Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-77). / Triathletes, in particular Ironman triathletes, undergo intense training and compete in a very physically demanding race. Medical conditions in the pre-race period in these triathletes have not been well documented, but there is evidence form other endurance sports that symptoms of respiratory tract infection are particularly common. However, the prevalence, causes and consequences of these symptoms have not been studied in Ironman triathletes. The aims of this study were: 1) to determine the incidence of respiratory tract symptoms (RTS) in triathletes preparing for an Ironman Triathlon, 2) to establish the factors associated with the development of these RTS, and 3) to determine the effects of the RTS on pre-race training and race performance. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 304 triathletes entering the 2006 Ironman triathlon in South Africa were recruited as subjects. All the subjects completed a validated questionnaire in the 1-3 days before the race (during registration). The questionnaire contained sections on demographics, training and previous competitions, common general medical conditions that they may have experienced, and a detailed section pertaining to RTS and allergies, including use of medication. Data on race performance was collected after completion of the race. Subjects were divided into the following groups, based on their self-reported history of RTS in the 6 weeks period prior to the race: no RTS, all RTS, only upper respiratory tract symptoms (URTS), lower respiratory tract and/or systemic symptoms (LRT +SS).

Includes abstract. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-72). / There is a lack of evidence regarding the mechanisms underlying and the factors contributing to lower back pain (LBP) in paddlers.The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between lumbar mobility and hamstring flexibility, which are associated with LBP, in paddlers with and without LBP. Thirty endurance paddlers participated, divided equally into a case group (all presented with paddling-associated LBP in the six months prior to testing) and a control group (none with with a history of LBP). Results showed that there were no significant differences in lumbar ROM between paddlers with and without a history of LBP. There was a significant reduction in unilateral hamstring flexibility in the case group. There was a tendency for a negative relationship between average hamstring flexibility and lumbar ROM in the case group.

The purpose of this thesis is to establish if there is any evidence to support the hypothesis that altered ventricular loading conditions after the cessation of exercise may cause "cardiac fatigue". The studies that have shown post-exercise "cardiac fatigue" have not controlled for either preload or afterload or both, before and after exercise. These studies may rather have identified the effects of alterations in peripheral vascular function on left ventricular function after prolonged exercise. The research study in this thesis is to evaluate if the loading conditions of the heart affect the echocardiographic measurements after exercise that may be misinterpreted as "cardiac fatigue". Echocardiography as a tool of cardiac evaluation cannot be done during exercise because of the technical difficulty of doing a cardiac ultrasound on a human being in motion. The studies that have investigated post exercise "cardiac fatigue" have therefore measured cardiac function after exercise and retrospectively assumed that the cardiac dysfunction was present during exercise since the cardiac demands are at their peak during exercise. However, the post exercise period may be associated with altered loading conditions that may cause changes in the echocardiographic measurements that are similar to cardiac abnormalities.

Background: Overtraining and exercise-induced muscle injuries are common in endurance runners. A well-planned recovery protocol is crucial to limit fatigue and prevent injuries. There are multiple modalities available to aid the recovery process and facilitate optimal performance. However, there is limited information regarding the prevalence and pattern of use of recovery modalities in endurance runners, as well as the factors that may influence runners' decisions to use different recovery modalities. This information is important for the promotion of safe and effective use of recovery modalities and to identify potential educational requirements for athletes using recovery modalities. Aim and objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the use of different recovery modalities and regimes by endurance runners following training and races. The specific objectives of the study were: (a) to obtain information on recovery modalities used by endurance runners, such as the type of modalities, frequency of use, an d use during training and races; (b) to determine the factors that influence endurance runners when selecting recovery modalities; (c) to determine the knowledge endurance runners have of the perceived effectiveness of recovery modalities; (d) to explore associations between the use of recovery modalities in endurance runners and socio-demographic factors, such as, gender, age, body mass index, monthly income, level of education and training and competition history. Methods: This study had a descriptive correlation design. Adult runners who ha d been running for at least six months in the 12-month period preceding the study, and who were training a minimum of 30 km.wk -1 were included in this study. Participants who failed to provide informed consent or did not complete the mandatory sections of the questionnaire were excluded from the study. Participants were recruited at races and by contacting South African running clubs. Participants were required to complete a self-developed questionnaire that included demographic information, training and racing history, and the self-reported use of recovery modalities. The questionnaire was validated by a panel of experts. It was available in both hard copy and electronic format. Results: The study sample consisted of 433 participants (m ales 64%; females 36%), who were mostly well-educated with a tertiary degree or diploma. More than 80% of participants were predominantly road runners. Participants in this study reported using the twelve recovery modalities regularly, with passive recovery (90%), active recovery (76%) and stretches (67%) being the most commonly used modalities. Participants used a mean of 6 ± 2 different recovery modalities. All recovery modalities were commonly used during training and races, while cryotherapy, anti-inflammatory medication, contrast therapy, heat and massage were more commonly used after injury or for the management of pain. A protein supplement was used by 60% of participants, compared to 37% of participants' who reported using carbohydrate supplements. Between 10 % and 19% of participants did not know the proposed mechanism of action of different recovery modalities. Personal experience and information from fellow runners were the two main resources that influenced participants' use of different recovery modalities. Approximately 90% of participants reported that passive recovery and massage were effective recovery modalities, while over 30% of participants thought carbohydrates, compression, vitamins and minerals were less effective in assisting recovery from training and competition. Demographic factors such as gender, age, level of education and monthly income predicted the use of carbohydrates, protein, massage, anti-inflammatory medication, active recovery and compression. Training factors associated with more experience (for example number of marathons) predicted the use of vitamins and minerals, anti-inflammatory medication, active recovery and compression. The presence of a current injury predicted the use of cryotherapy, heat and contrast therapy. Conclusion In conclusion, this study showed there is widespread use of recovery modalities among endurance runners, despite the lack of evidence for their efficacy. Unsafe and inappropriate practices were identified, which may compromise performance, but may also place endurance runners at risk of serious adverse events during both training and competition. A major challenge is the strong influence of personal experience and information from fellow runners on the choice of recovery modalities. Educational initiatives, with a focus on peer-led education, are essential to encourage the safe and effective use of recovery modalities.

Includes bibliographical references. / The incidence of concussion injuries is high irrespective of player ability, from professional to semi-professional and schoolboy rugby players. Concussion injuries are considered difficult to diagnose, particularly in an on field environment, and are often under-reported or unrecognised. In the South African setting medical professionals are often not present at practices and matches and coaches are therefore often required to identify and manage concussed players. Previous studies have identified that the risk of concussion may be reduced through coach education and subsequent implementation of skills training and the education of players. The aim of the study is to determine South African rugby coaches’ knowledge of the prevention, identification and management of concussion.

Objective: To determine the effects of the simultaneous application of contrast temperature therapy with intermittent compression as a recovery strategy for the quadriceps muscle following exercise induced muscle damage in moderately active adult males.

Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-59).

Background: The demands of modern day sport require athletes to reach their optimal sporting performance. Flexibility is an important component of exercise performance. The high incidence of hamstring strain injuries in various sporting codes has been linked to reduced hamstring flexibility. Stretching has been used as the primary method to improve or maintain flexibility as a prophylactic prevention of muscle strains in many sporting codes. While a variety of stretching techniques exist, contract-relax-agonist-contract (CRAC) stretching, a type of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching, appears to induce greater flexibility improvements than other forms of stretching. However, the effectiveness of this stretch as a method of enhancing agility and sprint performance, as functional measures of athletic performance, has yet to be determined. Objective: To determine the effect of hamstring contract-relax-agonist-contract stretch on flexibility, agility and sprint performance as functional measures of muscle performance in moderately active adult males. Methods: Forty healthy male volunteers between the ages of 21 and 35 years, who performed between three and five hours of physical activity per week were recruited for this study, which had a true experimental design. Participants provided written informed consent, and completed medical- and exercise-related questionnaires. Body mass, stature and body mass index were measured. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which received the CRAC intervention, or the control group, which did not receive CRAC intervention. Participants attended a total of three testing sessions. During the first session, hamstring flexibility and sprint and agility times were measured. In the second session, pre- and post-CRAC hamstring flexibility was measured and the best of twotimed trials was recorded for the sprint and agility tests. During the final testing session, pre-CRAC hamstring flexibility was recorded and following a standardised warm-up, post-CRAC hamstring flexibility was measured at specifically timed intervals (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 15, and 20 min) on a randomly selected leg (referred to as the "thixotropy" leg). The hamstring flexibility of the opposite leg (the "control" leg) was measured at 0 and 20 min only. A standardised warm-up was performed prior to the hamstring CRAC stretch in all testing sessions. During testing sessions, participants in the control group were asked to rest in supine lying for 6 min, which was equivalent to the time taken to perform the CRAC stretch for participants in the experimental group following the warm-up. Results: There was a significant difference between groups in body mass (p = 0.02), with participants in the experimental group (n = 20) having a significantly higher body mass, compared to participants in the control group (n = 20). There were no significant differences between groups for any other descriptive variables. There was a significant increased percentage change in hamstring flexibility of the experimental group, compared to the control group (p <.001). No significant differences were found in the percentage of change of agility, best 10 m or best 25 m sprint times between groups. There was a significant difference between groups with repeated flexibility measurements conducted over regularly timed intervals (F(7, 266) = 38.95; p <.001). Hamstring flexibility remained significantly increased for the duration of 8 min in the experimental group post-CRAC stretch, compared to the control group (p <.001). There were no significant differences between the knee extension angles of the "thixotropic" and "control" leg in the experimental and control groups at the 20 minute interval when compared to baseline knee extension angles within each group. Conclusion: Hamstring flexibility was significantly increased for up to 8 min following the CRAC stretch. However, the CRAC stretch was ineffective in enhancing agility and sprint performance. The need for further research into the use of CRAC stretching as a method of functional performance enhancement was highlighted. There should be a standardised protocol of CRAC application, and future studies should determine the effects of chronic stretch adaptations following regular, longterm hamstring CRAC application on measures of exercise performance. This study showed that CRAC is an effective, time-efficient method of stretching that does not have a detrimental effect on exercise performance.

Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

The study comprises of two sections; i) a survey to determine the attitude towards fitness training for rugby and the current fitness training habits of elite high school rugby players in their penultimate year at school, ii) a training study on a sample of the same population group, to measure the effect of a 12 week fitness training programme, based on scientific principles, on anthropometric, physiological and performance variables. The training study also measured the efficacy of training supervision compared no supervision on these variables.