Sport, science and health: the perfect synergy introduced by IBSA at Isokinetic 2022

Sport and physical activity in general are essential in order to maintain and increase our state of health and well-being, with positive effects on both a physical and psychological level. As in all things, however, overdoing means facing risks and unwanted consequences, and sport is no exception. Especially when physical activity is practiced at high level and intensity, excess body stress and a functional overload can cause physiological changes, in particular on joints, cartilages and tendons.

Sport, Science and Health: a Synergy that improves Performance and Quality of Life is the symposium held by IBSA on June 5, as part of the XXIX edition of the Isokinetic Medical Group Conference (Lyon, 4-6 June). The symposium focused on the connection between sport and science, in order to understand how the latter can help improve the performance and quality of life of those who practice the former, at any level.

The Isokinetic Scientific Congress had a strong sporting connotation, with a particular focus on the football world: this year’s edition, Football Medicine – The players’ voices, gave a voice to professional athletes with experiences of surgical and rehabilitative treatments. IBSA’s Symposium was aimed at expanding the discussion, ranging from preventive solutions to the treatment of more advanced degenerative cases, also addressing the topic of food supplementation. In fact, the speakers talked about the possibility of recovery in case of overload and aging, or other situations that can cause pain and pathological conditions, through therapeutic solutions such as viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid and oral intake of pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulphate, to then investigate the risks of any states of vitamin D3 deficiency, which can increase the risk of bone fragility and, therefore, fracture.

Moderated by Cathy Smith, skilled international journalist, a panel of high-level scientific experts specialised in the treatment of athletes and sportsmen gave their contribution in examining the many aspects of the problems that are encountered today in the rheumatology, orthopaedic and rehabilitation areas, as well as in sports medicine:

- Piotr Gawda, Head of Department of Sports Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin (PL);
- Francesco Pegreffi, Department of Studies on the Quality of Life at the University of Bologna (IT);
- Jesus Olmo, Football Science Institute, Granada (ES);
- Daniel Owens, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Science, John Moores University of Liverpool (UK).

Among the key issues, the importance of multidisciplinarity was emphasised several times: the treatment of osteoarticular disorders and conditions cannot in fact be separated from an integrated management and a multi-specialist approach, which involves the skills of orthopaedists, physiatrists, sports physicians, surgeons and physiotherapists, depending on the patient’s condition and needs.

The appointment with the XXX edition of Isokinetic is scheduled for next year in London, but in the meantime IBSA will continue its activity of medical training and dissemination on these issues through a series of webinars promoted by ISIAT (International Symposium Intra Articular Treatment), scheduled from July to November 2022.