Mind-Body Connection

As we continue to search for the holy grail of the underlying driving forces in tendino-pathy, Adrian Mallow and his UK/Australan team reviews ‘The association of psychological variables and outcome in tendinopathy’ (see page 743). Most of their evidence comes from studies on lateral epicondylalgia with ‘moderate evidence linking catastrophisation and distress’. The evidence is less clear when it comes to other tendinopathies. Along the same lines Liam Maclachlan from the University of Queensland (see page 732) discusses ‘The non-physical features of patellofemoral pain’. We can probably all recall patients with patellofemoral pain in whom we think psychological factors may play a role but as Maclachlan highlights, the exact relationship between the physical and psychological remains to be defined. For more on patellofemoral pain I commend the 2016 international consensus statements to you.1 2 And, remember the 2017 international Patellofemoral Research Retreat is on the (sunny) horizon–Gold Coast, Australia, July 18–20 (https://ipfrn.org/conference/)

It’s what is on the inside that counts

Looking inside means more than just tissue imaging and mental reflection; our gut microbiota may be influencing our musculo-skeletal health from within. In two editorials, both from Ireland, Alan Rankin (see page 698) and Owen Cronin (see page 700) discuss the emerging evidence of the influence of exercise on gut health and lso the potential links between gut microbes and general health, musculoskeletal health and sports performance. A provocative Canadian book gives parenting advice under the title ‘Let them eat dirt’ (http://letthemeatdirt.com/). Probiotics anyone?

BMJ e-learning

Let me recommend two BMJ e-learning modules. If you feel your ECG skills are a little wanting then check out the ubuiquitous professor Drezner’s module on ‘ECG interpretation in athletes’. (http://ow.ly/Vnd630ao04w). It’s free after you provide a few details–will take you 30 seconds to get started. Or maybe you have the seed of a research idea but feel overwhelmed by the process of putting it into action? If so then the ‘Research to publication’ module (http://learning.bmj.com/learning/rtop/login.html) may be just what you’re looking for. Dr Adam Culvenor, BJSM’s continuing physiotherapy education editor from Austria, highlights this in his editorial (see page 694).

Invitation to Bath–12–13 October, 2017

Please consider this your invitation to BASEM’s annual congress (figure 1) in Bath on 12–13 October 2017, (https://tinyurl.com/mor9csl) One highlight will be specialist sessions throughout the conference. These high-level masterclasses will include tendinopathy, concussion, and sports injury prevention.

• Download figure
• Open in new tab
• Download powerpoint

Figure 1

Invitation to BASEM/FSEM Conference 2017

There’s also a great programme for the clinician in ‘part-time’ sport and exercise medicine. The sessions on musculoskeletal injury and arthritis, courtesy of Arthritis Research UK, are loaded with speaker talent; and back by popular demand from 2016, is a practical session on implementing and prescribing physical activity for health.

A vigorous UK community is committed to seeing SEM thrive even more strongly and collaboration and co-operation among all SEM organisations and interested parties is key. 2017 is the fourth year of BASEM and the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine have partnered to deliver the conference and this year we are delighted to be joined by the University of Bath who are celebrating their 50^th anniversary. The premise of the conference to ‘bring us all together’ is therefore very timely. I look forward to seeing you in Bath for a great two days.