HCM City (VNS/VNA) - A number of universities and hospitals in thecountry are focusing on research and integration of medicine in sports trainingand selecting athletes.

Speaking at a conference held on January 28 to discuss sports medicine toimprove athletes’ performance and recovery from injury, and preventinginjuries, Luu Thien Suong of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Sport, said alot of the research is into the role of genetics in sporting prowess.

Genetic tests have helped improve the efficiency of training selection ofathletes, he said.

Many countries have realised the potential of genetics in personalisingathletes’ individual training programmes and improve the efficiency oftraining, he said.

He suggested that the 175 Military Hospital should build a lab for DNA analysisto help improve the country’s sports.

Luong Vu Dung of the 175 Military Hospital recommended the use ofcardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) for pre-participation evaluation ofathletes.

It helps evaluate the physiological responses of body organs and systems toexercise and calculate the nutrition required for doing exercises, and alsohelps detect potential risks and conditions caused by strenuous exercises, hesaid, adding it is being applied at his hospital.

The hospital has a sports medicine department, invested further ininfrastructure, facilities and human resources. 

It is collaborating with the HCM City University of Sport and National SportsTraining Centre to develop academic and research programmes for sportsmedicine.

It has adopted many advanced technologies. It has been doing shoulderarthroscopy, for instance, since 2010.

This technique helps improve the recognition of pathologic findings in shoulderdislocation, allows better understanding of the aetiology of instability andenables selective treatment of the injured structures, thus reducing the riskof iatrogenic damage.

It also helps reduce pain after surgery, hospitalisation time and the risk ofcomplications, and improves early rehabilitation.

Shoulder dislocation is a very common injury in sport.

Sport is developing rapidly in the country and so sports medicine has becomevery important, but it faces a shortage of personnel and facilities.   

The conference, titled ‘Sports Medicine for Health of Athletes and Community,’was organised by the 175 Military Hospital and HCM City University of Sport,and attracted more than 400 delegates from the Ministry of Culture, Sports andTourism, Vietnam Sports Administration, other relevant departments, sportstraining centres, sports teams, and military and civilian hospitals.

It highlighted prevention, treatment and care for injuries and trauma recovery./.