Respiratory health in athletes, which is the most common system affected by illness in athletes, can often be tricky to manage or approach.

This SASMA podcast delves into a very engaging and robust discussion with two very knowledgeable guests.

Dr Kyle Winik chats with Dr Marcel Jooste and Dr Carolette Cloete, who are both Sports and Exercise physicians based at SEMLI, The Sport & Exercise Medicine Lifestyle Institute, in Pretoria, South Africa, under the leadership of Prof Martin Schwellnus.

They discuss important tools or concepts to adopt in clinical practice as well as updates to current knowledge in respiratory illness in athletes.

Attached are the Current IOC Guidelines in respiratory health as well as NB tips and tricks to get familiar with.

Jooste, Marcel & Schwellnus, Martin. (2024). Countermeasures to reduce the risk of infections at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games—A balancing act. Journal of Sport and Health Science http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2024.05.009

Prevention of Infections in Track and Field Athletes - Top Tips - Aspetar Journal https://journal.aspetar.com/en/archive/volume-13-targeted-topic-sports-medicine-in-athletics/prevention-of-infections-in-track-and-field-athletes-top-tips

Schwellnus M, Adami PE, Bougault V, et al International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus statement on acute respiratory illness in athletes part 2: non-infective acute respiratory illness British Journal of Sports Medicine 2022;56:1089-1103.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/19/1089

In today's episode we continue to delve into Event Medicine, specifically the role of the Chief Medical Officer, in the South African context. Drs Christian Schaap and Darren Green discuss the roles, intricacies and challenges that the Chief Medical Officer is faced with at large sporting events.

Dr Green is a Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician who serves as the Chief Medical Officer at multiple large sporting events like the Rugby Sevens World Championship, Cape Town Marathon and ABSA Cape Epic. He is currently heading the medical team at the World Rugby u/20 World Championship in Cape Town.

In this episode, we explore the expanding role of Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) in public health. Dr. Phato Zondi, in the latest BJSM editorial, highlights SEM’s impact on promoting physical activity, preventing injuries, and enhancing health outcomes beyond elite athletes. (Access the article through the GlueUp app for SASMA members : https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-108374)

In 2016, UCT and Stellenbosch University opened Sports Injury Clinics, making diagnosis and rehabilitation accessible to the broader population. These clinics are staffed by SEM physicians and supported by sports physiotherapists who lead patient rehabilitation. Now, Dr. Leigh Gordon from Cape Town has launched the first state-based concussion clinic at GSH Hospital, emphasizing that concussions affect everyone, not just athletes.

For information regarding referrals to the clinic see more information on https://www.sportsconcussion.co.za/medical-team/

In today's episode, we chat with Dr. Sharief Hendricks, President of SASMA, about the upcoming SASMA conference in Stellenbosch. He discusses the key topics and significance of the event. Dr. Hendricks also provides an update on SASMA, highlighting new collaborations and recent developments within the association aimed at advancing sports medicine.

Link for registration for the SASMA2024 conference : https://sasma2024.co.za

In todays episode, Amish Kooverjee gives us an insight in to Craig Govender’s career as a physiotherapist working in the professional cricket game. We follow the journey into Craig’s career and where he began as a young cricket player and now working with some of the biggest teams in the cricketing world, including a career highlight of working with the SA Mens cricket team. Craig explains his life on the road and the challenges it poses along with the interdisciplinary approach that comes with working with different athletes and technical teams in an ever changing environment.

In this episode, we are joined by two highly experienced and well travelled sport and exercise physicians.

Our host, Dr Kyle Winik chats to Dr Louis Holtzhausen and Dr Celeste Geertsema about what it takes to plan and go about ensuring a high level of care at large sporting events.

Through this episode, listeners will be able to take away hot tips to assist their planning or working at a mass participation event.

In todays episode, we have a special recording of our medical team behind Team South Africa competing at the All Africa Games in Accra, Ghana. This episode is hosted by Dr Chanel Dewar and includes Dr Gavin Shang (Chief Medical Officer), Dr Phathokuhle Zondi, Dr Minjon Ras, Dr Kerry-Ann Walton and Dr Busani Mabaso.

The team chats around the build up to a multi-coded event such as All Africa Games, the day to day work involved in such a setting and the work which is required to prepare and care for the competing athletes.

This episode serves to give insight into multi-coded events and the importance of being a team within a team.

In this episode, Sibu Moyo interviews fellow physiotherapist Sean Croxford and dives into the world of sports physiotherapy, being part of a team set up, travelling with a team and the role of sports physiotherapy in sports medicine - as well as everything in between