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Sports and exercise medicine world congress at DCU

Sports and exercise medicine world congress at DCU

A major international sports and exercise medicine conference which examined the increasing incidence of hip, groin and hamstring injuries in sports players, took place in the Helix, Dublin City University during the past weekend. This joint event incorporated the 11th Annual Scientific Conference of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine, (Royal College of Physicians of Ireland & Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) and the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy (WFATT) World Congress 2014 and was co-hosted by Athletic Rehabilitation and Therapy Ireland (ARTI). The conference was also supported by Dublin City University (DCU), under the 3U Partnership.

                                                      

The three-day event at DCU was opened on Thursday evening by Paul Kimmage, investigative sports journalist, former professional cyclist and award-winning author of ‘Rough Ride’.

 

The theme of the conference was ‘The Sporting Hip, Groin and Hamstring: A Complete Picture’. There has been a marked rise in hip, groin and hamstring injuries in field sports players in recent years, making them the most common group of injuries in field sports. It has been proposed that the rise is due to increased levels of training, incorrect training techniques, and inadequate prevention or rehabilitation. International experts in this field explored the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of these injuries including: Professor Per Hölmich, Copenhagen University Hospital; Professor Lyle Micheli, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Dr Amy Silder, Stanford University; and Dr Geoffrey Verrall, SPORTSMED.SA, Adelaide.

 

The conference also explored topical sports medicine updates covering the latest development in areas of sports medicine including:

  • Mental health issues in sport, Dr Abbie Lane, University College Dublin
  • Exercise in chronic illness, Dr Noel McCaffrey, DCU
  • Concussion and CTE (caused by repetitive brain trauma), Dr Jason Mihalik, University of North Carolina
  • Anti-doping: The Athlete Biological Passport, Una May Irish Sports Council Anti-Doping Unit

 

Dr. Nick Mahony, Conference Co-Chairman and Board Member of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine (RCPI & RCSI), said: “The Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine are delighted to partner our annual conference with the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy World Congress supported by Athletic Rehabilitation and Therapy Ireland to bring this prestigious event to Dublin for the first time. The high-calibre international line-up of speakers ably supported by our home grown experts will give both an Irish and global perspective on problems affecting field sport player world-wide.”

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Enda Whyte of Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland and DCU’s School of Health and Human Performance, stated: "The conference was a wonderful opportunity for DCU to bring together the expertise of leading figures in the world of sports medicine on hip, groin and hamstring injuries. The University provided an excellent platform for doctors, athletic and rehabilitation therapists and physiotherapists to further their knowledge and skills on such a complex topic."

 

More than 300 delegates attended the comprehensive three-day programme with Honorary Fellowships of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine awarded to Professor Per Hölmich, Professor Lyle Micheli, Mr Bernard Donne and Dr Ken Kennedy.