"Empowering the next generation in sports: A Series of Youth-Led Sessions and a Keynote Presentation on the Youth Athletes’ Programme"
The 7th IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport is set to focus on young people, with more than half of the Full Oral Presentation Sessions being delivered by young researchers. This unprecedented emphasis on young people brings a fresh perspective to the science of sports medicine, highlighting the importance of nurturing our future athletes and preventing injuries.
Additionally, a special keynote presentation will open the programme on the second day of the conference, Friday 1 March, focusing on how to keep youth athletes healthy.
The keynote session titled "Are we nurturing or wrecking our most talented youth? A holistic, national solution to protect the health of the aspiring athlete" will be delivered by Dr Christine Holm Moseid from the Oslo Sport Trauma Research Centre at the Norwegian School of Sport Science. Dr Moseid's lecture will focus on "Liza", a 15-year-old talented volleyball setter diagnosed with bilateral tennis elbow due to training overload.
Dr Moseid will describe the components of a national programme developed in Norway since 2014 aimed at preventing young athletes from succumbing to similar injuries and health problems. She will outline specific programmes designed to translate science into action across different levels, starting with children and focusing on the journey of youth athletes aspiring to pursue an elite athletic career.
In 2014, the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre was approached by the IOC to develop an educational programme for the inaugural Nanjing Youth Olympic Games. The result was the Get Set – Train Smarter app, which has since been expanded with preventive exercise programmes for all Olympic sports and key body regions.
Dr Moseid will also discuss an educational programme – “Prep to be PRO” – designed for talented athletes who often find themselves playing “up” with older athletes and representing many teams.
The Youth Oral Presentation Sessions will take place on 29 February and 1 March.
The first session, OS01, will focus on football and youth ice hockey, and will delve into the specific challenges and risks associated with these popular sports.
Next up is OS02, which will explore concussions, injuries and illnesses in rugby. This presentation will provide an in-depth look at the unique risks associated with this physically demanding sport, offering practical strategies for injury prevention.
The third session, OS03, will focus on sports epidemiology and will examine how various factors influence the health and performance of athletes.OS04 will focus on injuries and health problems in running.
The fifth session, OS05, will provide a closer look at biomechanics and injury risk factors and will provide attendees with an understanding of how biomechanics can influence injury risk and offer strategies for injury prevention.
OS06 will explore injury prevention in team sports; and the list is to be closed by OS07: risk factors, presenting both physical and mental factors impacting the well-being of athletes.
Over 40 youth speakers will be presenting their research during the youth sessions - we believe that by nurturing their potential today, we can pave the way for groundbreaking discoveries and innovations tomorrow.
Have a look at the full programme here IOC World Conference 2024 Preliminary Programme - Agenda (eventsair.com) and register now 7th IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport (olympics.com)