June 5 Research Highlights for ACSM Annual Meeting

The American College of Sports Medicine’s virtual 68th Annual Meeting, 12th World Congress on Exercise is Medicine and World Congress on the Basic Science of Exercise in Regenerative Medicine ends today. Here is a selection of the research that will be presented on the final day, June 5. Contact Lisa Ramage to access any sessions from this year’s virtual event, to connect with presenters or to view this year’s abstracts and clinical case ePosters. 

• The D.B. Dill Historical Lecture | The Intersection of Optimizing Human Health, Performance and Longevity: Clinical Sports Nutrition by Nancy R. Rodriguez, Ph.D., RDN, FACSM, University of Connecticut 

• John R. Sutton Clinical Lecture | About the Sequence of Prevention, Ankle Injuries and Beyond by Willem van Mechelen, M.D., Ph.D., FACSM, Amsterdam University Medical Centers 

• COVID-19: Implications for Physical Activity, Health Disparities and Health Equity by James Sallis, FACSM; Nailah Coleman, FACSM; Navin Kaushal; Vincenzo Nocera 

• Team Physician Consensus Conference (TPCC) Update by Margot Putukian, FACSM; Stanley Herring, FACSM; W. Ben Kibler, FACSM. TPCC is a project-based alliance between ACSM, the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine. The group meets annually to produce a consensus statement, a blend of evidence-based research and expert consensus, on select medical issues in the care and treatment of athletes. The resulting documents serve as guidance and teaching tools for physicians working in the sports medicine field, regardless of geographical location or level of team or athlete.

• Carbs, Calories, or Quality? What Matters Most for Weight Control by Kevin Hall. Obesity poses a major challenge to public health because of the high cost, mortality, morbidity and reduced quality of life. Effective and sustained dietary interventions are required along with exercise for obesity treatment and prevention, yet successful approaches for dietary treatment and prevention remain elusive and contentious. Debates over the benefits of counting calories, carbs or improving the quality of our food are fueled by misinterpretations of data, as well as misunderstanding of the physiological mechanisms that resist weight loss and promote weight regain. 

• 4th Trimester [postnatal training]: When and How to Return? by Craig Sale, FACSM; Kirsty Elliott-Sale; Raul Artal, FACSM. Most research to date focuses on exercise during pregnancy. However, few studies have explained the physiological and anatomical changes that occur after delivery, the “4th term.” This symposium will share information and address the need to raise awareness about how and when women can return to physical activity after childbirth. 

• Impact of Lifestyle Modification and Sex on Endothelial Function and Arterial Stiffness by Michael Brown, FACSM; Kerrie Moreau; Steven Malin, FACSM; Shannon Lennon; Jaume Padilla. Traditional risk factors (e.g., obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, etc.) explain nearly 50% of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness have been implicated in the pathology and genesis of CVD, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Physical activity increases endothelial function and decreases arterial stiffness. Yet, there is much inter-individual response to physical activity, and biologic differences by sex and aging have emerged as potential reasons. Moreover, most vascular function studies are performed in the fasted state. Whether differences in blood vessel regulation exist between fasted and fed states are not clear, nor is the interaction with exercise and diet. This symposium will discuss vascular health in young and older adults, as well as in animal models to study the mechanisms by which lifestyle impacts CVD risk. Focus will be on the role of insulin action, hemodynamics (e.g., shear stress) and dietary calories/potassium/sodium in regulating vascular function in men and women. 

• Stress Testing in the COVID Era by Ernest Gervino, FACSM; Dana Pepe; Preeti Mehrotra; Rishi Wadhera; Thomas Allison; Thomas Olson, FACSM. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many clinical practices needed to change when and how they saw patients, and what the staff and employer had to do to protect both staff and patient. Many labs, on a reduced basis, actively performed urgent stress tests on cardiac patients. Yet during this time there was relatively no evidence from the CDC or National Institute of Health how to safely proceed. Biggest concerns were aerosolization of water droplets that the patient would generate during this procedure since respiratory rate and minute ventilation would increase substantially. 

• Youth Running: An Evidence Based Approach to Preventing Injury by Adam Tenforde, FACSM; William Roberts, FACSM; Brian Krabak, FACSM; Mitchell Rauh, FACSM. The popularity of running in the youth athlete has significantly increased over the past few decades. As the number of children who participate in running increases, so do the potential number of injuries. Proper care of these athletes requires a thorough understanding of the unique physiology and biomechanics of the skeletally immature athlete, common injuries and the impact of training/early specialization in the youth runner. 

• Sports Medicine Considerations for the Equestrian Athlete by Kelly Ryan; Cindy Lin, FACSM; Korin Hudson; Michael Turner. Equestrian athletes have unique injuries and risk factors due to their sport specific considerations. There is overall a lack of consistent injury management protocols and guidelines in these sports, ranging from jumping to horse racing. This session aims to equip sports medicine clinicians with a better understanding of specific concerns and best practices for injury management and prevention and will include injury epidemiology, health considerations of equestrians and jockeys, the role of helmets and body protectors, concussions and return to riding protocols. 

• Bringing Everyone Back to the Game: The Importance of Youth Sports Post-COVID-19 by NiCole Keith, FACSM; Katrina Piercy, FACSM; Karin Pfeiffer, FACSM; Tom Farrey. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the National Youth Sports Strategy (NYSS) in late 2019. The NYSS includes tested, actionable strategies for parents, coaches, organizations, communities and policymakers to support youth sports participation for all, with a specific focus on underserved populations. As sports reopen following COVID-19, there are opportunities to reintroduce youth sports in a way that helps move toward the shared NYSS vision that one day all youth will have the opportunity, motivation and access to play sports, regardless of their race/ethnicity, sex, ability or zip code.