Navigating emerging biotechnology interventions in sports and exercise medicine – Where innovation meets the evidence and the patient

Abstract

Background: With Sport and Exercise Medicine a relatively new medical Specialty and a desire for our community to age healthier, longer and more active, the onus is now on Sport and Exercise Medicine practitioners and the multidisciplinary team to help the community achieve these goals. New advances in biotechnology have given hope to both practitioners and patients to be the magic bullet for degenerative musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis and tendinopathy. But whilst these emerging interventions show promise, the evidence base is yet to back these claims up. I will explore the history behind autologous interventions for such conditions including blood, platelet rich plasma, tenocyte implants and stem cell interventions for musculoskeletal interventions and the role and challenges the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP) has had in the evolution of these in current clinical management paradigms.