On this week’s BJSM podcast, the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) EIC elect Dr Clare Ardern PhD (T: @clare_ardern) joins BJSM EIC Prof Karim Khan to answer the difficult questions about return to play.

Dr Clare Ardern is a physiotherapist and clinical researcher who completed her award-winning PhD on return to play in 2013. Since then, Clare has worked as a clinical researcher at the Aspetar Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital (Qatar) and Linköping University (Sweden). Clare led the 2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern. She has a particular interest in the psychological aspect of returning to play and how the return to play transition can be improved with specific clinical interventions and superior clinical decision making.

We here at BJSM would like to thank Clare for her tireless work as BJSM Deputy Editor and wish her all the best for her upcoming role as EIC at JOSPT!

In this 30-minute conversation, Clare discusses:

· Tips for clinicians when approaching RTP with athletes

· The psychological aspects of RTP and the importance of shared decision making

· Athletes’ biggest fears when RTP

· Non-operative management of ACL injuries

· Paediatric ACL injuries

On Oct 4-5, Clare will be speaking at the The IFSPT Third World Congress of Sports Physical Therapy in Vancouver, Canada. She will be presenting alongside a world-class line up of local and international experts exploring the theme “High performance to clinical practice”. https://www.sportphysio.ca/calendar-of-upcoming-events/spc2019/

Mentioned in this episode:

Ardern CL, Ekås G, Grindem H, et al. 2018 International Olympic Committee consensus statement on prevention, diagnosis and management of paediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Br J Sports Med 2018;doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-099060 (article co-published by Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy, Journal of ISAKOS and Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine).

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/7/422

Ardern CL, Glasgow P, Schneiders A, Witvrouw E, Clarsen B, Cools A, et al. 2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern. Br J Sports Med 2016;50:853-864. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/14/853

Ardern CL, Taylor NF, Feller JA, Webster KE. Fifty-five per cent return to competitive sport following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis including aspects of physical functioning and contextual factors. Br J Sports Med 2014;48:1543-1552.

Grindem H, Snyder-Mackler L, Moksnes H, et al Simple decision rules can reduce reinjury risk by 84% after ACL reconstruction: the Delaware-Oslo ACL cohort study British Journal of Sports Medicine 2016;50:804-808. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/13/804

Frobell RB, Roos EM, Roos HP, Ranstam J, Lohmander LS. A randomized trial of treatment for acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. New England Journal of Medicine. 2010 Jul 22;363(4):331-42.