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Background Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a multifactorial, poorly understood condition impacting quality of life (QOL). The pathology and aetiology might imply population-specific differences in domains of the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF). There is, however, a lack of research in this regard in South Africa. Objectives To describe the dysfunction, activity limitations, participation restrictions and contextual factors in South African women with POP. Method One hundred women were conveniently sampled in a primary health care setting. They completed a self-compiled medical and exercise history questionnaire, the standardised Prolapse-Quality of Life (P-QOL) questionnaire and the Visual Faces Scale. The stage of prolapse was determined by the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) Scale. Means, medians, standard deviations, percentages and frequencies were calculated. Results Eighty-six per cent had a stage III POP, 57% had overactive bladder, 50% had constipation, 37% had stress urinary incontinence, 31% had urge urinary incontinence, 32% had incomplete emptying and 30% had anal incontinence. Comorbidities included cardiovascular disease (65%), depressive symptoms (12%) and hypothyroidism (18%). Other contextual factors included limited physical activity (80%), an increased body mass index (29 kg/m 2 ), older age (59 years) and unemployment (80%). Quality of life was affected in the severity, social, emotional and sleep/energy domains (median scores were 66.7% – 33.3%). Conclusion The dysfunction domain of the ICF was similar to other populations with POP. Activity and participation restrictions included social, emotional and sleep/energy aspects. Contextual factors seem to be population-specific, possibly leading to differences comparing QOL amongst different populations. Clinical implications Activity and participation restrictions, as well as contextual factors, may differ in different populations with POP. Interactions between contextual factors and movement impairment should be considered during management and be further investigated.

Background: The South African Rugby Union’s BokSmart programme currently educates coaches and referees on concussion. Rugby players are often more familiar with their teammates than the coach or referee. Therefore they are well-positioned to play a pivotal role in rugby safety if they have adequate knowledge to identify subtle signs and abnormal behaviour displayed by a concussed teammate. However, no programme focuses on concussion education among South African rugby players and there is a dearth of literature on concussion education programmes among rugby players which could lead to safer return to play (RTP) habits.Objectives: To evaluate South African rugby players’ concussion knowledge and attitudes/behaviours regarding RTP following a concussion.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was used. Participants (n=294) were divided into junior amateur high school (JAHS) (n=216) and senior amateur club (SAC) (n=78) players. The modified RoCKAS-ST questionnaire was used to evaluate their concussion knowledge index (CKI) and concussion attitudes/behaviours index (CAI) regarding RTP.Results: On average, 62% (JAHS) and 60% (SAC) of the CKI questions were answered correctly. JAHS participants correctly identified 66% of concussion symptoms, similarly to the SAC participants (63%), rendering similar (p=0.37) overall CKI scores when comparing the two groups. The CAI questions yielded similar (p=0.98) results between the groups, reporting safe responses in 66% (JAHS) and 67% (SAC) of the items.Discussion and conclusion: Junior and senior South African amateur rugby players lacked approximately one-third of essential concussion knowledge, which may lead to a display of unsafe attitudes/behaviours to concussion and RTP. Further research is warranted to inform educational programmes on concussion among rugby players.

Background. The prolapse quality-of-life questionnaire (P-QOL) has been validated and translated into eight languages. The lack of an Afrikaans version of the P-QOL limits studies in Afrikaans-speaking patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Objective. To validate an Afrikaans version of the P-QOL in a South African population. Methods. The P-QOL was translated into Afrikaans by a medical translator and three gynaecologists. This descriptive study determined construct validity comparing 25 symptomatic (64.1%, n=39) and 14 asymptomatic (35.9%, n=39) participants' median domain scores. The POP stage was determined according to the POP quantification (POP-Q) scale and compared with their domain scores by means of percentages. A second P-QOL was completed and the stability determined by the test-retest method. The Cronbach alpha was used to determine internal consistency and the kappa value to determine measure of agreement. Results. Symptomatic participants had higher median domain scores than asymptomatic participants. All asymptomatic participants had stage 0 POP and 33.3% of symptomatic participants had stage III POP. Stability was good, with an average of above 50%. The mean Cronbach alpha value was 0.94 and the kappa value indicated moderate to good strength of agreement between items (к=0.41 -0.80). Conclusion. The Afrikaans P-QOL was found to be valid and reliable to determine quality of life in women with POP, correlating with the findings of other validation studies and supporting the evidence that the P-QOL is a high-quality disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire.

Background: Numerous factors account for injury prevention or lack thereof in any team setting. With the increasing burden of injuries in women’s football, and limited human resources accessible in sub-Saharan Africa, it is important to investigate the ways in which standardised injury prevention practices can be achieved. Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate injury prevention knowledge, beliefs, and practices in women’s football teams in the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Football League in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional self-administered survey was conducted among women’s football teams registered to participate in the USSA Football League in South Africa’s Gauteng Province. Results: A total of 107 respondents participated in the study, which included both players (n=98; 92%) and their support staff (n=9; 9%). The median (interquartile range) age of the participants was 22 (20-25) years. In the population sampled, 36% of the participants perceived that they had adequate knowledge of injury prevention practices in football, while others felt they had limited knowledge of the basic injury prevention programmes (IPPs). The results also indicated that the injury prevention practices of coaches (93%) and their beliefs in this regard (70%) are sufficient for achieving the basic injury prevention goals. Most of the respondents (89%) indicated that a medical support system is important in attaining the goals of injury prevention. Conclusion: Members of women’s teams in the USSA Football League have recognised limited knowledge about the basic IPPs, while they do employ some of the basic injury prevention practices in football. These practices could be influenced by the beliefs of the coaches and the players, and most of them believe that IPPs are important. It is essential as key stakeholders that coaches' and players' education and knowledge of injury prevention strategies should be considered as an integral part of the process to succeed. It should be strongly highlighted and implemented, thus augmenting the credibility, trust and compliance for IPPs in the sport.