The successful Central Queensland Sports Medicine and Sports Science Conference held last weekend at CQU Rockhampton will become an annual event for the region.

Over 40 doctors, coaches, trainers and health students attended the inaugural event, with about 17 completing the Level II Sports Trainer program which kicked off the weekend of activities.

A keynote speaker at the Conference and head of the Department of Orthopaedics at Royal Brisbane Hospital, Dr Kevin Tetsworth said the Conference was as good or better than anything he had seen in South-East Queensland. He said if it was staged in a metropolitan centre it would have attracted about 500 people.

CQU biomechanist Adam Bryant said the Conference provided a renewed presence of Sports Medicine Australia in the region and has extended its network of trainers and community education programs.

“I have established additional strategic alliances and have formulated a number of additional research projects which will start soon,” Mr Bryant said.

The Conference showcased some high profile guest speakers including Dr Robert Weatherby from Southern Cross University and former CEO of Doping for the Sydney Olympics. Dr Weatherby addressed drugs in sport and supplementation. Dr Aaron Murphy from University of Technology in Sydney discussed rehabilitation strategies for elite athletes, while Melbourne University’s musculoskeletal research laboratory director Dr Kim Bennell presented novel techniques for the treatment of patellofemaoral pathology – problems that exist with the joint between the kneecap and the thigh bone.

The Conference was coordinated by three key health and sports bodies: Central Queensland University’s School of Health and Human Performance, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery – Rockhampton Hospital and Sports Medicine Australia – Central Queensland branch.

Caption: Rockhampton Hospital’s Erik Hohmann presents a case study on sports injuries at the recent Central Queensland Sports Medicine and Sports Science Conference.