mechanical variables during gait initiation that were more like those of normal walking compared to walking without an obstacle in that same posture. This finding may help explain why patients with Parkinson’s disease who experience freezing of gait are able to initiate gait more easily when stepping over an obstacle.

If you selected "Yes" in the above question and would like your abstract published in the International Journal of Exericse Science, please pay the $10 fee via PayPal or Venmo in the link below.

Please provide: 1) the first author's name of the abstract and 2) the name of the Paypal or Venmo account owner in the comment box in the link below.

RMACSM PayPal or Venmo Link

Don't forget to submit your abstract after you pay the publicaiton fee! 

Oral Presentation/Poster Blitz for Undergraduate Students ONLY

Presenters will be selected to give a 5 minute presentation of their work, followed by 5 minutes of question and answer from the audience.