Description
The ATOCP conference begins with a warm welcome from Jon Room, the chair, who updates attendees on the schedule and highlights a networking session featuring drinks and cake later in the day. He introduces the first session, featuring Tom Jacobs, a physiotherapist and founding trustee of the SKIPP charity, and Professor Andrew Price, a knee surgeon and trustee of the same charity. They discuss the significance of ACL injuries, particularly in adolescent girls, and introduce strategies for injury prevention through evidence-based programs.
In the presentation, Andrew sets the stage by outlining the prevalence of ACL injuries and their consequences, including instability and increased risk of osteoarthritis. They emphasize the need for awareness and preventive measures, especially focusing on adolescent girls who are particularly vulnerable. Andrew discusses statistical findings related to injury rates and stresses that preventive programs can lead to a significant reduction in ACL injuries.
Tom follows up with specific solutions provided by the SKIPP charity, detailing initiatives and programs aimed at educating young athletes about injury prevention. He shares insights from gathered data and prior studies that highlight the effectiveness of preventive exercise programs in reducing ACL injuries. Jacobs stresses the necessity of wider access to these programs in grassroots sports and discusses the challenges faced in implementing them.
As the session concludes, Jon Room invites questions from the audience, leading to discussions about the implementation of preventive measures, the role of coaches, and the significance of raising public awareness regarding ACL injuries in children and adolescents. The session concludes with applause and anticipation for the upcoming networking event.