The 3rd ReFORM Symposium and 11th SportS2 Conference, held on October 13 and 14 in Liège (Belgium), were a resounding success, with over 350 participants attending this year's event. This year, ReFORM joined forces with the SportS2 unit (Service Pluridisciplinaire- Orthopédie-Réducation-Traumatologie-Santé du Sportif) of the CHU de Liège for the event.

Injury prevention and racquet sports

Experts, researchers, health professionals, field players and renowned athletes all had the opportunity to discuss the topic of injury prevention in the context of racquet sports, a field of crucial importance for athletes and health professionals. Presentations covered the importance of injury prevention, technological advances to reduce the risk of injury, and innovative strategies to optimize athlete performance in racquet sports.

Renowned speakers present for the occasion

Renowned speakers shared their knowledge and experience with the audience, covering a wide range of topics.

On the first day, Isabelle Rogowski (Université Claude Bernard, Lyon), François Tubez (Université de Liège) and Daniel Dinu (INSEP, Paris) provided an in-depth analysis of the biomechanics of racquet sports, offering various ways of optimizing movements.

The second session of the day was dedicated to extra-sportive aspects. Serge Pieters (ADEPS, Brussels) addressed nutritional aspects. Anne-Charlotte Dupont (LIROMS and CHL, Luxembourg) provided valuable information on sports in hot conditions, emphasizing the importance of adapting to these particular conditions. As for François Bieuzen (INS Québec), he gave a number of tips on how to manage jet lag when traveling abroad.

On the same day, Jérôme Pauls (LIHPS, Luxembourg), Camille Tooth (Université/CHU de Liège), Jean-Roch Aubry (INSEP, Paris) and Didier Wolfstyn (INSEP, Paris) provided very practical information on injury prevention for racquet sportsmen and women. Camille Tooth emphasized the importance of an individualized approach, tailored to the needs of the athlete, while Jérôme Pauls highlighted the difficulties encountered when implementing prevention programs in the field.

The day ended with a round table featuring renowned former athletes such as Jean-Michel Saive (President of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee and former top-level table tennis player) and Réginald Willems (former tennis player and top-level coach), as well as coaches. The theme of this round table was post-career and retraining. This gave rise to rich discussions between the speakers and the audience. Their personal experiences added a valuable dimension to the debate.

The second day also addressed various aspects of sports performance. François Delvaux (Université/Chu de Liège) raised essential questions about the early hyperspecialization of athletes. Julien Delatte (CHU de Liège) discussed about technopathies in tennis. Themes such as mental preparation and the return to sport after shoulder surgery were also addressed.

Spotlight on the work of young researchers

For the^3rd edition of this symposium, ReFORM wanted to highlight its young researchers by offering them the opportunity to present their research work in the form of posters. In all, some twenty posters were displayed and consulted by participants during the breaks. This gave rise to lively discussions between scientists and players from the sporting world. Yet another way of linking scientific work and field practice...

Undeniable success

With over 350 participants, the 3rd ReFORM Symposium and 11th SPortS2 2023 Conference were a resounding success. Participants were able to exchange ideas, challenge their practices and create a solid foundation for future collaborations. The lively discussions, inspiring presentations and new ideas generated at these events will undoubtedly contribute to improving the care of athletes in racquet sports, both from a preventive and a performance point of view.

Thanks to the speakers for their presence and professionalism. Thanks to our partners for their support. Thanks to the participants for their enthusiasm.

Future events on the horizon?

The next ReFORM event will be announced soon ... Stay tuned !!!

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