Exploring the utilisation of stand up paddle boarding in Australia

Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) has grown exponentially in the last few years with unprecedented participation rates globally. Despite some scientific research on physiological and performance variables, minimal information exists regarding participation and utilisation. The purpose of this study was to discover more about how and where people participate in the relatively new sport of SUP. An open-source online survey application was administered internationally to active SUP participants to capture information relevant to both demographics and participation. Of a total of 240 responses, 154 (64.2%) were Australian. The average SUP rider was 42.9 ± 11.7 years, mass 80.4 ± 18.7 kg, 1.75 ± 0.10 m tall with a BMI of 26.1 ± 4.9. More males (69.5%) participate in SUP than females with the majority of participants from the eastern seaboard of Australia. Participants most commonly used SUP for fun and fitness, for around 3 h per week, predominantly at the beach with friends, with around half of the respondents reporting a competitive involvement. This is the first study to date to quantify participation of SUP within Australia. Results revealed SUP is a global activity with a high representation within Australia. Key findings from this study reveal the geographical and demographic distribution of SUP use. Consequently, these findings may inform the industry about its target audience. Additionally, information regarding the ‘typical’ SUP rider may serve to further promote and grow the sport

Does a Novice Technician Produce Results Similar to That of an Experienced DXA Technician When Assessing Body Composition and Bone Mineral Density?

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry is a commonly used clinical assessment tool for body composition and bone mineral density, which is gaining popularity in athletic cohorts. Results from body composition scans are useful for athletic populations to track training and nutritional interventions, whilst bone mineral density scans are valuable for athletes at risk of developing stress fractures due to low bone mineral density. However, no research has ascertained if a novice technician (accredited but not experienced) could produce similar results to an experienced technician. Two groups of recreational athletes were scanned, one by an experienced technician, one by a novice technician. All participants were scanned twice with repositioning between scans. The experienced technician\u27s reliability (ICC 0.989 - 0.998, percentage change in mean -0.01 - 0.10), precision (typical error as CV% 0.01 to 0.47. standard error of measurement percentage 0.61% - 1.39%) and sensitivity to change (smallest real difference percentage 1.70% - 3.85%) were similar, however superior, to those of the novice technician. The novice technician results were: reliability (ICC 0.985 - 0.997, percentage change in mean -0.03 - 0.23), precision (typical error as CV% 0.03 - 0.75%, standard error of measurement percentage 1.06% - 2.12%) and sensitivity to change (smallest real difference percentage 2.73% - 5.86%). Extensive experience whilst valuable is not a necessary requirement to produce quality results when undertaking whole body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning

Lifetime prevalence of non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer in Australian recreational and competitive surfers

Background/Purpose Surfing is one of the most popular outdoor aquatic activities in Australia with an estimated 2.7 million recreational surfers; however, Australia has long been recognized as having the highest incidence of melanoma in the world, and it is the most common type of cancer in young Australians. The aim of this study was to investigate the lifetime prevalence of non-mela- noma [basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)] and melanoma skin cancers in Australian recreational and competitive surfers. Methods Australian surfers were invited to complete an online surveillance survey to determine the lifetime prevalence of non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers. Results A total of 1348 surfers (56.9% recreational) participated in this study, of which 184 surfers reported a skin cancer (competitive n = 96, recreational n = 87). Of non-melanoma and melanoma cancers reported, BCC was the most common (6.8%), followed by melanoma (1.4%) and SCC (0.6%). The relative risk was higher (P \u3c 0.001) in competitive vs. recreational surfers [OR 1.74 (CI 1.28–2.31)]. There was a higher (P \u3c 0.05) number of skin cancers reported on the face (23.5%), back (16.4%) and arms (12.4%). There were significant trends (P \u3c 0.001) in reported skin cancers between competitive and recreational surfers, as well as significantly (P \u3c 0.001) more skin cancers reported in males (14.6%) than females (9.4%). Conclusion Based upon these findings, individuals who surf are advised to regularly uti- lize sun protection strategies (avoid peak ultraviolet radiation (10 am– 3 pm), rashvest, hat and sunscreen) and primary care physicians are rec- ommended to regularly screen their patients who surf

Epidemiology of Acute Injuries in Surfing: Type, Location, Mechanism, Severity, and Incidence: A Systematic Review

Prospective and retrospective studies have examined traumatic injuries within competitive and recreational surfers worldwide using online surveys and health care facility (HCF; e.g., hospital, emergency department, medical record) data. However, few studies have provided a synthesis of all available literature. The purpose of this study was to obtain, critique and synthesise all literature specific to acute surfing injuries, and evaluate differences in injury type, mechanism and location between HCF and survey data. A systematic literature review design was used to identify relevant articles from three major databases. Peer-reviewed epidemiological studies of musculoskeletal surfing injuries were included. A modified AXIS tool was used for critical appraisal, and objective data was extracted and synthesized by lead researchers. Overall frequencies for injury location, type and mechanism were calculated from raw injury data. A total of 19 cross-sectional articles of fair to good quality (Modified AXIS 54.2–83.3%) were included in this study; 17 were National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) level III-2 (retrospective) and two were level II (prospective). Articles examined competitive, recreational and combined populations. Injury data from Australia, Brazil, UK, USA, Portugal, Japan, Norway, and worldwide were represented. Skin (46.0%; HCF 50.1%, survey 43.8%) and being struck by own surfboard (38.6%; HCF 73.4%, survey 36.7%) were the most common injury type and mechanism. Head, face and neck injuries were most common in HCF (43.1%) versus lower limb injuries (36.4%) in survey data. Incidence proportion was highest in aerialists (0.48). Incidence rate (number of injuries per 1000 h) ranged from 0.74 in Australian surfers (Melbourne) to 6.6 in international contest surfers from medical record data. This review highlights the prevalence of skin, board-related, head, face and neck, and lower limb surfing injuries across available literature. Proposed use of protective equipment and foam-based surfboards in dangerous or crowded surf locations may reduce injury risk

Visual observation to identify sexes in subspecies of adult Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger)

Identifying sexes in birds from visual observations could be a useful and inexpensive method. While sexual dichromatism and ornaments are readily used by observers, sexual size dimorphism can also be used to identify sexes in some bird species. This study assessed the applicability of visual observation of size differences to identify sexes in adult Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger). Black Skimmers do not have sexual dichromatism; however, Black Skimmer males are skeletally larger (6.7–31.7% depending on trait) and 33.3–37.5% heavier than females. The study focused on two subspecies: Amazonian (R. n. cinerascens) and South American (R. n. intercedens) Black Skimmers. Sex identified by visually observing size differences was consistent with the sex identified at specimen preparation from examining gonads (RGLMM = 0.996 ± 0.004). The identification of sexes from photographs using visual observation of size had a very high within- (RGLMM = 0.995 ± 0.001) and between- (RGLMM = 0.984 ± 0.002) observer repeatability. Non-invasive methods for identifying sex by visual observation may allow enhanced use of data from photographic datasets, citizen science projects, and surveys using direct observation or images

Perceptions of accident risk among on-track machine workers : an interview study

Although non-fatal injuries remain a frequent occurrence in safety-critical work, very few studies have examined the ways in which organisational systems and processes influence individual safety behaviour. Even fewer have explored the perceived factors contributing to accident risk using qualitative research methods. This short paper presents the initial results from a thematic analysis of ten interviews with On Track Machine (OTM) operatives. Issues arising from two key themes (fatigue, and safety communication and training) are briefly described. Implications, planned organisational response, and opportunities for further research are discussed