COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing for Elite Athletes – Recommendations for elite sport

This infographic outlines evidence-based recommendations on COVID-19 reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing in elite sport settings, aiming to protect personal and population health, and acknowledging resources and expertise that are often available in elite sport. Public health recommendations vary by country and region and protocol decisions should be made in consultation with relevant public […]

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The Resumption of Racing in Great Britain: 3 Months of a Staged Return during COVID-19

Challenges and learnings from a non-testing approach returning to elite sport On June 1st 2020, horseracing returned to elite competition. Horseracing was comparatively well placed to respond to some of COVID-19’s challenges given rigorous approaches to biosecurity following the outbreak of Equine Influenza in early 2019, halting racing temporarily. This, combined with ongoing infectious disease […]

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Do we need new COVID-19 specific ‘return to exercise’ protocols?

From prevention to rehabilitation; learning to safely return patients to exercise during covid-19 Despite comprehensive guidance on “return to sport” in elite athletes (1), there are currently limited recommendations to help clinicians return non-athlete populations to exercise post COVID-19. We discuss some of the challenges facing clinicians who are prescribing exercise to treat long term […]

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Am I better exercising indoors or outdoors during the pandemic? #Infographic

Guidelines and orientations related to social distancing, safety and hygiene The issues around returning-to-play both during and in the post-pandemic period, in elite and community settings have been extensively addressed in the literature1,2,3,4 and through several blog posts here in the BJSM blog 5,6,7,8,9. However, regarding the general population, a clear, careful, transparent, and evidence-based […]

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Pitch side emergency care & personal protective equipment: a framework for elite sport during the COVID-19 pandemic: Part 1 of 3

Applies to: The FA ATMMiF, The RFL IMMOFP, The FA ITMMiF, Sports Promote, WRU ICIR and The RFU PHICIS Authors: Lisa Hodgson, Gemma Phillips, Jonathan Gordon, Jonathan Hanson, John MacLean, Prabhat Mathema, Andrew Smith, Mark Woolcock, Charlotte Cowie, Simon Kemp, Michael Patterson, Jo Larkin, Jerry Hill, Mike Rossiter, Niall Elliott, Pippa Bennett, Jonathan Power, Ari […]

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Team sport in a COVID-19 world – a catastrophe-in-waiting, or a disguised opportunity to evolve and contribute further to population health?

  By Steffan A Griffin, Amy E Mendham, Peter Krustrup, Andrew Murray, Nick Peirce, Joanne Larkin, Rod Jaques, Charlotte Cowie, Keith A Stokes, Simon PT Kemp Team sport has been widely hailed as a potential morale-booster for the wider society in the current COVID-19 climate (in both a spectating and participating capacity). However, team sport […]

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Should people wear a face mask during exercise: What should clinicians advise?

Many community-based measures to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) are implemented, including social distancing, hand hygiene and wearing non-medical face masks in public areas. This recommendation is based on the concept of ‘source control’ to prevent droplets produced by the person wearing the mask from spreading to other people or onto […]

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Anxiety and Insomnia in Athletes during the era of COVID 19: Part 2– solutions and suggestions

By Dr. Meeta Singh, MD @athletesleepmd1 and Dr. Carla Edwards, MD @Edwards10Carla The enforced societal restrictions over the past three months have left athletes feeling negative, unmotivated, emotionally detached from sport and feel as though they have lost direction—all of which impacts their overall mental health. We both witnessed how athletes’ psychological experiences evolved during […]

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