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A Look Back at ‘From Pain to
Performance 2010’ Knee Symposium
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The Conference Hall |
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The 2010 ‘From Pain to Performance’ Knee Symposium proved once again to
be a major attraction in the Sport & Exercise Medicine Calendar and was sold
out a week before the event.
The conference brought together world renowned
speakers from both sides of the Atlantic. They proved to be an inspiring
combination.
This year the conference focused on a very familiar
anatomical area that everyone knows and which is subject to injury both in
Sport & Exercise and everyday life – the Knee.
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(From L to R: Dave Fevre, Ken MacEwen,
Dr Scott E.Urch, Professor Nicola Maffuli, Professor Graham
N. Smith and Holly Silvers) |
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The programme had both a surgical and physical therapy
perspective. The aim was to have the opportunity to discuss and analyse any
similarities, differences and/or conflicts in culture and approach. Applied
to this, there were two things that had to be factored in; first that the
presenters were recognised for experience and expertise either globally or
in the country they came from and secondly, that they were all able to
support their presentation with cutting edge research and evidence. No
pressure there!
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Professor Nicola Maffuli |
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Professor Nicola Maffuli MD MS PhD FRCS(Orth), Centre Lead
and Professor of Sport & Exercise Medicine and Consultant Trauma and
Orthpaedic Surgeon, Mile End Hospital., opened the programme with a surgical
perspective to put into context research and papers on whether to use single
or double bundle grafts in ACL reconstructive surgery.
He used his academic background and vast surgical
knowledge and experience to present evidence and research on different types
of grafts,
In working with ACL conditions he recognised that
there are many questions facing the therapist not least where to go, who to
choose to do the repair, what to look for, which surgeon’s grafts are best?
He had a clear take home message – It
doesn’t matter which graft is used as long as the person performing the
operation is proficient and knows what they are doing. Make sure the patient
is seeing a specialist in ACL reconstructions and not someone who does them
occasionally.
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Dave Fevre |
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The second presentation gave an excellent overview of what
rehab is required to get back and play high level football following knee
trauma and/or ACL reconstruction; it was given by was given by
Blackburn Rovers Senior Chartered Physiotherapist David Fevre MSc MCSP
. Much to the delight of the audience he demonstrated a number of ideas
where therapists did not need to use lots of expensive equipment. He showed
that even though he is working at the highest level of professional football
in UK, he was using exercise equipment that is affordable and can be found
in even the smallest of clubs. .
His take home message
highlighted that rehabilitation at all levels is hard work. It requires
commitment by patients and staff and the exercise must be specific to what
they will go back and do.
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Dr Scott Urch |
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Dr Scott E. Urch MD
of the Shelbourne Knee Center then gave an overview of the principles
and philosophies that have made the Center so successful. It has benefitted
patients with Anterior Cruciate Ligament problems from all walks of life
not just elite sports people.
He reinforced all of the
practical elements he discussed with data collected on patients over the
past 20 years. Nothing in the regime gets changed unless there is data to
support the rationale for it.
Dr Urch’s take home
message was clear and to the point : Control swelling and restore
Range of Movement as quickly as possible. Then everything else will take
care of itself.
After the first three talks on how to repair and rehabilitate Cruciate
problems, Holly Silvers MPT, Director of Research Santa Monica Orthopaedic
Sports Medicine Research Foundation focused on strategies to prevent
players being injured in the first place.
As an extremely
experienced clinical therapist who also has a major research role, she was
able to give a presentation that had important practical implications with
the evidence and results of a major study to support it.
The study showed that it if a programme of specific
exercises were undertaken on
a regular basis before normal training, the
incidence of ACL injuries in the colleges
and clubs involved were reduced
dramatically when compared to previous seasons.
The programme has
subsequently been endorsed by FIFA.
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Holly Silvers |
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Holly’s take home message
focused on the importance of implementing the prevention programme as
part of a normal warm Up. She stressed that if the sequence of
straightforward exercises were included , they would reduce the incidence of
an ACL injury in the group deemed to be ‘at risk’.
A ‘Golden Nuggets’ Session
followed. This was a new innovation for the conference and proved a big hit
with the audience. Each of the above mentioned speakers had a timed 15
minutes to give a key message that they felt was important for the delegates
to consider in various aspects of knee trauma.
Nicola Maffouli focused on Patella Tendonopathies. He
gave an overview of research to support treatment programmes and
rehabilitation progressions for patients presenting with these conditions.
Dave Fevre gave a concise and well structured presentation
on the importance of using simple objective measurement tools throughout a
rehab programme, so that everyone involved can see how things were
progressing.
The return to sport following ACL reconstruction
and the risks of re-injuring was
Scott Urch’s topic.
He gave data that showed comparisons between patients who have had grafts
taken from same side as compared to the opposite side and the time following
surgery when it appeared they were at greatest risk. Both factors are
extremely important for any therapist involved in the rehabilitation of
patients following ACL surgery.
Articular Cartilage damage was Holly Silver’s topic. She emphasised how
ongoing research is showing how some of the patients can benefit both
surgically and/or conservatively. She also had advice for delegates on
assessment procedures, paying particular attention to biomechanical
deficiencies that would put competitors at risk.
The programme
was concluded with a presentation from Ken MacEwen
National Fitness Co-ordinator at the Scottish Rugby Union, who gave
an overview of what levels of fitness are required to play international
rugby from a Fitness and Sport & Exercise S&L coach perspective.
The
presentation focused on many of the exercises that he and his team would
implement which coincidentally then reinforced a lot of the principles that
David Fevre had been covering in his rehab presentation. So, from a
different perspective, it emphasised that everyone in the Sports
Medicine and Rehab team must apply programmes that are appropriate
to the sport and the expectations of the coaching and fitness staff, when
the patients return from injury. The four medical presenters certainly met
these criteria.
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Ken MacEwen |
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The reason that this final presentation was so important was
to ensure that the programme was concluded by someone who is
involved in the Strength & Conditioning and fitness areas of elite sport.
The aim was to give an overview of the levels of fitness required to compete
at the highest level and what their expectations are, when the medical team
have declared the patient fit to return. Having someone with the
experience and background of Ken McKewen certainly put this into
perspective.
The programme closed with a lively Panel discussion
which saw all the presenters take questions from the floor.
Professor Graham N.Smith, Conference
Organiser and Chair, summed up the event by saying:
‘Overall, we
were very pleased with the event and hoped that delegates left excited,
stimulated
and even a little exhausted from the intensity and enthusiasm
of everyone who presented.
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Afternoon Delight |
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We are looking forward to having a similar event in 2011 focusing
on the Upper Limb.
On a final note, Sports Rehab and Education
would like to give special thanks to
Toria, Andrew and all of the team
at the London Heathrow Marriott for all their hard work
and
professionalism and to Joe and his team of chefs for producing such a
fantastic
menu that, as always, is remembered long after the
conference closes.
See you all back at the London Heathrow
Marriott on May 7th 2011
 Wedding Bells for David and Diane
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David Fever and Diane Lord
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David Fevre had another big
event to attend just a week after the conference
– his wedding. His fiancée Diane Lord, also a
physiotherapist, attended the conference with
David. We wish them both every happiness for the
future.
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Charles Farrant
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Luxury Stay for Charles Farrant
Charles Farrant was this year’s winner of an
overnight stay at the London Heathrow Marriott
Hotel. Charles is a Member of The Society of
Sports
Therapists and runs Chichester Sports Therapy in
his home town.
This was the third ‘From
Pain to Performance’ Conference that Charles has
attended and he was pleased to have won the
prize draw. He said:
‘ I was very
surprised to hear that I had won the prize; this
is a very nice hotel and it has made the trip
even more enjoyable.’
Charles was full of praise for the conference.
He said:
‘It is brilliant to be able to keep
up to date in this way. I enjoyed hearing the
surgeon’s perspective and hearing about the
latest research.’ |
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