NEXT GENERATION LEADERS SESSIONS

SATURDAY 18TH APRIL 2026

DAY 1 - SATURDAY Hippocrates

ACL: FROM INJURY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE

Chairs: Berruto M (ITA), De Caro F (ITA)
11:30The USA experience: how to approach ACL injuries in professional football playersCong T (USA)
11:45The European experience: the complex link between ACL and muscle injuriesWalden M (SWE)
12:00A LET indication score could reduce unnecessary surgery in primary ACL-rCong T (USA)
12:10Characteristics of return-to-activity trajectories after ACL reconstructionPiussi R (SWE)
12:20Persistent vastus medialis activation deficits after ACL-R: a cohort studyForelli F (SUI)
12:30Detecting biomechanical deficits after ACL surgery using machine learningBaumert P (AUT)
12:40Higher on-field rehabilitation workloads are associated with pre-injury RTCPicinini F (UK)
12:50Second ACL injury is not influenced by number of passed muscle function testsHamrin Senorski R (SWE)
13:00Discussion
DAY 1 - SATURDAY Hippocrates

WHAT'S NEW IN PREVENTION & BIOMECHANICS

Chairs: Pereira R (POR), Surdyka N (USA)
14:30Preventing knee injuries in football: a biomechanical approachPowers C (USA)
14:45From muscle strength to 3D motion analysis–exploring ACL injury risk estimationBencke J (DEN)
14:55Movement-based functional classification of hop landing post ACL reconstructionLeporace G (BRA)
15:05Visual reliance affects change of direction biomechanics in ACL-R athletesVitharana T (IRL)
15:15Integrating biomechanics and physiology to detect injury risk using avatarsMerkely GB (HUN)
15:25Assessing ACL injury risk in female football with ecological validityVan Spanje M (NED)
15:35Performance and coordination for injury risk profiling in ACL-r football playersMendicino M (ITA)
15:45Discussion
DAY 1 - SATURDAY Hippocrates

RTP AFTER HAMSTRING INJURIES

Chairs: Ferrer Vidal E (ESP), Klein C (GER)
16:30The missing link of hamstring injury rehab on the road to return to performanceMendiguchia J (ESP)
16:45Return to performance after hamstring injury: the US sports experienceSilvers H (USA)
17:00Polygenic risk score for hamstring tendon rupture in elite male football playersRamon A (ESP)
17:10From structure to function using dynamic ultrasound in hamstringsAl-Dawoud M (UK)
17:20Isokinetic strength and RTP after biceps femoris surgery in elite footballJokela A (FIN)
17:30Inter-limb hamstring EMG during eccentric exercises after high-grade injuryRodriguez Ruiz M (UK)
17:40Long-term outcomes and return to sports after surgical repair of proximal hamstrings avulsionMoussa M (FRA)
17:50In-season strength and fascicle length changes in previously injured hamstringsMooney T (IRL)
18:00Discussion

SUNDAY 19TH APRIL 2026

DAY 2 - SUNDAY Hippocrates

INNOVATION IN FOOT & ANKLE INJURIES

Chairs: Bayrakcı Tunay V (TUR), Gehring D (GER)
12:00Innovation in navicular stress fracture management in athletesCalder J (UK)
12:15Surgical versus non-surgical treatment for chronic ankle instabilityBohu Y (FRA)
12:25Evaluation of functional deficits before and after ankle ligament reconstructionGaspar M (FRA)
12:35Development and implementation of a criteria-based rehabilitation algorithm after LAS in professional footballFlore Z (UK)
12:45Achilles tendon rupture in the NFL: matched cohort study of performance impactPrempeh AGA (USA)
12:55Return to play in female footballers: isokinetics and ankle functionGonosova Z (CZE)
13:05Return to sports outcomes : SER fibular fracture surgery with AITFL fixationKim S (KOR)
13:15Discussion
DAY 2 - SUNDAY Hippocrates

THE FUTURE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

Chairs: Gard S (SUI), Patt T (NED)
15:00Protecting the health of the youth football playerArendt L (USA)
15:15ACL injuries in youth Brazilian football playersCohen M (BRA)
15:30Exploring burnout and sport specialization in youth athletesBell D (USA)
15:40Biological maturity and sprint force–velocity in elite youth footballŠkorik M (SVK)
15:50Biomechanics at RTP in adolescents with subsequent contralateral ACL injuryErdman A (USA)
16:00Adolescent strength and endurance: evidence for age- and sex-specific trainingBenoit D (SWE)
16:10Neuromuscular performance comparison: are Slovak U19 ready for senior football?Švantner R (SVK)
16:20The independent role of jump height in Academy soccer deselectionTondelli E (ARG)
DAY 2 - SUNDAY Hippocrates

PRESENT AND FUTURE OF ORTHOBIOLOGICS

Chairs: Andrade R (POR), Guillen P (ESP)
17:00Tricks of the trade in using PRP in football playersCugat R (ESP)
17:15Through the eye of a needle: optimizing therapeutic injectionsJohnson R (UK)
17:30PRP vs combined PRP and HA : a prospective cohort study of early post traumatic OAAzeez Z (UK)
17:40CT-guided PRP therapy for chronic proximal hamstring tendinopathyMiele A (FRA)
17:50Return to sport after knee osteochondral scaffold in professional athletesRomandini I (ITA)
18:00Chondrolabral junction, cartilage pathology, and 2-year outcomes in FAI athletesMullins K (IRL)
18:10Polynucleotide injections for degenerative meniscus: 24 months follow-upAnzillotti G (ITA)
18:20Bone marrow stimulation in isolated meniscal repair: a double-blind RCTPakmanee N (THA)
18:30Discussion

MONDAY 20TH APRIL 2026

DAY 3 - MONDAY Hippocrates

GETTING READY FOR PERFORMANCE: FOOTBALL RECONDITIONING

Chairs: Ahmed O (UK), Bizzini M (SUI)
08:30Tech in RTP: tool or trapBuchheit M (FRA)
08:45Single leg hop video analysis in supporting a functional performance-oriented return to sport assessment and decision-making processBusà M (ITA)
08:55Ecological valid injury–performance monitoring dashboard for pro female footballVan der Meer M (NED)
09:05Muscle injury risk after ACL reconstruction in pro footballers: a cohort studyMazza D (ITA)
09:15What happens after ACL injury in professional Argentinian football? A matched return to performance and economic impact analysisFabani F (ARG)
09:25Post-match recovery day selection and injury risk in elite football playersLekatsas N (GRE)
09:35Mental health and return to performance after injury: the forgotten piece?Tankeng L (CMR)
09:45Discussion