O’Shea: EIS Provides Added Value

 

by James Skitt - 19.10.09

National Director Conor O’Shea spoke of what he believes to be the English Institute of Sport’s (EIS) added value as he addressed delegates at The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) congress in Liverpool last week.

Speaking at the CSP’s flagship scientific event, O’Shea, alongside EIS Physiotherapist Phil Burt, who supports British Cycling, provided a keynote lecture on delivering and developing in elite sport as the congress focused on preparations for the London 2012 Olympics.

The EIS, grant funded through the UK Sport Lottery Fund, aims to be regarded as the world’s leading provider of performance-impacting sport science and sports medicine support in elite sport, and O’Shea said: “First and foremost we have to impact on performance.”

Explaining what he described as the added value of the Institute he added; “The EIS is working hard to create a system that is not just about individuals, we need to provide quality assurance and bench marking for sports and staff alike” he said. “When a sport buys into the EIS it isn’t buying just one individual, one skill, but those within the Physiotherapy discipline alone of 50 specialists and the multi disciplinary team surrounding that.”

A former Irish Rugby Union international, O’Shea spent all too long in the treatment room during a playing career cut short by injury, and told delegates he understood the challenges of their profession.

“I reckon if you scanned every front row forward within rugby they would have something wrong with them” he said. “It must be incredibly hard for you as physiotherapists to balance getting someone on the pitch when they are not completely fit and to judge when it is a risk. It is a very challenging environment.

Five time Olympic Gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave CBE was also among the speakers at the Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre, where the event was attended by over 1,000 physiotherapists and allied health professionals.

The congress, which also hosted a physiotherapy-based trade exhibition, showcased how the profession will be supporting the London 2012 Olympic games and also looked at the key role that physiotherapists will play in increasing participation in exercise in the build up to the games in London.

For more on the 2009 Congress visit the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy website here

Photography © SW Pix