Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction-Groin injuries are among the top six most cited injuries in soccer and account for 10-18 per cent of all injuries reported in contact sport. Groin pain can result from a variety of pathologies, but according to literature, 63 per cent of groin pain is due to adductor pathology. Objective-The objective of this study was to explore if there are kinematic differences in the hip joint in sports participants with groin pain compared to matched healthy controls. Study design A cross sectional, descriptive study was conducted. Study setting-The study was conducted at the FNB -3D motion analysis laboratory at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Outcome variables-The dependent variables included hip kinematics in the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes at foot strike, lowest vertical point of the pelvis and total range of hip motion during a single leg drop landing. Methodology-The study sample comprised 20 male club level soccer-and, rugby players, running and cycling participants between the ages of 18-55 years of age. Ten of the subjects had chronic groin pain and the other ten were healthy matched controls. An eight-camera Vicon system was used to analyse the kinematics of the hip joint during single leg drop landing. For the purpose of comparison, the data was analysed for participants with unilateral groin pain and matched controls (n=14) and participants with bilateral groin pain and controls (n=6). The full set of data was subdivided for analysis into three distinct sub-groups. Unilaterally injured groin cases (n=7) were matched with seven healthy controls for analysis. Bilaterally injured groin cases (n=3) were matched with three healthy controls. Results-Cases with unilateral groin pain at initial contact had significantly more abduction of the hip joint when compared to controls (p<0.05). The effect size of this difference was large (0.94). Cases with unilateral groin pain also demonstrated greater hip internal rotation while the controls had external rotation (p<0.05) during a drop landing activity. Bilaterally injured groin cases landed with significantly (p=?) greater ranges of hip flexion as well as in significantly (p=?) more hip abduction during a drop landing activity. They also demonstrated greater total range of motion in the frontal plan when compared to controls. Groin pain cases overall demonstrated greater ranges of motion and tended to land in more abduction compared to controls. Conclusion-This study found that during a single leg drop landing, sports participants with unilateral chronic groin pain landed with significantly greater hip abduction and exhibited larger total range of motion in the transverse plane, which may indicate impaired stability of the hip complex when compared to controls. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding-Liesbeserings is een van die top ses mees prominente sokker beserings. Dit beloop 10-18 persent van alle beserings wat in kontaksport aangemeld word. Liespyn kan die gevolg wees van ‘n verskeidenheid patologië, maar volgens die literatuur is 63 persent van liespyn as gevolg adduktor patologie. Doelwitte-Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel of daar enige kinematiese veranderinge in die heupgewrig is in spelers met liespyn in vergelyking met dieselfde vergelykbare spelers sonder liespyn. Studie Ontwerp-‘n Deursnit, beskrywende studie was onderneem. Studie Omgewing-Die studie was uitgevoer by die FNB-3D bewegingsanalise laboratorium van die Stellenbosch Universiteit, Suid-Afrika. Uitkomsveranderlikes-Die afhanklike veranderlikes het in gesluit die heup kinematika in die sagitale, frontale en transvers vlakke met voet kontak endie laagste vertikale punt van die pelvis sowel as die totale heup omvang van beweging gedurende een been landing. Metodologie-Die studie populasie het bestaan uit 20 manlike sokker- en, rugbyspelers, hardlopers en fietsryers tussen die ouderdomme van 18 en 55 jaar. Tien van die deelnemers het kroniese liespyn gehad en die ander tien in die gelyke gesonde groep was sonder liespyn. Die agt kamera Vicon sisteem was gebruik om die kinematika van die heupgewrig te analseer tydens een been landing. Vir die doel om ‘n vergelyking te kan maak, was die data geanaliseer van deelnemers met unilaterale liespyn en die vergelykende groep sonder liespyn (n=14) en deelnemers met bilaterale liespyn en hulle vergelykende groep sonder liespyn (n=6).. Die volledige stel data was onderverdeel in drie afsonderlike sub groepe. Vir die analiese was unilaterale liesbeserings (n=7) vergelyk met sewe deelnemers sonder liespyn in die kontrolegroep. Deelnemers met bilaterale liesbeserings (n=3) was vergelyk met drie in die kontrolegroep. Resultate-Die deelnemers met unilaterale liespyn het met eerste kontak beduidend meer abduksie van die heupgewrig gehad in vergelyking met die kontrolegroep (p<0.05). Die effek van hierdie verskil was groot (0.94). Die deelnemers met unilaterale liespyn het ook ‘n grooter interne rotasie getoon, terwyl die kontrole groep meer eksterne rotasie gedemonstreer het (p<0.05) met landing. Deelnemers met bilaterale liespyn het beduidend (p=?) meer heup fleksie en abduksie omvang van beweging tydens landing. Hulle het ook ‘n groter totale heup omvang van beweging in die frontale vlak gehad in vergelyking met die kontrolegroep. Deelnemers met liespyn het oor die algemeen ‘n grooter omvang van beweging getoon, en was geneig om met meer abduksie van die heup te land as die kontrolegroep. Gevolgtrekking-Die studie toon dat deelnemers met kroniese unilaterale liespyn, tydens een been landing, beduidende meerheup abduksie toon en dat die heup in die transverse vlak meer totale omvang van beweging gebruik wat kan dui op onstabiliteit in die heupkompleks in vergelyking met die kontrolegroep.

Although the physical characteristics of surfing breaks are well described in the literature, there is little specific research on surfing and coastal management. Such research is required because coastal engineering has had significant impacts to surfing breaks, both positive and negative. Strategic planning and environmental impact assessment methods, a central tenet of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), are recommended by this thesis to maximise surfing amenities. The research reported here identifies key oceanographic considerations required for ICZM around surfing breaks including: surfing wave parameters; surfing break components; relationship between surfer skill, surfing manoeuvre type and wave parameters; wind effects on waves; currents; geomorphic surfing break categorisation; beach-state and morphology; and offshore wave transformations. Key coastal activities that can have impacts to surfing breaks are identified. Environmental data types to consider during coastal studies around surfing breaks are presented and geographic information systems (GIS) are used to manage and interpret such information. To monitor surfing breaks, a shallow water multibeam echo sounding system was utilised and a RTK GPS water level correction and hydrographic GIS methodology developed. Including surfing in coastal management requires coastal engineering solutions that incorporate surfing. As an example, the efficacy of the artificial surfing reef (ASR) at Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, was evaluated. GIS, multibeam echo soundings, oceanographic measurements, photography, and wave modelling were all applied to monitor sea floor morphology around the reef. Results showed that the beach-state has more cellular circulation since the reef was installed, and a groin effect on the offshore bar was caused by the structure within the monitoring period, trapping sediment updrift and eroding sediment downdrift. No identifiable shoreline salient was observed. Landward of the reef, a scour hole ~3 times the surface area of the reef has formed. The current literature on ASRs has primarily focused on reef shape and its role in creating surfing waves. However, this study suggests that impacts to the offshore bar, beach-state, scour hole and surf zone hydrodynamics should all be included in future surfing reef designs. More real world reef studies, including ongoing monitoring of existing surfing reefs are required to validate theoretical concepts in the published literature.