Sports medicine experts and students recently gathered at Hillside Auditorium for the 19th annual Razorback Sports Medicine Symposium, which focused on new information about hip injury evaluation, management and rehabilitation.

The College of Education and Health Professions summit highlighted student research and brought together community leaders for an interactive discussion about best sports medicine practices.

"We landed on the theme 'An Interprofessional Approach to Sport-Related Hip Injury Management and Rehabilitation' because this is an area that has evolved quite significantly in the past several years in what we know about hip injury evaluation, management and rehabilitation," said Luzita Vela, Master of Athletic Training program director and teaching associate professor in the college's Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation.

A total of 170 participants from various disciplines, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic services, athletic training and healthcare gathered for this year's event. Students from the college's athletic training and exercise science programs learned alongside students from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education in Forth Smith and the University of Central Arkansas.

While creating this year's symposium, Vela said there was an emphasis on providing low-cost continuing education for clinicians and students to access top speakers from across the country.

Keelan Enseki, a visiting lecturer from the University of Pittsburg Medical Center, presented on rehabilitation strategies for complex hip injuries based on his work as a physical therapist at UPMC.

Dr. Paul Inclan, a UAMS Health sports medicine orthopedic surgeon and an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, delivered two lectures about diagnosing hip injuries and different approaches to complex hip pain.

Community partners representing several disciplines and area clinics participated in a panel discussion about the gap between rehabilitation and sport performance. Alan Russell, a sports medicine consultant for the Dallas Mavericks and education coordinator for the Public Safety Athletic Trainers' Society, joined the panel and delivered a lecture on hip injury recovery and prevention.

Aleena Kanner, owner of Aleena Kanner Therapy and a Postural Restoration trained specialist, rounded out the stellar lineup of speakers throughout the event with her lecture on movement to prevent lumbopelvic hip pain in athletes. Kanner holds a master's degree in athletic training from the U of A and now runs her clinic in New York.

In addition to discussions and lectures, symposium participants had the opportunity to view and analyze student research related to sports medicine from U of A students. During lunch, posters were on display highlighting the research questions students have been exploring through their studies. Student research topics included the effectiveness of kinesiology tape, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction rehabilitation and post-exercise hot or cold-water immersion, among many others.

"With this symposium, we hope to create an environment where practitioners from multiple fields can come together to learn from, with and about each other to facilitate professional connections and interprofessional collaborative practice," Vela said.

The symposium was organized by the Master of Athletic Training program and sponsored by U of A College of Education and Health Professions' WE CARE funding; the U of A Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation; Arkansas Children's Hospital; Henry Schein U.S. Specialty Group; and Wright's BBQ. 

Athletic trainers and physical therapists in attendance received continuing education units.