Theses and dissertations (Health Sciences)
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Item An injury profile of high school soccer players on a synthetic surface at a private school in the eThekwini municipality(2024) Timul, Asthiq; Ally, FazilaBackground In South Africa, sport is a compulsory activity in the majority of schools and most of the population that play soccer at schools are amateur players. Many schools in Durban have astroturf courts on which the scholars play soccer. Astroturf is a synthetic surface that has gained much popularity due to it being cost effective and easy to maintain. Despite the benefits associated with playing on astroturf, one of the concerns is increased risk if injury to the players. Over the last decade, soccer injuries have become commonplace amongst scholars, with the most affected age group being between 13–15 years of age. The aim of this study is to determine the injury profile of amateur scholar soccer players playing on a synthetic surface at a private school in the eThekwini municipality. Methodology The research study is a quantitative study with a descriptive design. An organised, quantitative questionnaire was handed out to 108 registered learners at Al-Falaah College. The responses of the questionnaire were used to establish the demographic and injury profile of the soccer players in this study. Results A 100% response rate was recorded. The majority (n=24; 22.2%) of the learners were in the 14 year age group of Indian (n=98; 90.7%) ethnicity. The most common site of injury was recorded as the knee joint (n=54; 50%), followed by the ankle joint (n=36; 33.3%), wrist (n=29; 26.9%) and foot (n=28; 25.9%). The most common mechanism of injury reportedly occurred during tackling (n=61; 56.5%) and the least number of injuries were reported as occurring during heading (n=4; 3.7%). Most of the participants were found to be using incorrect footwear when playing on a synthetic surface, such as, studded boots (n=63; 58.3%) and sneakers (n=39; 36.1%). Conclusion The majority (79.6%) of the injuries reported were characterised as mild to moderate. The lower extremity was the most frequently injured, specifically the knee and ankle joint. Ligament and muscular injuries were the most common injury affecting the lower extremity. Younger individuals are more likely to face injury when playing soccer on a synthetic surface.Item The injury profile of musculoskeletal injuries, and the impact thereof, in amateur pole sports athletes in eThekwini municipality(2024) Worth, Kim; Pillay, Julian DavidBackground: Pole sport has gained popularity worldwide, especially in South Africa. Due to the nature of the sport, there is growing evidence of unique musculoskeletal injuries that accompany the sport. Despite this, there is little information regarding the specific musculoskeletal injuries that occur in pole sport athletes and, thus, the sport has been compared to gymnastics and circus arts which include certain similarities. Research in pole sports specifically is essential in order to assist healthcare professionals to manage the injuries specific to the sport appropriately. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, selected risk factors and types of injuries that amateur pole sport athletes experience, as well as the impact of the musculoskeletal injuries and the level of care used. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional method was utilised with the distribution of online questionnaires to five pole studios in the eThekwini municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The questionnaire consisted of the following sections: demographics; training history; risk factors; musculoskeletal injuries; consequence of injury on sport and performance, quality of life and the management approaches and impact thereof. The data was analysed using the IBM SPSS version 28. Results: A total of 59 female participants over the age of 18 years old were included in this study. A high prevalence of musculoskeletal injury was found, with a lifetime prevalence of 49.2% (n=29), and period prevalence over 12 months of 40.7% (n=24). The majority of injuries were found to affect the upper limb but injuries to the spine and lower limb were still common. The most commonly reported location of injuries was the shoulder (64.3%, n=18), followed by the hand and wrist (46.4%, n=13), and then the neck (35.7%, n=10) and thoracic back (35.6%, n=10). The most common type of injury was a strain type injury (48.1%, n=14), followed by contusions (11.1%, n=3). Significant risk factors included high skill level (p value of 0.005), increased strength (p value of 0.010), performing warm-ups for longer than 10 minutes (p value of 0.053) and performing static stretching cool-downs (p value of 0.005). The impact of pole sport injuries on the participants’ pole performance demonstrated that despite the athletes’ recovery from injury taking more than six weeks, the majority of the athletes either stopped pole sport and other activities for one week or less or did not stop the activities at all. The impact of pole sports injuries on the participants’ quality of life was significant, especially affecting their ability to perform daily activities, decreasing their ability to sleep and decreasing their mood as a result of injury. Various management approaches, including self-medication, home remedies and complementary healthcare were utilised by participants. Self-medication and home remedies were found to be utilised more commonly compared to seeking help from healthcare professionals. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that musculoskeletal injuries are largely present in pole sport athletes for which various management approaches were utilised. The injuries impacted multiple aspects of the participants’ lives. The uniqueness of this sport provides an interesting platform for new research, especially with regard to musculoskeletal injuries, as shown in this study.Item The prevalence, risk factors and management of musculoskeletal injuries in male amateur indoor soccer players in the eThekwini Municipality(2022-05-13) Nair, Caleb; Abdul-Rasheed, Ashura; Prince, Cleo KirstyBackground: Soccer is a popular sport played and viewed globally. Furthermore, indoor soccer has been gaining popularity, especially in South Africa. Investigating the prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal injuries associated with indoor soccer, creates an awareness among health practitioners and players, especially when there is limited literature on this sport. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries, the associated risk factors and effective management of musculoskeletal injuries in amateur male indoor soccer players in the eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa. Methodology: The study utilized a quantitative paradigm and a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 166 male participants, between the ages of 18 and 40 years, were recruited for this study. The sample population included amateur indoor soccer players from the eThekwini Municipality. The survey was distributed via links in which participants completed the survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and exported into Microsoft Excel. Results: A total of 89 participants sustained musculoskeletal injuries due to indoor soccer. This resulted in a prevalence rate of 74.2% which indicates more than half of indoor soccer players sustain musculoskeletal injury. Muscle strains are seen as the most common injuries by accounting for 32.6% of the total injuries. The study further revealed that players are more likely to sustain an injury through twisting and turning playing mechanisms as 20.2% of injuries were sustained due to this mechanism of play. Playing with a chronic condition was regarded as a significant risk factor for musculoskeletal injuries. While 58.4% of injured participants implemented a management protocol, 38.5% utilized a home remedy as their management protocol. Conclusion: This study revealed that high musculoskeletal injury prevalence rate exists among amateur indoor soccer players, in the eThekwini Municipality. Male indoor soccer players are commonly prone to muscle strains and sprains with the knee being the most common site of injury. The twisting and turning playing mechanism utilized in indoor soccer appears to be a common mechanism that predisposes players to musculoskeletal injury. Players with chronic conditions should play with caution as chronic conditions may predispose players to injuries and exacerbate health conditions. Urgent measures are required to educate indoor soccer players on injuries and effective management as the results demonstrated high rates of injury and poor management protocols.