Browsing by Author "Van Mechelen, Willem"

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    The effectiveness and implementation of the BokSmart Safe Six Injury prevention programme
    (2018) Sewry, Nicola Ann; Van Mechelen, Willem; Lambert, Mike; Verhagen, Evert; Brown, James
    INTRODUCTION: Injury prevention programmes in rugby union are important to reduce the sport’s injury burden. The BokSmart Safe Six exercise-based injury prevention programme (“Safe Six”) was designed for this purpose. The programme incorporates six targeted exercises as a warm-up for rugby players. The effectiveness of the BokSmart Safe Six programme was assessed using the “Sequence of Prevention” Model. METHODS: The first study was a prospective cohort study using injury surveillance, of players at the South African Rugby (SA Rugby) Youth week tournaments. The study was conducted over six years to determine the injury incidence density (IID) youth players and also factors associated with the IID. The second study was a systematic review with the purpose of determining the effectiveness of exercise-based injury prevention interventions to reduce injury rates in collision sports. The next study was conducted over three years of SA Rugby Youth weeks and assessed the awareness of coaches and players of the BokSmart Safe Six following a targeted-marketing approach. This was followed by a study in which the BokSmart Safe Six programme was implemented in a cohort of apparently healthy non-rugby playing adults. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of the programme on injury risk profiles (Functional Movement Screening and Musculoskeletal Screening Assessments). The final study was a cluster-randomised controlled trial (cRCT) over eight weeks, using six schools (n = 210 players) in the Western Cape to determine the effectiveness of the BokSmart Safe Six on injury risk profiles and IID. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: SA youth rugby cohort have a similar IID to other youth rugby cohorts (and in some instances lower). The systematic review identified only one highlevel study (out of three) that was effective for injury prevention. The players’ awareness of the BokSmart Safe Six was associated with the awareness of their specific coaches’ awareness. The awareness increased during the targeted marketing approach. The BokSmart Safe Six was associated with minimal significant improvements of the injury risk profiles in both the healthy adults and in the cRCT intervention group youth rugby players.
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    Working on wellness (WOW): A worksite health promotion intervention programme
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2012) Kolbe-Alexander, Tracy; Proper, Karin; Lambert, Estelle; van Wier, Marieke; Pillay, Julian; Nossel, Craig; Adonis, Leegale; Van Mechelen, Willem
    BACKGROUND: Insufficient PA has been shown to cluster with other CVD risk factors including insufficient fruit and vegetable intake, overweight, increased serum cholesterol concentrations and elevated blood pressure. This paper describes the development of Working on Wellness (WOW), a worksite intervention program incorporating motivational interviewing by wellness specialists, targeting employees at risk. In addition, we describe the evaluation the effectiveness of the intervention among employees at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. METHODS: The intervention mapping (IM) protocol was used in the planning and design of WOW. Focus group discussions and interviews with employees and managers identified the importance of addressing risk factors for CVD at the worksite. Based on the employees' preference for individual counselling, and previous evidence of the effectiveness of this approach in the worksite setting, we decided to use motivational interviewing as part of the intervention strategy. Thus, as a cluster-randomised, controlled control trial, employees at increased risk for CVD (N=928) will be assigned to a control or an intervention group, based on company random allocation. The sessions will include motivational interviewing techniques, comprised of two face-to-face and four telephonic sessions, with the primary aim to increase habitual levels of PA. Measures will take place at baseline, 6 and 12months. Secondary outcomes include changes in nutritional habits, serum cholesterol and glucose concentrations, blood pressure and BMI. In addition, healthcare expenditure and absenteeism will be measured for the economic evaluation. Analysis of variance will be performed to determine whether there were significant changes in physical activity habits in the intervention and control groups at 6 and 12months.DISCUSSION:The formative work on which this intervention is based suggests that the strategy of targeting employees at increased risk for CVD is preferred. Importantly, this study extends the work of a previous, similar study, Health Under Construction, in a different setting. Finally, this study will allow an economic evaluation of the intervention that will be an important outcome for health care funders, who ultimately will be responsible for implementation of such an intervention.TRIAL REGISTRATION:United States Clinical Trails Register NCT 01494207