Educational Overview

Course Description

This program has been designed to address several common practice gaps in sports medicine, injury evaluation, physical therapy and rehabilitation. Using the most current research, this program demonstrates evidence-based practices for non-surgical and select surgical procedures used to treat orthopaedic sport related conditions associated with musculoskeletal trauma of the knee, foot, hip, and lower leg. It includes a brief overview of the pertinent anatomy, as well as rehabilitation considerations for non-operative treatment options and select post-surgical therapy protocols. Content also touches on sudden cardiac arrest in athletes and the preparation for active assailant response by sports medicine professionals. Program content is designed to assist healthcare providers with acquiring the skills and knowledge to provide quality care and enhance patient outcomes by educating participants of selected sports medicine and clinical practice shortcomings.

Educational Objectives

1. Describe and identify various Jones fractures.
2. Identify and describe the “dreaded black line” regarding tibial shaft stress fractures.
3. Describe preparation and active assailant responses for a sports medicine practitioner.
4. Discuss the basic science, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation of articular cartilage defects.
5. Describe various biologic treatments for articular cartilage defects.
6. Discuss and describe autologous chondrocyte implantation.
7. Identify and describe osteochondral allograft transplantation.
8. Discuss rehabilitation strategies for surgically managed articular cartilage defects.
9. Describe lower extremity amputee prosthetics, their advancements, and special training methods for paralympic athletes.
10. Discuss rehabilitation strategies for the lower extremity of paralympic athletes.
11. Describe the management of sudden cardiac arrest in sports.
12. Identify rehabilitation techniques for anterior hip pathology.
13. Discuss specific rehabilitation techniques for Trochanter Pain Syndrome pathologies.
14. Identify rehabilitation techniques for posterior hip pathology.

The material covered by the 2026 22 nd Annual Cutting-Edge Sports Medicine Conference includes domains 1, 2, and 4 of the BOC Role Delineation/Practice Analysis, 7th edition (Injury and Illness Prevention and Wellness Promotion, Examination, Assessment and Diagnosis and Therapeutic Intervention). In addition, the new BOC Orthopaedic Specialty domains Medical Knowledge and Procedural Knowledge. According to the education levels described by the Professional Development Committee of the NATA, the following continuing education course is considered to be Essential and/or Advanced Level to offer continuing education for Certified Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants.