Time, test, or treatment? How to get athletes back to sport after ACL reconstruction with Dr Roula Kotsifaki. EP#573

On this episode of the AMSSM Sports Medcast, host Dr. Devin McFadden, MD, is joined by Dr. Irfan Asif, MD, FAMSSM, and Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, DO, FAMSSM, to discuss the multi-faceted topic of Paralympic Sports Medicine. In this conversation, Dr. Asif and Dr. Finnoff discuss the following: How they first got involved in USOPC and Paralympic team sports The number of sports in Paralympic competition and the athlete classifications that aim to level the playing field for athletes of different abilities What it’s like to take care of Paralympic athletes and their unique requirements The planning process for delivering medical services for Team USA during the Paralympic Games Current and future research efforts regarding Paralympic athletes Overcoming the perceived barriers to entry when providing care for Paralympic athletes and ways to get more involved Dr. Asif is the associate dean for primary care and rural health and professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He currently serves as the 2nd Vice President for AMSSM and is an Associate Editor for both the British Journal of Sports Medicine and Sports Health: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach. Dr. Finnoff is the Chief Medical Officer for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, a Clinical Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, and a Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. He currently serves as the 1st Vice President for AMSSM. Resources: 2025 USOPC Paralympic Sports Medicine Conference https://www.usopc.org/2025-paralympic-sports-medicine-conference PARA-Wise Registry Screening Survey: https://redcap.link/PARAWISE

In this insightful episode, Dr Daniel Tadmor hosts two leading voices in sports medicine—Prof Jon Patricios and Dr Leigh Gordon—for a debrief on the Concussion in Sports Group (CISG) conference. The trio unpacks major updates to concussion management, emerging research themes, and the clinical implications following the Amsterdam Consensus Statement. Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or simply passionate about athlete brain health, this episode offers a sharp and accessible overview of where the field is headed.

In this episode, Dr. Roula Kotsifaki shares insights from her recent publication in the British Journal of Sports Medicine titled “Is 9 months the sweet spot for male athletes to return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction?” She offers numerous clinical pearls on the key factors that influence a safe return to sport following ACL reconstruction. Dr. Kotsifaki is an experienced physiotherapist and biomechanist, currently serving as Head of the Assessment Lab at Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Doha, Qatar. Drawing on her research findings, she discusses which tests clinicians should use, optimal timing for return to sport, and the crucial role of treatment adherence.

In this BJSM podcast, Dr Harvi Hart overview of the different types of body mass and body composition measurements, and they may impact common knee conditions, and what this means for clinicians, patients, and athletes. Harvi specializes in knee injuries and conditions, such as ACL injuries, patellofemoral pain, and osteoarthritis. Her research aims to develop targeted treatments that improve symptoms, mobility, and quality of life for individuals with knee conditions, using a combination of joint movement analysis, imaging, and clinical outcome measures. Links: Is body mass index associated with patellofemoral pain and patellofemoral osteoarthritis? A systematic review and meta-regression and analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27927675/ Adiposity and cartilage lesions following ACL reconstruction: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38631554/ Longitudinal changes in adiposity following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and associations with knee symptoms and function: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38737984/ Obesity is related to incidence of patellofemoral osteoarthritis: the Cohort Hip and Cohort Knee (CHECK) study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31705199/

In this episode, Diogo Gomes interviews internationally renowned physiotherapist and researcher Dr. Alison Grimaldi for a focused discussion on gluteal tendinopathy. They explore common myths and misconceptions surrounding the condition, clarify the current evidence base, and share valuable clinical insights for effective assessment and management. With a clear and practical approach, Dr. Grimaldi offers take-home messages that clinicians can immediately apply in practice. Whether you manage this condition regularly or are looking to refine your approach, this episode is a must-listen.

On this episode of the AMSSM Sports Medcast, host Dr. Jeremy Schroeder, DO, is joined by Dr. Jordan Lyons, MD, who delivered one of the Best Overall Case Presentations during the 2024 AMSSM Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD. In this conversation, Dr. Lyons discusses his award-winning case – Collapse of a Special Operator: Exertional Illness or More Than Meets the Eye? – and shares the findings and takeaways from this crucial medical diagnosis. Resources: 2024 AMSSM Case Podium Presentations, published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine Exercise Collapse Associated with Sickle Cell Trait Practice Recommendation

On this episode of the AMSSM Sports Medcast (X: @TheAMSSM), host Dr. Jeremy Schroeder, DO, is joined by Dr. Mike Uihlein, MD, to share a glimpse into his main stage presentation about Paralympic Sideline Emergencies during the 2025 AMSSM Annual Meeting. Dr. Uihlein is the Associate Chief of Emergency Medicine for Education and Co-Director of the Adaptive Sports Medicine Clinic at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. He also serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He has served on teams that have claimed 11 titles, including three Paralympic gold medals (2014, 2018, 2022); four world championships (2015, 2019, 2021, 2023); five Para Hockey Cups (formerly World Sled Hockey Challenge) titles (2015, 2016 (Jan.), 2016 (Dec.), 2017, 2019) as well as the 2016 IPC Pan-Pacific Championship and 2018 Turin Para Ice Hockey International Tournament. In-person and virtual attendance options are still available for the conference. Register to attend the 2025 AMSSM Annual Meeting at annualmeeting.amssm.org.

On this episode of the AMSSM Sports Medcast (X: @TheAMSSM), host Dr. Jeremy Schroeder, DO, is joined by Dr. Margie Davenport, PhD, to provide a preview of her main stage presentation about Updates to Postpartum Return to Sport during the 2025 AMSSM Annual Meeting. Dr. Davenport is an exercise physiologist and Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. She holds the Christenson Professorship in Active Healthy Living and is the Director of the Program for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health. Over the last decade, Dr. Davenport has worked with numerous national and international organizations to support physical activity during and following pregnancy, and she is serving as a Featured International Speaker at this year’s Annual Meeting in Kansas City. In-person and virtual attendance options are still available for the conference. Register to attend the 2025 AMSSM Annual Meeting at annualmeeting.amssm.org.

On this episode of the AMSSM Sports Medcast (X: @TheAMSSM), host Dr. Jeremy Schroeder, MD, is joined by Dr. Ashwin Rao, MD, to provide a preview of his main stage presentation about Microsurgical Tendon Debridement vs. Orthobiologics for Tendinopathy during the 2025 AMSSM Annual Meeting. Dr. Rao is board certified in family medicine and sports medicine, and is a Professor in UW School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine. He is also a team physician for University of Washington Husky Athletics and a medical consultant for the Brooks Beast Middle Distance Track Club. He previously served as a team physician for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, Program Director of the UW Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, and Co-Chair of the Education Committee on the Board of Directors of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM). In-person and virtual attendance options are still available for the conference. Register to attend the 2025 AMSSM Annual Meeting at annualmeeting.amssm.org.

On this episode of the AMSSM Sports Medcast, host Dr. Jeremy Schroeder, DO, is joined by Dr. Erin Hammer, MD, MPH, who received the Best Overall Research Award at the 2024 AMSSM Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD. The study focused on the use of Guardian Caps and whether they were associated with a lower risk of sport-related concussion (SRC) during practices and games among high school football players. In this conversation, Dr. Hammer discusses her award-winning research, which was recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and also shares her personal advice for those looking to get more involved in scholarly research. Registration is now open for the 2025 AMSSM Annual Meeting in Kansas City, which takes place from April 22-27. Learn more and register now at annualmeeting.amssm.org.   Research Article Links The Association Between Guardian Cap Use During Practices and Sport-related Concussion Risk in High School American Football Players bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/4/257 2024 AMSSM Annual Meeting Research Podium Presentations journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/fulltext/2024/03000/2024_amssm_research_podium_presentations.11.aspx