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Expert advice on sports medicine now one click away

  • Published
  • Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Under a new partnership between the Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) and the Human Performance Resource Center (HPRC)--a Department of Defense Initiative under the Force Health Protection and Readiness Program--Air Force healthcare providers can now seek expert advice on a variety of sports medicine topics.

HPRC's "Ask the Expert" feature includes sports medicine, physical therapy, exercise physiology, athletic training, nutrition, and other Human Performance Optimization topics.

"All Air Force healthcare providers--whether active duty, Guard, Reserve, civilian, or contractor--need a solid grounding in sports medicine," said Col. John Oh, chief of health promotion at the Air Force Medical Support Agency. "Our Airmen need to be fit to fight, and we medics need basic clinical skills in preventing, diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating musculoskeletal injuries and conditions; referring patients appropriately; and profiling Airmen accurately for work duties and fitness assessments."

Through HPRC's Ask the Expert, providers from any military service can submit questions online, and HPRC sports medicine experts will respond via e-mail. Providers should not disclose identifying information. Ask the Expert is not suited to clinical questions that require urgent response, as the turnaround time may take several days.

In addition to sports medicine, Ask the Expert accepts questions on a variety of other health- and performance-related topics, including nutrition, dietary supplements, family and relationships, environment, mind tactics, and Total Force Fitness.

Based at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences under the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP), HPRC is an online, one-stop clearinghouse for evidence-based information and key resources to help Warfighters and their families in all aspects of performance.

"We are excited to partner with the Air Force Medical Service in helping upgrade the knowledge and skills of Air Force and other Military Health System healthcare providers," said Col. Jeff Leggit, medical director for CHAMP.