News

An international scientific symposium featuring leading experts from the world's sports recovery field is organised by the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) at the Institute from 24 to 25 February 2006. Titled "The Emerging Science and Practice of Recovery", the event focuses on planning and integration of systematic recovery programming, targeting the needs of athletes and coaches from the Asia-Pacific region.

"Athletes from the Asia-Pacific are playing a more and more pivotal role on the international sporting stage, but if we are to further improve our results and mount serious challenges to the world sporting powers in major games such as the Olympics, we need to develop systematic knowledge on the practice of recovery," said Dr Chung Pak-kwong, Chief Executive of the HKSI.

With the support of the International Federation of Sports Medicine, the CUHK-WHO Collaborating Centre for Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, and the Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine & Sports Science, Dr Chung is confident that the Symposium would achieve great success, "We have invited a number of top class experts in this field who would like to share their expertise and experience to help athletes and coaches from the region. Participants would find the Symposium fruitful which will be conducted through keynote presentations, workshops and an expert panel discussion. We hope the Symposium can take the initiative by providing an ideal platform for the exchange of expertise in this area so as to benefit athletes and coaches."

Professor Chan Kai-ming, President of the International Federation of Sports Medicine, added, "This practice primarily targeting the elite athletes will gradually spill over to recreational athletes as we are now witnessing an enormous trend of exercise for health among the general public. This can only induce a much better exercise and sporting environment and cultivate an attitude of increased productivity and awareness of quality of life that are essentially a symbol of the vibrancy of our City."

China is one of the world sporting powerhouses. As they are gearing up preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games, many people may want to know how Chinese experts help their athletes in the area of recovery. Professor Tian Ye, General Administration of Sport Sci-tech Research Unit will share his work on "Diagnosis and recovery from sports anemia in athletes" which will probably give some ideas.

Dr Ma Yun, another Chinese expert from the National Sports Hospital at the National Research Institute of Sports Medicine of the State Sport General Administration of China, will speak on the subject "Prevention and recovery of non-traumatic injury and disease in competitive sports" to give a comprehensive picture on the work China has done on this area.

Two experts from Australia, Dr Shona Halson from the AIS Sports Science and Sports Medicine at the Australian Sports Commission and Professor Mark Andersen from the School of Human Movement, Recreation and Performance at the Victoria University, will discuss respective topics on "Enhancing recovery in elite athletes" and "Implementing the biopsychosocial model: recovery as a collaborative process".

From Hong Kong, the elite sports psychology experts from the HKSI including Dr Si Gang Yan, Dr Lee Hing Chu and Ms Polina Cheng will share "Sport psychology service to athletes' recovery at HKSI". Meanwhile, Ms Susan Chung, Sport Nutritionist of the HKSI, will speak on "Nutritional strategies for recovery after exercise".

Two workshops will be held by local medical experts, Dr James Lam, private practice in orthopaedics and traumatology, and sports cardiologist Dr Gary Mak, on "Recovery period concerns: orthopaedic perspective" and "Recovery period: a time to relax, or rather, one critically vulnerable moment? - Comments from a cardiologist" respectively.

Post-Symposium Workshops would also be organised on 26 February with Dr Jean Jacques Rivet from the Aix Marseille II University, France sharing his views on "Quick recovery from injury" and HKSI's Mr Xu Zhengzheng to discuss "Application of Chinese manual therapy in recovery".