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D.Litt. et Phil. / South Africa is currently entering a phase of increased international sport participation. Apart from the fact that due to isolation the country has fallen behind in this regard, sport is currently also one of the biggest industries, and it may thus play an important role in the country's economy. Road running has been one of the country's most popular sports for quite some time now. It has already been determined that relaxation may possibly be one of the most important sport psychological components for success in road running. A specific relaxation exercise through which road athletes' performances in races may possibly be improved does not exist. It would thus be necessary to develop such a relaxation exercise and to determine its effect on road athletes' performances in a specific race ...

Thesis (M.S.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-54).

Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed February 17, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 108-120).

Thesis (M.S.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Title from t.p. of PDF file (viewed June 7, 2010). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-54).

Thesis (M.A.(Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007. / South Africa is a fast growing and developing sport tourism destination and has hosted various international sport tourism events. With specific reference to the 2006 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon (OMTOM), which is considered one the most beautiful marathons in the world, this study focuses on different stakeholders' perceptions concerning the management and socio-economic impacts of sport tourism events. Questionnaire surveys for spectators (n=200), participants (n=200) and residents (n=400), as well as key informant interviews for established businesses (n=20), stallholders/exhibitors (n=20), sponsors (n=4), the event organiser (n=1) and the destination marketing organisation (n=1), were designed specifically for this study. Spatially-based random sampling for spectators and participants, was implemented, while purposive sampling for residents, stallholders/exhibitors, established businesses, sponsors, the event organiser and CTRU, were adopted to collect data. Volume counts were undertaken to estimate the number of spectators, while the number of participants was provided by the event organisers. The direct economic impact of the total of the event's contribution to the local economy was ascertained by utilising spending patterns of the spectators and participants. The contribution of the event to the local economy is estimated at R44.7 million, which is relatively significant. The event is diverse in terms of spectators and participants. The stakeholders were generally satisfied with the event organisation. Engendering community pride, utilising a sport tourism event as a regional showcase and providing economic opportunities for local businesses in terms of leveraging opportunities, were key benefits for local businesses and residents in close proximity to the race route. However, problems such as traffic congestion and insufficient parking were raised by all stakeholders and there is still room for improvement in this area as well as the management on the day of the event. The study reveals that there is a greater need to consider attendees' motivations, spending patterns, perceptions and altitudes, demographic profiles, the dire need for community involvement, as well as current and possible event leveraging opportunities for local businesses to enhance the management and positive impacts of sport tourism events. Furthermore, this study also provides holistic information to manage sport tourism events and to retain standard service quality, fulfil customer satisfaction and generate more economic, socio-cultural benefits for the tourist destination in a sustainable manner. Stakeholders can share information, which would improve relevant performance problems in the sport tourism event industry, moreover, effectively make management decisions and assess the socio-economic impacts of sport tourism events.

Research indicates that eccentric exercise is associated with delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). The symptoms associated with DOMS is similar to other inflammatory conditions e.g. pain, swelling and tissue damage. The DOMS as a reaction to the muscle damage is accompanied by changes in cytokines, leukocytes and other markers of inflammation. Prolonged exercise training without adequate rest and nutrition can lead to chronic inflammation and altered cytokine production patterns, which could result in overtraining. Methodology The study included actively participating marathon runners and consisted of two groups, a control group (n = 24 athletes) and an experimental group taking Traumeel S (n = 26 athletes), assigned in a double-blind fashion. Subjects made use of the treatment protocol for a period of seven days and followed their normal training program with no additional training. DOMS was induced on day eight when subjects ran downhill at 75% of peak treadmill running speed (PTRS) for 45 minutes at a gradient of –10% with ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), perceived pain (RPP) and heart rate was measured during the run. After the DOMS was induced subjects reported for blood samples for serum creatine kinase (CK), serum cortisol and a differential white blood cell count was taken at the same time for four days after DOMS was induced. Results The t-test for independent groups was used to determine the statistical differences between the two groups and for inter-group analysis. The results showed minor and predominantly insignificant changes in CK-, basophil-, eosinophil- and lymphocyte-counts. The cortisol levels in the treated group were higher compared to the placebo group at 48-, 72- and 96-hours post-exercise. The treated subjects’ mean monocyte count fell significantly on the first day of recovery and remained significantly lower for the four days post-exercise. Conclusions The increased cortisol concentrations can assist the immune system to shut of the acute inflammatory reaction associated with DOMS and in so doing reduce exercise induced muscle damage and inflammation. The decreased monocyte counts will reduce blood vessel permeability and swelling, fewer pain receptors will be stimulated because of lower PGE2 levels associated with decreased monocyte activation. Secondary, muscle damage that can amongst others be associated with increased monocytic activity, will be limited. Additional blood tests and performance testing are needed to confirm and substantiate the findings of the research. / Dissertation (MA (Human Movement Sciences)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

Marathon runners are prone to femoral stress fractures due to the high magnitudes and frequencies of lower extremity loads during training. Female runners tend to have a greater incidence of stress fracture compared to male runners. Sex-specific differences in body structure, joint pressure, and muscle activation patterns that influence bone remodeling may cause this observed difference in stress fracture occurrence. The goal of this thesis was to develop a finite element model of the femur during marathon training, then determine if marathon training affected bone properties of male and female runners differently. To achieve this goal, a finite element femur model was integrated with a bone remodeling algorithm. Sex-specific muscle and joint pressure loads corresponding to baseline activity and marathon training were applied to the finite element femur model. Axial strain, density, damage, and remodeling activity were quantified at regions predicted to be at high risk of stress fracture. The major results of this analysis predicted that marathon training increased bone damage at all regions of interest in both males and females, especially at the inferior neck. The model predicted that the superior neck, trochanter, and proximal diaphysis were more severely weakened in females than males after marathon training. While this model cannot directly quantify femoral stress fracture risk, it may be used to predict regions of bone weakness in male and female marathon runners. Future work may be done to improve accuracy of this model by using sex-specific femur geometry and bone remodeling parameters specific to male and female marathon runners. This model may be useful in future applications to study effectiveness of injury preventive methods, such as gait retraining, in reducing bone damage.