SASMA

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, cricket clinician Nick Pereira sits down with John W. Orchard and Benita Olivier — editors and co-authors of Cricket Sports Medicine — to unpack the making of cricket’s first dedicated sports medicine textbook and what it means for the future of the game.

Bringing together contributors from across the global cricket landscape, the textbook represents a landmark step in bridging the gap between research, rehabilitation, performance, and real-world clinical practice. Across 39 chapters, it explores the unique medical and performance demands of cricket, from injury epidemiology and rehabilitation to youth athlete development and re...

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, host Dr Kerry Walton is joined by Dr Sean Gottschalk to explore the extremes of emergency and sport and exercise medicine: Exercising at altitude. Inspired by insights from their own experiences, Sean and Kerry share some top tips on expeditions to altitude and what to expect and be ready for in terms of medical challenges.

10 top tips for aspiring expedition medics on how to summit Mount Kilimanjaro:

1) Get yourself a mentor

2) Befriend the stair master at the gym

3) Do not compromise on gear (especially...

Welcome to the Research Masterclass series, a collaboration between the SASMA Podcast and the Research Masterminds Success Academy. This series was created for clinicians, academics, and professionals who are curious about research but often find the academic world opaque, intimidating, or complicated.

The aim of this series is to slow that conversation down. We want to unpack research in a way that is honest, grounded, and practical.

In this third episode of the series, we are joined by Professor Benita Olivier, and Franso-Marie Olivier to unpack whether it is possible for a balance to exist...

Welcome to the Research Masterclass series, a collaboration between the SASMA Podcast and the Research Masterminds Success Academy. This series was created for clinicians, academics, and professionals who are curious about research but often find the academic world opaque, intimidating, or complicated.

The aim of this series is to slow that conversation down. We want to unpack research in a way that is honest, grounded, and practical.

In this second episode of the series, we are joined by Professor Benita Olivier, to take us through how to develop a proposal as well as the study...

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, host Dr Aasha Parshotam is joined by Dr Bhavik Ganda, Dr Umair Mohammed, and Dr John Haughey to explore the emerging field of sports dentistry and its growing role in athlete health and performance. From the prevention and management of dentofacial injuries to the impact of oral health on recovery, fatigue, and confidence, the discussion highlights why dentistry should be an integral part of the multidisciplinary sports medicine team. Inspired by insights from the South African Sports Dentistry Conference, this episode sheds light on how clinicians, coaches, and athletes can better protect...

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, host Dr Aasha Parshotam is joined by Dr Bhavik Ganda, Dr Umair Mohammed, and Dr John Haughey to explore the emerging field of sports dentistry and its growing role in athlete health and performance. From the prevention and management of dentofacial injuries to the impact of oral health on recovery, fatigue, and confidence, the discussion highlights why dentistry should be an integral part of the multidisciplinary sports medicine team. Inspired by insights from the South African Sports Dentistry Conference, this episode sheds light on how clinicians, coaches, and athletes can better protect...

Welcome to the Research Masterclass series, a collaboration between the SASMA Podcast and the Research Masterminds Success Academy. This series was created for clinicians, academics, and professionals who are curious about research but often find the academic world opaque, intimidating, or complicated.

The aim of this series is to slow that conversation down. We want to unpack research in a way that is honest, grounded, and practical—starting not with methods or proposals, but with the bigger questions: what is research training, why do people do it, and how do you even begin?

In this ep...

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, Dr Aasha Parshotam sits down with Dr Adisha Bhola, President of the Sports and Exercise Medicine Association of Mauritius (SEMA) and Chief Medical Officer of the Mauritius Rugby Federation, to explore how a small island nation is becoming a model for integrated, evidence-based sports and exercise medicine in Africa.

Dr Bhola shares her journey from London to Mauritius and the challenges of establishing a sports-medicine system from the ground up. Together they unpack:

In this SASMA Podcast episode, host Aasha sits down with Dr Darren Green—Chief Medical Officer for Mediclinic Corporate Events and CMO to flagship races and rugby tournaments—to unpack how a city readies itself, medically and operationally, for the Cape Town Marathon as it bids for Abbott World Marathon Majors status. Dr Green lifts the lid on the real engine room of race day: ER24’s pre-hospital response, doctor–nurse route stations, a 28-bed finish-line race hospital with ICU capability and rapid cold-water immersion, and the live Venue Operations Centre coordinating police, traffic, disaster management, and medical dispatch in real...

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast’s Athlete’s Voice series, former Springbok and Stormers star Gio Aplon shares his journey through 16 years of professional rugby. From being told he was “too small” to play at the highest level, Gio reflects on how resilience and adaptability shaped his career. He opens up about the pressures of proving himself, the mental toll of injuries, and the challenges of navigating long-term rehab. Gio also highlights the importance of trust between athletes and sports medicine professionals, offering valuable lessons for those working in high-performance environments. This candid conversation provides a rare look int...

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, host Kyle Winik speaks with Prof. Martin Schwellnus — a global authority in Sport and Exercise Medicine, Director of the IOC Research Center in South Africa, and President of the College of Sport and Exercise Medicine SA.

They explore the evolution of sport and exercise medicine in South Africa — from its academic beginnings at UCT in the early 1990s to the specialty’s official recognition in 2020. Prof. Schwellnus shares his insights on the College’s role in athlete care, its broader impact on fighting non-communicable diseases through exercise prescription, and the importan...

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, Dr. Minjon Ras speaks with Dr. Izzy Moore, Joanna Perkins, and Dr. Leigh Gordon about the newly released Post-Partum Guidelines on returning to rugby after pregnancy (published by the English RFU). Together they unpack the six-phase pathway designed to support female athletes, explore the physical and mental health considerations unique to postpartum recovery, and discuss the role of coaches, medical teams, and performance staff in creating a supportive environment. The conversation blends evidence, personal experiences, and practical advice—empowering athletes and practitioners to ensure that returning to rugby postpartum is safe, individualized, an...

In this inspiring episode, host Dr. Aasha Parshotam sits down with two trailblazers in South African sports medicine—Dr. Lervasen Pillay and Dr. Phathokuhle Zondi—to explore the diverse and dynamic career trajectories within the field. From grassroots beginnings to national and international leadership roles, the discussion delves into the motivations, mentorship, and mindset needed to thrive in sports medicine. Whether you're a student, a clinician, or someone curious about the profession, this conversation offers personal insights, practical advice, and a powerful reflection on purpose and impact in healthcare.

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Janesh Ganda is joined by Professor Ross McKinney, a bioethicist, and Clint Readhead, General Manager of Medical at the South African Rugby Union, to explore the complex ethical landscape of Sports Medicine. Together, they unpack the challenges of dual loyalty, the evolving role of team doctors, and the tension between athlete welfare and performance demands. Drawing from real-world experience and ethical frameworks, this conversation offers valuable insights for clinicians, administrators, and anyone involved in high-performance sport.

In this insightful episode, Dr Daniel Tadmor hosts two leading voices in sports medicine—Prof Jon Patricios and Dr Leigh Gordon—for a debrief on the Concussion in Sports Group (CISG) conference. The trio unpacks major updates to concussion management, emerging research themes, and the clinical implications following the Amsterdam Consensus Statement. Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or simply passionate about athlete brain health, this episode offers a sharp and accessible overview of where the field is headed.

In this thought-provoking episode, Nick Pereira sits down with Dr. Wayne Lombard — an international sport scientist and researcher with deep roots in South African high-performance sport. Together, they unpack some of the biggest shifts, challenges, and opportunities in international sports medicine.

From load management and return-to-play decisions, to how data and intuition must coexist in elite environments, Dr. Lombard shares insights from his years working within IPL cricket, Olympic Hockey and various national teams. They also dive into how South Africa’s unique sporting landscape shapes (and sometimes disrupts) global best practices.

This is a must...

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, we chat with Craig Govender and Nick Perreria physiotherapists for MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals. From injury management to optimising performance, they offer insight into what it takes to care for professional cricketers. . Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at high-performance care in the SA 20 campaign.

In this first episode for 2025, Dr Kyle Winik, meets up with Dr Adrian Rotunno, our newly elected SASMA President for 2024-2026.

Adrian highlights the importance of SASMA, his visions and goals for the next two years and how together by collaborating we can all make a difference in growing the field of Sport and Exercise Medicine.

In this insightful episode of The SASMA Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Umair Mohamed, a leading Sports Dentist, to delve into the often-overlooked yet crucial role of dental care in elite sports. Dr. Mohammed shares his expertise on the importance of oral health in athletic performance, discussing how issues like dental trauma, infections, and even minor oral problems can impact player performance and recovery.

We explore the proactive measures a Sports Dentist takes to protect athletes, including custom mouthguards and dental screenings, and how their integration into a high-performance medical team can prevent injuries and contribute...

In this episode, Dr Kyle Winik is joined by Adam Weir, Hans Tol, and Rod Whiteley, all actively involved in the Sport and exercise medicine field to discuss hamstring injuries and an approach to a challenging injury in practice.

This was recorded live from the IOC 15th Advanced Team Physician Course, in Rome, Italy.

Through the episode they discuss an approach to a patient with a hamstring injury but also tackle some important questions about if there are any ways to speed up or predict an accurate return to play.

In this episode Dr Kyle Winik is joined by Dr Lervasen Pillay, a Sport and Exercise Physician who has a keen interest in Exercise and Cancer.

Through the episode they discuss an approach to a patient battling cancer and try to give an approach to change the narrative that exercise can be used as a tool in cancer management.

Join us at SASMA conference Day 1, for an Exercise and Cancer Workshop.

An introduction to Sports Psychiatry: In this podcast dedicated to Mental Health Day, Dr Kerry-Ann Walton talks to Dr James Burger and Dr Bonginkosi Mafuze about the important and upcoming field of Sports Psychiatry. The aim of this podcast is to give the listeners an idea of the activities of a Sports Psychiatrist and hopefully encourage further discussions on other topics in the field.

Links to articles discussed:

Burger JW, Mafuze B, Brooker J, Patricios JS. Championing mental health: sport and exercise psychiatry for low- and middle-income countries using a model from South Africa. Br...

In this episode, a collaboration between SASMA and BASA, Dr Kyle Winik, is joined by Tayla Ross, a Biokineticist, and lecturer at UCT, currently completing her PHD and perusing her passion of “Developing a Public Sector Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.

In this episode they discuss the importance of cardiac rehabilitation for all stages of cardiac disease and the approach to any cardiac patient.

In this first episode of our productivity series, we talk about simple ways for academics and clinicians to manage their busy schedules better. Learn practical tips to help you stay on top of your work, make the most of your time, and avoid burnout. Whether you’re in the classroom or the clinic, these easy strategies will help you get more done and feel less stressed. Join us to discover how to work smarter, not harder!

In this episode we have a chat with this year’s American Medical Society for Sports Medicine(AMSSM) Global Exchange Program to South Africa candidate Dr Emily Sweeney. Doctor Sweeney is a Pediatric Sport Medicine Physician currently practising at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver. She will also be a speaker at the biannual SASMA Conference in October later this year.

Being a previous elite level gymnast who retired at a young age due to a back injury, Doctor Sweeney has a unique perspective to gymnastic medicine. Despite retiring as an athlete she remained very invo...

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...

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...

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 To...

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...

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

In today’s episode we look back at an exciting interview with Dr Gavin Shang (Chief Medical Officer of the South African Hockey Association), after a double AFCON gold & subsequent Olympic qualification for both the Men’s & Women’s hockey sides.

Dr Minjon Ras and Dr Gavin Shang chat all things hockey and the challenges surrounding amateur sports in South Africa.

In this episode, Dr Kyle Winik, chats to Dr Shelina Babul, the Associate Director and Sports Injury Specialist with the British Colombia Injury Research and Prevention Unit at the British Colombia Children’s Hospital. She focuses primarily on sport and recreational evidence-based research and knowledge implementation, with a particular specialisation in concussions and traumatic brain injuries as well as their prevention, recognition, treatment, and management.

Developed by Dr. Shelina Babul, The Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT) is a series of online educational modules and resources addressing concussion recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and management. Good concussion management ma...

In this epidode, Dr Jan Peter Smedema chats to Associate Professor Thijs Eijsvogel about the cardiovascular adaptations to exercise and differences between sporting disciplines, races, and sexes; the relevance of cardiac troponins in athletes; and the need to target sedentary behaviour as well as optimal step counts for all cause mortality.

Dr Jan Peter Smedema is a general and interventional cardiologist, PhD graduate, and founder of the Sports Cardiovascular Research Program, practicing at Netcare Blouberg in Cape Town. Associate Professor Thijs Eijsvogels trained in exercise physiology at Radboud University (PhD degree, NL), Hartford Hospital (postdoc, USA), and...

The Springboks are back to back World Cup Champions after a successful campaign at the Rugby World Cup in France. In today’s episode we chat to the medical and athletic performance departments of the Springboks and dive into their individual journey’s to the Springbok team, their work done before and during the campaign that saw the Springboks victorious and listen to them share valuable advice to younger professionals looking to get into team sports. Thanks to Dr Jerome Mampane (Team Doctor), Rene Naylor and Dr Anuerin Robyn (Team Physiotherapists) and Andy Edwards and Bongani Tim Qumbu (Athletic Perf...

Andy Birkett: world champion paddler. Flat water and river paddling. Nominated as 1 of 3 sportsmen of the year last year.

Garth Oliver: Andy’s physio when he used to live in Pietermaritzburg. Owns his own multidisciplinary practice called Movewell in Hilton. Treated and worked with an array of professional athletes and sporting disciplines.

Both give insight into training, racing, injuries and illnesses seen in paddlers.

In todays episode we chat to Prof Jeroen Swart, a Professor of Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Specialist in Sports and Exercise Medicine. Jeroen holds a PhD in exercise science and is responsible for the co-ordination coaching & performance activities at Team UAE Cycling, as the Performance Co-ordinator. Jeroen is a highly cited researcher in cycling medicine and was previously the Medical Director of Team UAE.

In todays episode, Dr Jan Peter Smedema (https://drsmedema.com/about-dr-jp-smedema/), a cardiologist based in Netcare Blouberg, Cape Town, chats to Prof Michael Papadakis about the role of pre-participation evaluation in athletes and sudden cardiac arrest in young, active individuals.

Prof Papadakis (Assoc Prof) is based in Cardiology at St George’s, University of London and an Honorary Consultant Cardiologists at St George’s University Hospitals.

He is the course director a novel MSc degree in Sports Cardiology, the first postgraduate qualification of its kind, and serve as the chair of the section of Sports Card...