Impact factor day makes me think of the phrase in David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ — ‘just for one day’. There is a lot of attention on one metric ‘just for one day’. But the BJSM community works to improve the health of patients for 365 days most years, 366 days in Olympic years. Today is a good day to acknowledge the heroes in the BJSM community. It’s a big community. Hence the also appropriate #ItTakesAVillage
Every clinician wakes up motivated to help. To listen, to do his or her best to alleviate pain and improve function and ultimately quality of life in the hundreds of thousands who attend clinics of various forms the world over. Every ‘off-field’ pratitioner who serves sports teams does so to maximise their potential and play safely. Folks with academic posts teach with enthusiasm, advocate fearlessly and embrace knowledge exchange with those at the front lines.
Teamwork is critical for the BJSM to add value. At BMA House Claire Langford is tireless and available 24/7. Malcolm Smith, James Smallbone, Christine Janssen, Leticia Amorin, Rosemary Hall and Rebecca Vickerstaff ensure quality in every element of our product. Janet O’Flaherty has steered BJSM since it became part of the BMJ group in 1995. Claire Bower was, and remains, without equal. Success does not come overnight and we thank Duncan Jarvies and Harriet Vickers for vision. We have had support to the very top of BMJ group – thank you Peter Ashman, Allison Lang and Dr. Fiona Godlee.
Because BJSM comes in various fomats we cannot live without James Walsh (podcasts), Callista Haggis (blogs), Steffan Griffin (Facebook), Marcos Agostinho / Nash Anderson / James Sherlock / Zach Spargo (Google +), all those in our Twittersphere, and Ania Tarazi (who created the award-winning mobile App). In each category, heroes, such as Markus Laupheimer Nicol van Dyk and Liam West have supported those leaders in the various media channels. Our newest addition, @YLMSportScience, joins @DocAndrewMurray to lead the infographic department. Vicky Earle is world leader for medical art and BJSM covers.
BJSM’s heroes are leaders and members of 23 clinical societies that guide us for international relevance. We have created podcasts in 5 languages. Our special partner, the International Olympic Committee supports 4 BJSM issues annually – chockablock full of key Consensus Statements, linkages to sport federations and driving the sports injury prevention agenda. The IOC’s 9 international research centres form an R&D hub that communicates with the world via BJSM and other journals as appropriate.
Along with Professor Ugur Erdener and Dr Richard Budgett, Professor Lars Engebretsen (Editor for IOC supported issues) deserves particular recognition. He is a true supporter of non-operative sports medicine and sports physiotherapy when (often!) these forms of care are appropriate. Thank you to Cherine and Denise for taking particularly good care of all BJSM staff. We thank Sports Federations (IFs) specifically; among them FIFA, FINA, FIS, and World Rowing have been prominent partners. BASEM has been a staunch and engaged supporter and we look forward to extending our work with Chairman Dr Mike Stone.
Every submission, podcast presentation, YouTube contribution, @mention, Facebook like, Google+ comment, cover image posted in a presentation, and ‘hello’ at a conference has contributed to making BJSM more valuable for our constituency.
There are sports medicine and sports physiotherapy conference organisers the world over who have heroically ensured great value for participants. We laud those heroes, thank you for our previous collaborations, and look forward to working with you as a media channel. Our network aims to work hand in hand with yours to add value for participants. Particular thanks for all the work involved in the International Concussion in Sport Consensus Meetings 2012 and 2016 – Professors Paul McCrory, Winne Meeuwisse, Jiri Dvorak.
This short list of just some of the BJSM community underscores the wealth of talent that comes together to improve patient outcomes via improved clinical care, health promotion and injury prevention. In a complicated world, a feature of the BJSM community is the level of cohesion – working together for the common goal (patient outcomes) where possible.
A group I have already flagged in recent tweets has been the Editorial Board and our manuscript reviewers. Among those who filtered >1300 papers a year to provide just the best 200 to our busy readers, we thank Associate Editors and Senior Associate Editors. Prof Jill Cook provided 7.5 years of key service to foster the physiotherapy community’s input to BJSM. Given the importance of Systematic Reviews, we point out Dr. Clare Ardern – Systematic Review Editor and Deputy Editor. Our other Deputy Editors are Mario Bizzini (physiotherapy member societies, IFSPT, WCPT relationships), Christian Barton (Social Media Editor) and Adam Weir (medical member societies and consensus statements)
Dr Babette Pluim (Sports & Exercise Medicine) and Professor Kay Crossley (Sports Physiotherapy) make up the triumvirate of Editors to put out 24 issues of BJSM annually. #Heroes. 
Our large team is essential as our constituency numbers 7.125 billion. No apologies for a 150-member editorial board! We need more help – volunteer! (info.bjsm@bmj.com) We need you today and every day. Not ‘just for one day’!
May I use this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ for the privilege of serving with you all.
Karim Khan.