Dina Christa Janse van Rensburg

University of Pretoria | UP · Section Sports Medicine

Background: In rugby, the shoulder contributes to attack/defence during collisions, tackling, falling, scrummaging, and mauling. We investigated the frequency, tissue, and pathology type of shoulder injuries per player position among professional South African rugby players, and compared injury severity in the context of momentum, intensity, and co...

Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have become easily available to athletes over the years. Using these substances may inadvertently expose an athlete to the possibility of an adverse analytical finding (a ”positive” test) and a sanction. Athletes need to understand the risk of an antidoping rule violation or adverse analytical findin...

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the South African government enforced a strict lockdown during March and April 2020. Strategies to assist people with maintaining physical activity (PA) became important, and online fitness communities (OFC) offered virtual assistance. This study aimed to investigate the benefits of participating in OFC on phys...

Background: In low-to-middle income countries (LMICs), there is a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) placing strain on the facilities and human resources of healthcare systems. Prevention strategies that include lifestyle behavior counseling have become increasingly important. We propose a potential solution to the growing burden of...

Background: Trail running is characterised by large elevation gains/losses and varying uneven running surfaces. Limited literature is available to help guide injury prevention strategies among trail runners. The purpose of this study was to determine the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and related risk factors for running-related injuries (...

Objective To determine if two pre‐race screening tools (abbreviated tool of two open‐ended pre‐race medical screening questions [ABBR] vs. a full pre‐race medical screening tool [FULL]) identify running race entrants at higher risk for medical encounters (MEs) on race day. Methods 5771 consenting race entrants completed both an ABBR and a FULL pre...

The aim of this scoping review was to present an overview of the existing epidemiological evidence in retired male and female elite rugby players regarding the prevalence rates of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neurocognitive, psychological and gynaecological health conditions. A systematic search was carried out across MEDLINE (via PubMed), SPOR...

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression and cancers, are on the rise worldwide and are often associated with a lack of physical activity (PA). Globally, the levels of PA among individuals are below WHO recommendations. A lack of PA can increase morbidity and mor...

Objective: To comment on and explore (1) the prevalence of clinical knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA); (2) the association between pain or function and clinical knee or hip OA; (3) the association between injury or surgery and clinical knee or hip OA. Methods: Participants were recruited from FIFPRO members. A total of 101 footballers consented t...

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to perform a Delphi consensus for return to sports (RTS) following sports related concussion (SRC). Methods: Open-ended questions in rounds 1 and 2 were answered. The results of the first two rounds were used to develop a Likert style questionnaire for round 3. If agreement at round 3 was <80% for an item,...

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to perform a Delphi consensus for on-field and pitch-side assessment of sports related concussion (SRC). Methods: Open-ended questions in rounds 1 and 2 were answered. The results of the first two rounds were used to develop a Likert style questionnaire for round 3. If agreement at round 3 was <80% for an i...

Background: Gastrointestinal tract illness (GITill) in rugby players is underreported. The incidence, severity (% time loss illness, days lost per illness) and burden of GITill with/without systemic symptoms and signs in professional South African male rugby players during the Super Rugby tournament (2013-2017) are reported. Methods: Team physic...

Background: Tennis is a multidirectional high-intensity intermittent sport for male and female individuals played across multiple surfaces. Although several studies have attempted to characterise the physical demands of tennis, a meta-analysis is still lacking. Objective: We aimed to describe and synthesise the physical demands of tennis across...

Using an expert consensus-based approach, a netball video analysis consensus (NVAC) group of researchers and practitioners was formed to develop a video analysis framework of descriptors and definitions of physical, technical and contextual aspects for netball research. The framework aims to improve the consistency of language used within netball i...

Several sports have published consensus statements on methods and reporting of epidemiological studies concerning injuries and illnesses with football (soccer) producing one of the first guidelines. This football-specific consensus statement was published in 2006 and required an update to align with scientific developments in the field. The Interna...

Abstract. Cross-sectional, analytical study that examined the link between sleep quality (SQ) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in young athletes in a sports competition. SQ was measured through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and HRQOL through the SF36 v2 (SF36v2) short-form health survey in 71 young athletes (39 men; mean age...

Rectus femoris (RF) injury is a concern in sports. The management RF strains/tears and avulsion injuries need to be clearly outlined. A systematic review of literature on current management strategies for RF injuries, and to ascertain the efficacy thereof by the return to sport (RTS) time and re-injury rates. Literature search using Medline via Pub...

Objective: This scoping review examines how different levels and types of partial foot amputation affect gait and explores how these findings may affect the minimal impairment criteria for wheelchair tennis. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus) were systematically searched in February 2021 for terms related to partial...

Background The International Match Calendar congestion affects players recovery. The views of a worldwide cohort of professional football players is shared in this communication. Methods A cross-sectional observational study recruited players through Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnel’s national members. An el...

Purpose: To investigate differences in athletes' knowledge, beliefs, and training practices during COVID-19 lockdowns with reference to sport classification and sex. This work extends an initial descriptive evaluation focusing on athlete classification. Methods: Athletes (12,526; 66% male; 142 countries) completed an online survey (May-July 2020...

Background: Coaches are pivotal in the management of concussed players. Assessing the knowledge of high school rugby coaches with regard to concussion management will enable relevant future education on this topic to be covered. Objectives: To investigate the knowledge of South African high school rugby coaches on concussion symptom recognition,...

Accurate and reliable evaluation of muscle strength in para-athletes is essential for monitoring the effectiveness of strength training and/or rehabilitation programmes, and sport classification. Our aim is to synthesise evidence related to assessing muscle strength in para-athletes. Four databases were searched from January 1990 to July 2021 for o...

Sudden cardiac adverse events remain an area of concern in sport. The precise risk for netball athletes is unknown but the annual incidence of sudden cardiac death in sports is reported at 0.5-2 cases in 100 000 young competitive athletes between the ages of 12-35 years. Cardiac screening in the sport and exercise medicine context aims at identifyi...

Purpose: To investigate differences in athletes' knowledge, beliefs, and training practices during COVID-19 lockdowns with reference to sport classification and sex. This work extends an initial descriptive evaluation focusing on athlete classification. Methods: Athletes (12,526; 66% male; 142 countries) completed an online survey (May-July 2020) a...

Objective To develop a trail running injury screening instrument (TRISI) for utilisation as clinical decision aid in determining if a trail runner is at an increased risk for injury. Design Multiple methods approach. Methods The study utilised five phases 1) identification of injury risk factors 2) determining the relevance of each identified ris...

South African sports scientist Dr Sharief Hendricks grew up in an area reserved for people of colour after his family was relocated by the Apartheid government. Sharief comes from a family of fruit and vegetable sellers. Growing up around a family of hawkers and helping with the business every day meant the notion of consistent hard work was instil...

Background: Exercise associated collapse (EAC) is a common medical encounter at distance running events. Risk factors associated with EAC are not well documented. The objective is to determine the overall incidence of EAC and identify risk factors associated with EAC in 21.1km and 56km runners. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 153208 race...

The IOC recently published its framework on fairness, inclusion and non-discrimination based on gender identity and sex variations. This framework is drafted mainly from a human rights perspective, with less consideration for medical/scientific issues. The framework places the onus for gender eligibility and classification entirely on the Internati...

Objective To review and frequently update the available evidence on injury risk factors and epidemiology of injury in trail running. Design Living systematic review. Updated searches will be done every 6 months for a minimum period of 5 years. Data sources Eight electronic databases were searched from inception to 18 March 2021. Eligibility crit...

Trail running involves running on varying natural terrains, often including large elevation gains/losses. Trail running has a high risk of injury, and runners often participate in remote regions where medical support is challenging. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology, clinical characteristic, and associated injury risk factors...

All sports were discontinued in 2020 with the arrival of COVID-19. Since then most have been reinstated, albeit without spectators. However, several countries have put together a number of different risk-mitigating strategies to allow spectators back into stadiums. This position statement gives an outline of the minimum requirements that should be...

The COVID-19 pandemic initially led to the shutdown of all sport at a high cost to both the economy and athlete health. As risk-mitigating protocols evolved and were implemented, the playing of sport returned slowly to normal. The introduction of COVID-19 vaccinations enhances the means of protection and risk management for all. This South African...

Objectives To determine the prevalence of self-reported pre-race chronic medical conditions and allergies in ultramarathon race entrants and to explore if these are associated with an increased risk of race-day medical encounters (MEs). Methods Data from two voluntary open-ended pre-race medical screening questions (Q1 – history of allergies; Q2 -...

Millions of consumer sport and fitness wearables (CSFWs) are used worldwide, and millions of datapoints are generated by each device. Moreover, these numbers are rapidly growing, and they contain a heterogeneity of devices, data types, and contexts for data collection. Companies and consumers would benefit from guiding standards on device quality a...

Altered biomechanics due to amputation can contribute to substantial limitations, influencing sporting activities. Individuals with lower extremity amputations or congenital lower limb deficiency are encouraged to participate in para-sports. However, to compete in Paralympic sports, the candidate must have an impairment that results in lower extrem...

Background Trail running (TR) is characterised by uneven varying running surfaces, with large elevation gains/losses. Therefore, the injury and illness profiles of TR may differ compared to road running. Limited information is available on injury and illness among trail runners (TRs) to help develop interventions towards injury prevention. Objecti...

Background Injury-related medical encounters (injMEs) are common in mass community-based participation cycling events, but there are limited data on the risk factors associated with injuries in endurance cycling events. Objective To determine the risk factors associated with injMEs in a mass community-based endurance cycling event. Design Retrosp...

Background Netball is a fast action game and there is growing interest in the sport. The Netball World Cup (NWC) is an international netball world championship, contested every four years, with 16 teams qualifying by ranking and play-offs. Research on netball injuries is however limited. Objective To determine the incidence and severity of injurie...

Background Illness-related medical encounters (illMEs) are common in mass community-based participation cycling events, but there are limited data on risk factors associated with illMEs in endurance cycling events. Objective To determine the independent risk factors associated with illMEs in a mass community-based endurance cycling event. Design...

Background The international Netball World Cup (NWC) is contested every four years and 16 teams qualify to participate, based on their world ranking. The risk, nature and severity of illness at the NWC is not known. Objective To determine the incidence, severity and reporting of illness by players during the NWC in 2019. Design Prospective study,...

Objectives: Explore training-related knowledge, beliefs and practices of athletes and the influence of COVID-19-related lockdowns. Methods: Athletes [n = 12,526 classified: world-class (13%), international (21%), national (36%), state (24%), and recreational (6%)] completed an online survey (50 d; 17th May to 5th July 2020) exploring their trainin...

Background: Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) of the forearm is a rare but important cause of morbidity amongst athletes involved in strenuous upper limb activities. The diagnosis remains challenging due to the absence of objective, reproducible diagnostic studies. Objectives: To assess and quantify signal intensity (SI) changes of inv...

Purpose: To assess the impact of long-haul transmeridian travel on subjective sleep patterns and jet lag symptoms in youth athletes around an international tournament. Methods: An observational descriptive design was used. Subjective sleep diaries and perceived responses to jet lag were collected and analyzed for a national junior netball team c...

Athletes are increasingly required to travel domestically and internationally, often resulting in travel fatigue and jet lag. Despite considerable agreement that travel fatigue and jet lag can be a real and impactful issue for athletes regarding performance and risk of illness and injury, evidence on optimal assessment and management is lacking. Th...

Sport is historically designated by the binary categorization of male and female that conflicts with modern society. Sport’s governing bodies should consider reviewing rules determining the eligibility of athletes in the female category as there may be lasting advantages of previously high testosterone concentrations for transwomen athletes and cur...

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01467-0

Introduction Trail running is characterized by elevation changes, with uneven and varying running surfaces. Risk factors that may predict gradual-onset running-related injuries (GORRIs) in short-distance trail running have not been explored. The objective was to determine risk factors that predict GORRIs in trail running race entrants who entered m...

Background: Exercise forms an important component in the management of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The objective of our study was to determine the effects of a 6-month swimming, land-based stretching, strengthening and breathing exercise intervention in AS patients. Methods/design: A total of 29 (14 females, 15 males) patients diagnosed with AS...

Objectives To document incidence rate and severity of specific sub-categories of respiratory tract illness (RTill) in rugby players during the Super Rugby tournament. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods Team physicians completed daily illness logs in 537 professional male rugby players from South African teams participating in the Super Rugby U...

There has been increasing scrutiny of professional rugby following the concern that retired players might face several negative health conditions. Currently, support measures addressing the health of retired professional rugby players are not systematically implemented. This is unusual as professional rugby stakeholders have the duty of care to pro...

Background Netball is a physical game with sudden changes of direction, decelerations, jumping and landing, stop/start manoeuvres and restrictive footwork rules exposing players to injury. Close contact play and shared facilities during tournaments, increase illness risk. Objective To describe the incidence, period prevalence, types and severity o...

We aimed to (i) determine self-reported injury and illness frequency in trail runners 4 weeks preceding competition; (ii) compare athletes with and without injury/illness by sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and competition distance; (iii) describe mechanism of injury, anatomical region (injury)/organ system (illness) involved, consequences of injury...

Background Trail running is characterised by large elevation gains/losses and uneven varying running surfaces. Limited information is available on injury and illness among trail runners to help guide injury and illness prevention strategies.Objective The primary aim of this review was to describe the epidemiology of injury and illness among trail r...

Objective To determine the prevalence of chronic prescription medication (CPM) use in distance runners (by age and sex) and to compare CPM use in 21.1km vs. 56km race entrants. Methods A cross-sectional study of 76654 race entrants who completed a pre-race medical screening questionnaire during race registration, which included questions on the us...

"Without rules that are perceived as fair, sport will not engage the younger generation and likely negatively impact future participation rates in the female category, particularly with self-identification at the elite level."

https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1c8mq,XMZMQHpf Objective: To determine the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of RRIs among trail runners who entered the 2019 SkyRun races. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: 2019 SkyRun races. Participants: Consent for data analysis was given by 305 of 412 (74%) race entrants. Main outcome m...

The lockdown regulations due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) that broke out towards the end of 2019 and continued to spread throughout most countries in the world had a negative effect on the sporting community. The South African government eased the lockdown rules to Level 1 from 21 September 2020. In Part 2 of this Position Statement of th...

An editorial on "Practical tips to manage travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes". Most evidence on travel fatigue and jet lag management is from non-athletic populations in laboratory settings. We aimed to provide practical tips on pre-travel, during travel and post-travel settings, based on currently available evidence. We included an infographic...

Training in the medical specialty of sport and exercise medicine (SEM) is available in many, but not all countries. In 2015, an independent Delphi group, the International Syllabus in Sport and Exercise Medicine Group (ISSEMG), was formed to create a basic syllabus for this medical specialty. The group provided the first part of this syllabus, by i...

Background There are limited data on acute injury-related medical encounters (injuries) in endurance cycling events. Objective To determine the risk factors for injuries during a mass community-based endurance cycling event. Design Retrospective, cross-sectional study. Setting Cape Town Cycle Tour (109 km), South Africa. Participants 102 251 ra...

Purpose: There are limited data on risk factors associated with illness-related medical encounters (illMEs) in cycling events. The aim was to determine risk factors associated with illMEs in mass community-based endurance cycling events. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study in the Cape Town Cycle Tour (109km), South Africa with 102251...

Wearing face masks during exercise. The COVID-19 pandemic causes widespread anxiety and uncertainty regarding disease transmission. In many countries people are obliged to wear a face mask in public spaces. Individuals involved in sports participation at any level need to make informed decisions on wearing a face mask during exercise. Currently th...

The significant impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has extended to sport with the cessation of nearly all professional and non-professional events globally. Recreational parks and fitness centres have also closed. A challenge remains to get athletes back to participation in the safest way, balancing the protection of their h...

Objective To describe the perceptions of South African elite and semi-elite athletes on return to sport (RTS); maintenance of physical conditioning and other activities; sleep; nutrition; mental health; healthcare access; and knowledge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Design Cross-sectional study Methods A Google Forms survey was distribut...

Objectives We investigated the management of travel fatigue and jet lag in athlete populations by evaluating studies that have applied non-pharmacological interventions (exercise, sleep, light and nutrition), and pharmacological interventions (melatonin, sedatives, stimulants, melatonin analogues, glucocorticoids and antihistamines) following long-...