“From the Lab to the Pitch”: the 6th ECOSEP congress with INSEP =================================================================== * Nikolaos Malliaropoulos * Jean-François Kaux * Alain Frey * Heinz Lohrer * sports physician This European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP) edited issue of *BJSM* highlights the multidisciplinary nature of sport and exercise medicine. You’ll find valuable information relating to topics such as internal workload during training, musculoskeletal sports medicine, endocrinology, on-the-field medical services. Sports medicine spans from the *microlevel* (molecular and cellular responses) of medicine to the *mesolevel* (mechanical properties, clinical practice) as well as the macrolevel (population-based epidemiology). ## In this issue Prediction of injury risk is hotly debated1 and Scotland’s Dr Alan McCall *et al*. *(**see [page 1517](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098473)**)* discusses the ability of variables/risk factors to predict sports injuries. Internal workload (self-rated perceived exertion) both in training and matches appears to be a useful measure for team practitioners to consider. Emergency Action Protocols are essential to ensure athlete safety during training and competition. In a very practical educational review *(**see [page 1535](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098284)** *), UK’s Dr Rohi Shah introduces the concept of the ’BOARD'. The ‘Board’ serves as a visual reminder for allocated roles and a designated pre-match time-out session helps make the medical team work efficiently and effectively as a unit. *BJSM* encourages authors to submit quality systematic reviews2 and Finland’s Lauri Kavaja and colleagues *(**see [page 1498](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098539)** *) compare treatments after primary traumatic shoulder dislocation. What’s the best way to minimise future dislocations? What is the indication for surgery? The authors use the sophisticated network meta-analysis technique – adding gravitas to their work. Top level evidence. This paper is free so please share it via your social media channels! ![Figure1](http://bjsm.bmj.com/https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/52/23/1479/F1.medium.gif) [Figure1](http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/23/1479/F1) We have included three perspectives relating to the very difficult issue in sport – sex categorisation and performance.3 Read the Discussion by our French sports physician colleague and IAAF medical doctor, Stephane Bermon *(**see [page 1531](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099700)** *), the editorial by Sönksen *et al (**see page 1481**)* and the letter suggesting a better method of analysis by Amanda Menier from the US *(**see [page 1540](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098464)**)*. For a moving podcast relating to the personal burden suffered by athletes follow this link: [youtu.be/l4WobXDJ2Nw](http://youtu.be/l4WobXDJ2Nw). The international consensus statement by Martina Zügel and colleauges on Fascial tissue research in sports medicine *(**see [page 1497](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099308)**)* arose from the world congress held in Ulm, Germany, in 2017. The free consensus statement had over 20K views in its first month online. Fascial tissues deserve more detailed attention in the field of sports medicine. A better understanding of adaptation dynamics to mechanical loading as well as to biochemical conditions promises valuable improvements in terms of injury prevention, athletic performance and sports-related rehabilitation of fascial tissues in the discipline of sports medicine. It is of a great interest for clinicians to read the Mechanobiology of fascial tissues from *microlevel* (molecular and cellular responses) to *macrolevel* (mechanical properties), the effects of exercise, of injuries and rehabilitation implications. The paper addresses basic science and clinical issues and this parallels the vision we have for the 6th ECOSEP Congress with INSEP 29–30 November 2019 in Paris. ## ‘From the lab to the pitch’: 6th ECOSEP Congress, Paris, 29–30 November 2019 ‘From the lab to the pitch’ is the theme for next year’s 6th ECOSEP (European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians) Congress, held at the INSEP (Institut National du Sport et de l’Exercice Physique) in Paris (France). We thank our conference programming partner SportS2 (University and University Hospital of Liège in Belgium) one of the FIFA Medical Centres of Excellence. Why this title? INSEP is not only a training centre for elite French athletes (700 athletes in 22 different sports, more than 50% of the Olympic medal winners) but also a centre of research in sport. Likewise, SportS2 is recognised as clinical centre of excellence and also a leader in research and teaching. Both INSEP and S2 implement their observations and discoveries in clinical injury prevention or treatment and they focus on improving athletes’ performances. We will gather expert speakers in various very exciting topics on research in labs but also on the pitch for the improvement of knowledge in sports medicine. This 6th ECOESP Congress includes collaboration with the Ultra Sports Science Foundation and the European Sports Dentistry Society. A highlight symposium will be by a consortium from five different countries (Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Canada and Switzerland) relating to Injury and Protection and Athlete Health. The conference will include practical workshops. This is our personal welcome and we look forward to meeting you at the 6th ECOSEP Congress at INSEP in 2019 in Paris! ## Footnotes * Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. * Competing interests None declared. * Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed. ## References 1. Bahr R . Why screening tests to predict injury do not work-and probably never will…: a critical review. Br J Sports Med 2016;50:776–80.[doi:10.1136/bjsports-2016-096256](http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-096256) [Abstract/FREE Full Text](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6ODoiYmpzcG9ydHMiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6OToiNTAvMTMvNzc2IjtzOjQ6ImF0b20iO3M6MjU6Ii9ianNwb3J0cy81Mi8yMy8xNDc5LmF0b20iO31zOjg6ImZyYWdtZW50IjtzOjA6IiI7fQ==) 2. Ardern CL . Systematic review hacks for the sports and exercise clinician: five essential methodological elements. Br J Sports Med 2016;50:447–9.[doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-095548](http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2015-095548) [FREE Full Text](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiRlVMTCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6ODoiYmpzcG9ydHMiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6ODoiNTAvOC80NDciO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyNToiL2Jqc3BvcnRzLzUyLzIzLzE0NzkuYXRvbSI7fXM6ODoiZnJhZ21lbnQiO3M6MDoiIjt9) 3. Eklund E , Berglund B , Labrie F , et al . Serum androgen profile and physical performance in women Olympic athletes. Br J Sports Med 2017;51:1301–8.[doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097582](http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097582) [Abstract/FREE Full Text](http://bjsm.bmj.com/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6ODoiYmpzcG9ydHMiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6MTA6IjUxLzE3LzEzMDEiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyNToiL2Jqc3BvcnRzLzUyLzIzLzE0NzkuYXRvbSI7fXM6ODoiZnJhZ21lbnQiO3M6MDoiIjt9)