Faculty of Health Sciences
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Item An injury profile of musculoskeletal injuries in mountain bikers in the eThekwini Municipality(2022-09-29) Van Eck, Rochelle; Varatharajullu, DesireeBackground: Mountain biking is a sport that appeals to men and women who enjoy an adrenalin rush. It is practised on any terrain classified as ‘off-road’ such as gravel roads, sugar cane fields, farmland, mountainous areas, and forests. It involves riding over rough and tricky terrain with a mountain bike and has become a global phenomenon among many athletes of all fitness levels. The popularity of this sport has grown as it is well known for its health benefits, family participation, recreational enjoyment, its ability to enhance overall fitness, and the fact that it offers those who are driven opportunities to be highly competitive. However, as is the case with any competitive and recreational sport, mountain bikers are prone to suffering a unique set of injuries. Mountain bikers want to recover and get back on their bikes as soon as possible, but there is a paucity of literature on the injury profile of mountain bikers in South Africa, hence recovery strategies may not always have the desired results. Aim: The aim of this study was to establish the injury profile of the musculoskeletal injuries that mountain bikers sustain, with special focus on those enthusiasts in the eThekwini municipality of KwaZulu-Natal, while the risk factors associated with this sport were also explored. Methodology: Participants were recruited at cycling clubs, after training sessions when they gathered in coffee shops, and individually at mountain bike parks. Before completing the questionnaire, each participant was required to read a letter of information and sign an informed consent form. Informed consent and post-pilot study questionnaires were completed, gathered, and deposited into separate sealed boxes. Each questionnaire was given a code for statistical analysis before data were captured on a spreadsheet. Results: A total of 175 questionnaires were received and the data were statistically analysed. The results revealed that not applying any preventative measures when training for this sport was the main causative factor of injuries among mountain bikers in the eThekwini Municipality. The majority of the injuries occurred in white males between the ages of 45 to 50 years and in participants who practised this sport for more than 12 hours a week. The most common areas of the body that sustained injuries were shoulders, legs, knees, and wrists, while the most common types of injuries were bruises, cuts, and sprains. The predominant mechanisms that caused these injuries were falls and contact with stationary objects. Conclusion: The findings that emerged from the data were consistent with the literature on mountain biking, but it must be mentioned that the injuries that were described related to earlier studies that had been conducted among either international mountain bikers or road cyclists. The current study’s findings are distinctive of the eThekwini Municipal area in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Additional studies need to be conducted in other provinces of South Africa in order to create a more accurate injury profile associated with the mountain biking sport in this country.Item A retrospective profile of musculoskeletal injuries of ultra-endurance triathletes in South Africa(2019) Momberg, Courtney Dean; Matkovich, GrantAim The aim of this study was to determine the injury profile of ultra-endurance triathletes in South Africa. Background An ultra-endurance triathlon comprises a combination of swimming, cycling and running; the distances covered are a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and a 42.2km run all in succession. Ultra-endurance triathlon has grown in popularity since its inception in the 1970s. However, there is insufficient data relating to injuries in the South African context especially related to age and gender. Methods This Institutional Research Ethics Committee of the Durban University of Technology approved study included 100 active members of My Training Day and ultra-endurance triathletes associated with My Training Day that were training and taking part in the 2017 South African ultra-endurance triathlon (2017 South African Ironman Race). After signing the informed consent form and letter of information, participants completed an online questionnaire on training and injury profiles. All data captured was anonymous and confidential. Data was described using frequency tables for categorical data and summary statistics for continuous data. Odds ratios were reported and a p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. For triathletes reporting injuries, linear regression was used for factors associated with injury severity. Results Questionnaires were returned by 86 ultra-endurance triathletes, of which 71 were deemed viable giving a response rate of 71%. The past and periodic (day of the race) prevalence of ultra-endurance triathlon-related musculoskeletal injury was 46.5% and 9.85% respectively. The most common site of injury in the year leading up to the 2017 ultra-endurance race was the posterior compartment of the lower limb, being the hamstring / calf (36.4%), while there was an equal split of injuries on race day with the shoulder, hamstring / calf, knee / quadriceps region all having the same percentage (28.6%). Of the 71 participants 66.2% were male and 33.8% were female. The most common age group was 30 to 34 years (25.7%). The majority of the participants started participating in ultra-endurance triathlons between 24 and 29 years of age (32.4%). There was no significant difference in age between those who had injuries prior to the event and those who did not (p = 0.079). There was no statistically significant difference in prior injury prevalence between males and females (p = 0.395). There was a borderline non-significant difference indicating younger athletes were at higher risk for injury on race day (p = 0.069). Females had a higher risk of injury on race day (p = 0.039). Conclusions and recommendations The results concur with previous research and add further insight into factors predisposing triathletes to injury. The most common injuries require investigation to develop preventative interventions to reduce injuries in triathletes. Further research into age and gender interactions as risk factors for injury is needed in South Africa. Health professionals require education about ultra-endurance triathlon-related injuries to improve preventative and curative interventions.