South African Journal of Sports Medicine - Volume 7, Issue 1, April 2000

""Two hours after the marathon race�, Derek Clayton wrote ""I was urinating quite large clots of blood and vomiting black mucus. I also had a lot of black diarrhoea. I have discussed this with the medical profession, asking them why this should be and I never received a satisfactory answer. I only know one thing. After that 2:08 I was virtually finished ...after that race, I wasn�t the same person.�

Athletes tend to experiment with different dietary regimes to find the optimum athletic diet. There is however, no evidence that such special dietary regimes improve performance. Dietary studies have indicated that there is extreme variability in the dietary intakes of athletes.

Objective: The aim of-this study was to compare the maximal aerobic power and anaerobic capacity in 5 senior (> 21 years) and 4 junior (< 18 years) elite women1 kayakers. Design: Maximum oxygen uptake (V02max) and maximum accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) were measured on a kayak ergometer.

Objective: To study the relationship between heart rate and running speed during competition. Design: An elite long distance male runner (25 years old, V0 2max = 71 ml 0 2/kg/min) was studied over a 5-month period during which time he participated in 9 races ranging in length from 5 km to 28 km. The subject wore a heart rate monitor which measured his heart rate throughout the race and his split running times for each kilometre.

If one asked a number of physiotherapists of the ways in which they treat Chondromalacia Patellae or Patellofemoral pain, their answers would be varied from mobilization of the patella, quadriceps strengthening exercises either isotonic or isokinetic, faradic stimulation of the vastus medialis, electrical modalities such as laser and ultrasound, ice or specific muscle stretching.

A pilot study was conducted to compare the range of movement of ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, and foot inversion, without and with the use of a standard elastic ankle guard. A sample of nine normal, healthy, physically active, Caucasian males, aged 19 to 21 years, with no history of ankle injuries, was used. The results of this study showed no significant differences (p = 0,05) between the ankle and foot movements performed without and with the use of the ankle guard in any of the basic movements measured.

The International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) calls attention to the fact that, while injuries in sports can be relatively frequent, they are almost completely preventable. Loss of sight, even in one eye, involves changes in lifestyle for the individual and serious financial and social consequences both for the individual and for society as a whole. It is imperative that sport eye injury risk be reduced to as low a level as possible by enforcement of existing safety rules or by rule changes, where applicable. All athletes should be prescribed eye protectors where appropriate to the sport.