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Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the differences in three-dimensional pelvic and hip kinematics during a single-leg drop-landing task in active sports participants with long-standing groin pain compared to healthy matched controls. Design This was a descriptive study incorporating a cross-sectional design. Setting The study was conducted at the Unit for Human Movement Analysis, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Participants The study sample was comprised of 20 male club level soccer, rugby, running and cycling participants between the ages of 18 and 55 years. Ten cases with long-standing groin pain and ten asymptomatic matched controls participated. Main outcome measures Three-dimensional pelvic and hip kinematics were captured with an optical motion capture system during a single-leg drop-landing task. Results Participants with groin pain landed with more downward lateral pelvic tilt (0.77°, p = 0.01, r = 0.35), hip abduction (2.05°, p < 0.001. r = 0.49), and hip external rotation (0.86°, p = 0.03, r = 0.29) at initial contact and more pelvic internal rotation (1.06°, p = 0.02, r = 0.30) at lowest vertical position than the healthy controls. Conclusions Sports participants with long-standing groin pain have altered pelvic and hip kinematics during single-leg drop-landing compared to healthy controls. The kinematic differences may contribute towards the persistent nature of groin pain, although these strategies may also be present as a result of the presence or the expectation of pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain and disability are common in female computer workers; they are associated with a complex relationship between individual, work-related and psychosocial factors. Upper quadrant musculoskeletal dysfunction has been associated with reduced work performance. Although there is lack of evidence for an adjustable office chair on computer workers' upper quadrant dysfunction and productivity, an adjustable office chair may provide a platform to change the computer workstation set-up and thereby have an effect on upper quadrant musculoskeletal structures. The aim of this two single-subject (n=1) explorative study was to determine whether an adjustable ergonomic office chair was associated with self-reported improvement in chronic upper quadrant musculoskeletal dysfunction and work productivity among female computer workers, compared to a less adjustable ergonomic office chair. Results found a clinically meaningful short-term reduction in both participants' self-reported upper quadrant pain and perceived muscle tension. One participant's results showed a clinically meaningful reduction in self-reported neck disability and work impairment, resulting from the upper quadrant musculoskeletal dysfunction. The other participants' baseline values for both neck disability and work impairment were too low for a meaningful comparison. Study findings indicated that a height-adjustable ergonomic office chair reduced upper quadrant musculoskeletal dysfunction in two female computer workers. This explorative study forms the foundation for further studies that aim to make office chair recommendations for female computer workers to reduce UQ musculoskeletal dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective was to determine the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in high school learners in the Cape Town area. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Setting: High schools in the Cape Metropole Area of the Western Cape. Subjects: A complex cluster sampling procedure was followed. Thirty-six students per school were selected from each randomly selected school. Thirteen- to 18-year-old pupils were eligible for inclusion. Outcome measures: Height and weight measurements. Results: The sample comprised 689 students. There were considerably more underweight adolescent boys than adolescent girls (17.3% boys to 9.9% girls), and double the frequency of overweight adolescent girls than adolescent boys (7.7% girls to 3.5% boys). The 14-year-old boys had the highest prevalence of underweight (55.2%), and the 17-year-old girls the highest prevalence of overweight (22%). The highest prevalence of obesity was found in 15-year-old boys (11.1%), who also demonstrated a relatively high prevalence of underweight (30.2%). Conclusion: This study reported on a substantial percentage of underweight adolescents (27.1%). Noteworthy levels of overweight and obesity in adolescent girls added to the substantial prevalence of underweight in adolescent boys. Africa has enough to contend with in respect of transmissible diseases, without additional lifestyle-based health burdens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]