IADMS regional meeting roundup

This year the IADMS regional meeting Control: The interdisciplinary management of the artistic athlete came to Edinburgh, Scotland. Run in collaboration with Physios in Sport and University of Edinburgh at the beautiful St Cecilia’s Hall, this event offered an insight into the management of artistic athletes across a range of disciplines including dance, circus, ice skating and gymnastics.

Delegates were welcomed with an impressive hand-to-hand performance before a packed schedule of presenters. First to present was Jason Laird -

British Gymnastics who provided an oversight of the shoulder and the testing, training and return to performance work carried out with athletes who have sustained slap tears (labral tear). Jason discussed the amount of forces travelling through the shoulder, particularly for male gymnasts performing on rings, with 6 – 9 times bodyweight through the joint at the bottom of the swing.

An oft overlooked area of health came from a presentation on Breast health in athletes by Dr Nicola Brown. Motion capture demonstrated the wide range of movement of the breast tissue during jumping, with and without a sports bra. Dr Brown also discussed the impact poor breast support can have on levels of performance and perceived exertion for female athletes. For those working in aesthetic forms such as dance and gymnastics, that often require wearing a leotard or costume with very little support, this information is important to consider. How can we ensure that the breast health of performers is considered?

A panel discussion on the Art of leadership brought together key leaders from the worlds of dance, circus and physiotherapy. Christopher Hampson – Scottish Ballet, Greg Retter – The Royal Ballet, Paul McGinley - Cirque de Soleil and Karen Middleton – The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, each provided an insight into their own experiences as leaders and the valuable skills required for effective leadership followed by a panel discussion.

Other interesting presentations included a case study of knee injury in ice skating with successful return to competition after a shattered patella, Controlling healthy weight in aesthetic sports, including mention of Dr Nicky Keay and the new RED-S NHS clinic, and two duels; Workload: protective or causative? and Early Specialisation: Risk vs Reward.

Registration for the 29th Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada, opens in June. To stay up to date with information including registration fees please visit the IADMS website