World’s most important congress on football medicine and science to be held at Camp Nou this weekend

The worlds of sport science and football medicine are headed for the Camp Nou on May 13 to 15 on occasion of the biggest event in the field, the International Conference on Sports Rehabilitation and Traumatology. Organised by the Isokinetic Medical Group in conjunction with FIFA and with the support of FC Barcelona, this is the 26th edition of what has been consolidated as a world-leading congress, bringing together 2,500 delegates and 200 speakers from 90 countries. It all forms part of the Barça Innovation Hub, which in turn is an element of the 2015-2021 Strategic Plan whereby the club is seeking to become the leading centre in the world in the field of sports knowledge and innovation.

The core theme of the scientific agenda this year is The future of football medicine and for three days from May 13 to 15, the world’s top specialists and scientific societies will be giving keynote lectures, chairing debates and hosting a variety of workshops to present the latest developments in the field.

The conference is an excellent opportunity for generating new synergies between the innovative ideas of young specialists and the experience of some of the most renowned professionals of our times. A whole range of subjects related with football medicine have been included on the agenda, from injury prevention to regenerative medicine, as well as dealing with the latest innovations in biomechanics and neuroscience.

Isokinetic Medical Group is the club’s scientific partner for this event, and is a world leader in the field of sports injuries, treatment, orthopaedic rehabilitation and research, with more than 30 years of experience of treating patients at its eight clinics throughout Europe. The group has been holding this congress for 25 years in London and Milan, and this year is coming to Barcelona for the first time thanks to the Barça Innovation Hub.

The event will be held simultaneously at different venues on the Camp Nou premises: the grandstand terraces will host the lectures by visiting speakers, and Sala Roma, Sala París and the Ricard Maxenchs pressroom will also be used, as well as the stadium forecourt, which will host the village with leisure and catering stands, while the Auditorium 1899 will be the site for the MuscleTech Network.

MuscleTech and regenerative medicine

The congress also includes the ninth edition of the MuscleTech Network, organised by FC Barcelona in association with the Fundació Leitat, and which has gained an important position over the years as one of the leading forums for bringing together researchers, doctors, physiotherapists and fitness coaches to exchange ideas and discuss the latest trends and innovations in the field of muscle and tendon injuries. The eighth edition took place last October, and this new one is being organised as part of the Isokinetic Congress. This time, the main topic of MuscleTech shall be regenerative medicine and the use of new biological products to improve the treatment of muscle and tendon injuries.

Statement by Jordi Monés, commissioner of the Barça Innovation Hub

“Isokinetic Medical Group is a very important strategic partner for the Barça Innovation Hub, and this presents the opportunity to bring together at the Camp Nou the best scientific specialists for this sports-related congress – the most important of its kind in the world. This is an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge, which is one of the key goals of the Barça Innovation Hub, and to do so in such an important area to us as football medicine and the fields of traumatology and rehabilitation. We have the chance to hold the ninth edition of MuscleTech by taking advantage of the magnitude of the congress and its capacity for attraction”.