Bulletin Number Two 1984

Health and Sports Campaign In view o f the ever-increasing enthusiasm for sports and the popularity o f health exercise and competitive sports, a 'Health and Sports' Campaign was launched on 5th-10th March, 1984 to introduce the concepts o f sports science and sports medicine to students, teachers, coaches, physical educators, physical thera pists, medical doctors, etc. It also aimed to encourage the application o f sports science to maximize the benefits o f sports to health and prevent and manage common sports injuries, and to promote mass parti cipation in sports w ith safety. The campaign was jo in tly organized by the Physical Education Unit, the Department o f Orthopaedic and Traumatic Surgery, the Department o f Extramural Studies, the University Health Service and the Medical Society o f the Faculty o f Medicine. The Campaign included the following events: an Exhibition on Health and Sports, a Seminar on Management and Prevention o f Sports Injuries and a Conference on Local Researches in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine. In preparation for the Campaign, a survey on sports injuries was conducted. The survey on sports injuries was conducted in September last year w ith sample subjects o f 1714 students o f the University, primarily freshmen. It is found from the survey that the need for management and prevention o f sports injuries is not well recognized among the students, indicating that the concepts and application o f sports science and medicine should be popularized. According to the survey, the five main categories o f injuries are: abrasion, contusion, cramps, sprain, and strain. Incidence o f severe injuries such as fracture, concussion, and heat stroke is low. The five sports most likely to cause injuries are: soccer,basket ball, cycling, track and field, and swimming. About 50% o f the injuries are self-treated and for 80% recovery took less than ten days. The Exhibition on Health and Sports, sponsored by Mr. Wong Wah Sang and held from 5th to 10th March at the Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, covered the following themes: Sports medicine, Physical fitness, Reward o f exercise, Nutritional requirements, Sports injuries, Prevention and Management o f injuries, and Result o f the survey on sports injuries. Also on display were various protective aids and a first-aid k it. Thirty students from the Medical Faculty volunteered as demonstrators at the Exhibition. The Exh ibition attracted 3,000 visitors altogether, including students from seven secondary schools from the Shatin and Tai Po districts, who were invited to come. The Seminar on Management and Prevention o f Sports Injuries, held on 5th March at the Science Centre, was attended by 180 participants. Dr. K.M. Chan o f the Department o f Orthopaedic and Traumatic Surgery, Faculty o f Medicine talked on the manage ment aspects o f sports injuries while Dr. F.H. Fu o f the Physical Education Unit spoke on the preventive aspects. Professor H.Z. Xian o f the Beijing Institute o f Physical Education delivered a talk on her views on and experience o f traditional Chinese practice in sports injuries. The Conference on Local Researches in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, held on 10th March at the lecture theatre, Space Museum, was sponsored by The Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Com mittee o f Hong Kong. Mr. A. de 0 . Sales, Chairman o f the Olympic Committee, delivered the opening address. Speakers o f the Conference included pro fessors and lecturers o f the Medical Faculty and School o f Education o f the two local universities, a professor from Beijing Institute o f Physical Education, physiotherapists and investigators o f researches on physical fitness. The following papers were presented: Population Density and Physical Fitness; Relation o f Physical Fitness to Past Participation in Sports; Sports Injuries Survey; Psychological Traits o f Athletes; Physiological Profiles o f Athletes; Super Marathon; Uses and Abuses o f Drugs in Sports; Rehabilitation o f Sports Injuries —Practice and Research; Management o f Common Sports Injuries — Traditional Chinese Practice in Acupuncture; Future o f Sports Medicine in Hong Kong. NEWS 5