Coronary Heart Disease Risk Profile among University of Kwa-Zulu Natal Students

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the primary aetiological factors of mortality in many countries. People are no longer as physically active as they were a few decades ago, because of their sedentary lifestyles. Thisstudy was conducted to determine the coronary heart disease risk profile of students studying at the Westville campus of the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN). Two hundred and twenty-three students who volunteered participated in the study. Participants underwent a health screening and risk stratification assessment which included an interview (to determine exercise history, and prevalence of hypokinetic diseases),  kinanthropometric measures (body mass, stature and skinfold), resting2 heart rate and blood pressure measures and a bicycle ergometer PWC test (indirectly 170 estimate VO max). Descriptive statistics which included mode, mean, frequency, percentages and inferential statistics comprisingchi-square (p# 0.05) were employed in the statistical analysis. All  participants reported no history of hypokinetic disease and perceived they were not at risk of CHD (p<0.001). The exercise history of males revealed that 86.66% participated in exercise, cricket, soccer, rugby and hockey, while 13.34% were sedentary (X2 p-value; 1.58E-17). Females (88.64%) were more physically active participating in netball, hockey, athleticsand exercise, whilst 11.36% were sedentary (X2p-value; 4.2E-13). Active female participants exercised and played sport for 2.38 sessions per week for an average duration of 34.28 minutes per session. The active maleparticipants exercised and played sport for 0.65 sessions per week for an average of 30 minutes per session. Descriptive statistical analyses identified the female participants’ mean BMI (24.34 kg/m²), percent body2 fat (20.72%), resting heart rate (78.19 bpm), mean arterial pressure (87.85 mmHg) and V0 max (38.93 ml/kg/min) as being within their age and gender norms. Similarly male participants’ mean BMI (23.05 kg/m²),2 percent body fat (12.29%), resting heart rates (73.14 bpm), MAP (87.75 mmHg) and VO max (39.03 ml/kg/min) complied with their age and gender norms. The study concluded that the participants are not at risk of CHD.KEYWORDS: coronary heart disease, healt

Common running musculoskeletal injuries among recreational half-marathon runners in KwaZulu-Natal

Objective. To document the prevalence and nature of running-related  musculoskeletal injuries among recreational half-marathon runners over a 12-month period (1 July 2011 - 31 June 2012).Methods. Data were collected from runners (N=200) who officially ran half-marathon road races during February - June 2012. Runners, whose participation in the study was dependent on voluntary informed consent, were required to complete a self-report questionnaire probing the prevalence and nature of running musculoskeletal injuries in the 12  months preceding recruitment. Probability was set at p≤0.05.Results. One hundred and eighty (90%) runners reported sustaining  musculoskeletal injuries (p<0.001). The anatomical site most vulnerable to injury was the knee (26%), followed by the tibia/fibula (22%) and the  lower back/hip (16%) (p<0.001). The intrinsic factors predisposing runners to musculoskeletal injuries were deviant quadriceps and hip flexion angles (p≤0.05).Conclusion. Recreational runners in our cohort sustained a high prevalence of knee, tibia/fibula and lower back/hip injuries

Prevalence of cricket-related musculoskeletal pain among adolescent cricketers in KwaZulu-Natal

Objectives. This study investigated the prevalence and nature of cricket-related musculoskeletal pain among male adolescent cricket players (n=234) residing in the Highway area of Durban over a 12-month period during all the seasons of the year.Methods. Data were collected from five secondary schools. Subjects participation was dependent on voluntary and parental informed consent. Child assent forms were also provided for the schoolboy cricket players to complete. Participants were required to complete a self-reported questionnaire probing the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain within the last 12 months. The probability was set at p.0.05.Results. A total of 188 subjects (80%) experienced cricket-related musculoskeletal pain (p<0.0001). The most common sites were the lower extremities (39%), followed by upper extremities (36%) and lower back (18%). The prevalence of cricket-related musculoskeletal pain specific to the various anatomical sites were mostly knee (30%) and lower back (29%), followed by shoulder (17%), ankle (13%) and thigh (11%). The predisposing mechanisms producing cricket-related musculoskeletal pain reported by the cricketers were direct physical trauma (83%) and over-use (17%) (p<0.0001).Conclusion. Male adolescent recreational cricket players reported a high prevalence of cricket-related musculoskeletal pain. The knee was the most common anatomical site. Parents, guardians and coaches should pay specific caution to preliminary and extrinsic factors causing musculoskeletal pain in adolescent cricketers

Musculoskeletal posture profile analyses of University of Kwa-Zulu Natal students in South Africa

Postural deviation is more than an aesthetic problem, which progresses beyond the boundary of physical appearance. Two hundred and four University of Kwa-Zulu Natal students studying at the Westville campus participated in the study through voluntary informed consent. Subjects’ underwent postural analyses, according to the Kendall et al (2005) postural analyses protocol which identified the presence of scoliosis in the frontal plane and kyphosis and lordosis in the sagittal plane. In addition subjects’ body mass and stature were recorded. Descriptive statistics which included the mode, mean, frequency, percentages and inferential statistics comprising of chi-square (p≤ 0.05) were employed in the statistical analysis. The results identified 70.44% and 73.94% incidence of scoliosis among the male and female students respectively (p<0.05) in the frontal plane. Similarly musculoskeletal postural analyses in the sagittal plane identified 76.13% and 72.19% incidence of kyphosis and 56.57% and 39.86% incidence of lordosis among female and male students (p<0.05).Keywords: Posture, scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis

The impact of habitual school bag carriage on the health of pubescent scholars

School bag carriage represents a considerable daily occupational load for children. The carriage of heavy school bags is a suspected aetiological factor of the daily physical stress of school pupils which negatively impacts on the health of their vertebral column. The objectives of this study was to determine the prevalence of school bag carriage musculoskeletal pain after the dissemination of the recommendations of Puckree’s findings (Puckree et al. 2004) in the eThekwini region of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, as well as explain the impact of school bag carriage on the pubescent’s craniovertebral angle. One hundred and eighty-seven pupils voluntarily participated in a controlled, descriptive, epidemiological retrospective study. Pupils’ biographical, epidemiological, physical activity and life-style information was gathered by a self-report questionnaire. Digital images were captured in the loaded phase(when pupils were carrying school bags) and unloaded phase (when they were not carrying school bags) in the sagittal and frontal planes. These images were analyzed using biomechanical software, Dartfish. In addition the pupils’ body mass, stature and mass of their school bags were measured using a Detecto stadiometer scale. The study being retrospective in nature recorded the prevalence of school bag carriage musculoskeletal pain over the last 12 months. Descriptive statistical tests such mean, mode, frequency, percentages and inferential chi-square statistical test (p≤ 0.05) were employed to analyze the data. The result indicated that 64.97% of the cohort experience school bag carriage related musculoskeletal pain (p<0.001). The most prevalent anatomical sites which experienced pain were the vertebral column(40.89%) and shoulders (33.99%) (p<0.001). The predisposing factors of the pain were the mass of the school bag and the reduction in the craniovertebral angle (p<0.001).It was concluded thatpubescent pupils (12.41 ±0.60 years) residing in the eThekwini region of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, experience school bag carriage related musculoskeletal pain.Keywords: School bag, pubescent, musculoskeletal pain, craniovertebral angle

Does an anteriorly tilted pelvis adversely influence the elderly’s ability to sit to stand?

Anecdotal reports suggest that the elderly who have anteriorly tilted pelvis experience difficulty to successful complete the sit to stand movement (STSM). The purpose of this study was to determine whether anteriorly tilted pelvis negatively impacts on the elderly’s functional ability to complete the STSM. One hundred and four geriatric members (85 females; 19 males) residing at TAFTA with an average age of 73.97±7.1 years (range 66-80 years) participated in a controlled, observational cross sectional study investigating the electromyography (EMG) force couple relationship of biceps femoris and rectus femoris involved in the STSM. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire (incidence of chronic musculoskeletal injuries, anatomical site of injury, intensity of the pain and their weekly physical activity); Thomas test (hip flexor contracture), EMG activity were recorded during the transition from sit to stand and a postural analysis. The postural analyses identified the presence of kyphosis and anteriorly tilted pelvis in the sagittal plane. 68% of the participants had anteriorly tilted pelvis (ATP) (p<0.0001) whose left hip flexor contracture significantly differed from the other 33 participants with neutral aligned pelvis (NAP) (p<0.05). These 71 had greater biceps femoris EMG activity during the STSM compared to the 33 with NAP (p<0.0001). There was no statistical difference between the NAP and the ATP groups with regards to age, body mass, stature, weekly physical activity profile and seated EMG measures (p>0.05). The greater EMG activity of the biceps femoris of the ATP participants further supports the clinical finding of the Thomas test, suggesting an abnormal force couple relationship between their hip extensors and flexors. Elderly people with an anteriorly tilted pelvis have an abnormal biceps femoris: rectus femoris force couple relationship which impacts on their sit to stand capability.Keyword: Anteriorly tilted pelvis, sit to stand

Impact of habitual cranial loading on the vertebral column of adolescent African females aged 12-15 years in the Deepdale region of Kwa-Zulu Natal

This pilot study investigated the incidence and aetiology of cranial loading musculoskeletal pain amongst adolescent females aged 12-15 years in the Deepdale region of Kwa-Zulu Natal. A descriptive survey was conducted amongst 20 adolescent females, who by voluntary consent participated in a controlled, analytical, observational, pre-test post-test, randomized cross-over retrospective study. Subjects’ biographical, epidemiological, exercise history and lifestyle information were gathered by employing the use of a validated questionnaire (van Heerden, 1996). In addition to completing the questionnaire subjects underwent a postural analysis in anunloaded and loaded state. During the unloaded and loaded phases EMG measures were recorded of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles. The unloaded phase was when subjects stood without the 20 kg pot placed onto their cranium, whilst the loaded phase was when subjects stood with the 20 kg pot placed onto their cranium against a portable postural chart. Digital images were captured of all subjects in the unloaded and loaded phases in the sagittal and frontal views. Data were analysed using the Excel Spreadsheets for Windows, chi-square tests and dependant t-tests with the probability set at 0.05. The evidence indicated that the incidence of cranial loaded musculoskeletal pain and discomfort amongst subjects was 95% (

Incidence of karate-related musculoskeletal pain among SKISA Karatekas

Over the past decade, there has been heightened interest in the philosophy, training habits, nutrition and epidemiology of martial arts athletes. Despite this interest in martial arts, there is a dearth of information on the epidemiology and training history of unique Karate martial arts athletes, more specifically Shotokhan Karate-Do- International South Africa (SKISA) karatekas. This study investigated the incidence ofkarate-related musculoskeletal pain among SKISA athletes, as well as their training history. One hundred and sixty male and female karatekas participated in a retrospective epidemiological investigation by voluntary informed consent. Subjects were martial artists belonging to SKISA who congregated at the 2010 National SKISA Kanazawa-Cup Tournament. The subjects’ training history and incidence of karaterelated musculoskeletal pain were gathered employing a self-report musculoskeletal pain questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in the statistical analysis. Out of the 160 karatekas who responded to the questionnaire, 61.88% (n=99) experienced karate-related musculoskeletal pain (