Sportskongres is back, and the 2025 edition marks the beginning of a new decade. Ten years ago, the Danish Sports Medicine Congress Committee decided to internationalise the national congress to enhance the quality of the content and attract foreign speakers and participants. This initiative aimed to foster engagement and networking with Danish sports science and medicine. A key element of this new format, introduced in 2014, was that all presentations would be delivered in English, the global language of science. Significant changes often come with challenges, and the initial transition was no exception. Concerns were raised about a potential decline in Danish participants; however, these worries never materialised. Today, we not only see a much more global audience but also an increase in the number of Danish participants. Notably, the representation of Scandinavian participants has improved tremendously. The scientific contributions from our closest neighbours and allies are of such high quantity and quality that they have undoubtedly played a crucial role in establishing the congress’s reputation as one of the best sports medicine congresses worldwide. Due to the significant contributions from all the Scandinavian countries, Sportskongres (https://sportskongres.dk/) changed its official name to the Scandinavian Sports Medicine Congress in 2019.1 This name change honours the Scandinavian tradition of combining medicine and science in sports, which was previously celebrated every second year through a congress hosted in rotation among the Scandinavian countries from 1992 to 2018.1 Unfortunately, this tradition ended, but despite this initial setback, sports medicine in Scandinavia is today stronger than ever (figure 1).
Figure 1. Sportskongres hashtag.
High-impact research guarantee at Sportskongres
The improvement of the overall content, particularly in presenting cutting-edge research through oral and poster formats, is evident, culminating in two prestigious competitions in each discipline. This year, we are excited to announce the acceptance of 124 abstracts, which will be presented during an oral competition session, eight individual oral sessions and a poster walk featuring 70 posters. Presenters and their science are evaluated on the quality of their abstracts, methodological rigour and clinical relevance. Prizes are awarded for the best oral presentations, including first and second place, as well as a Best Poster Prize. Previous winners have included notable studies such as ‘TENDINopathy Severity Assessment—Achilles (TENDINS-A)’,2 ‘A Decade After the Delaware-Oslo ACL Treatment Algorithm’,3 ‘High-Load Strengthening Exercise Is Effective in Patients with Hypermobile Shoulders’,4 and ‘Effectiveness of Prescribing a Large Additional Dosage of Shoulder Muscle Strengthening Exercise in the Non-Operative Care for Subacromial Impingement (SExSI-Trial)’.5 All these studies were first presented at Sportskongres before being published in global high-impact sports medicine journals. In this way, Sportskongres has established itself as an essential venue for anyone interested in the latest advancements in sports medicine research. The Scandinavian Sports Medicine Congress collaborates with all the major sports science, medicine and physiotherapy journals and their editors for the abstract evaluation and the judging of the oral competition, which for the 2025 congress involve American Journal of Sports Medicine, British Journal of Sports Medicine, BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine (BOSEM), International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Translational Sports Medicine.
The Scandinavian tradition of science and medicine in sports
The Scandinavian tradition embraces a comprehensive view of sports medicine that employs a translational approach, encompassing everything from basic to clinical science, in exercise and sports science. This includes various specialties within medicine, physical therapy, rehabilitation, physiology, psychology and more. The scientific committee, consisting of members representing the Scandinavian countries, has organised an impressive programme for the 2025 Scandinavian Sports Medicine Congress! Various aspects of sports medicine will be covered, including small joints, large joints, tendons, muscles and fascia, approached from multiple perspectives. Topics such as brain and cardiac health, exercise during cancer treatment, weight management, adjunct rehabilitation and exercise and weight loss prescribed by healthcare professionals will also be covered. This year’s edition will address essential yet often overlooked areas, including the health of para-athletes and female athletes. Sports medicine case studies will also be presented, making the Sportskongres relevant to a wide audience. We are excited to introduce two exceptional keynote speakers: Professor Stephen Seiler from Norway and Professor Brad Schoenfeld from the USA. Both are world-renowned experts in training physiology, and we are sure they will provide valuable knowledge and insights into exercise physiology and medicine, making their presentations engaging and informative for all participants.
Adding a digital touch to engage with clinicians and researchers worldwide
Additionally, we are pleased to announce the introduction of a digital format for the congress experience. This year, the Scandinavian Sports Medicine Congress will feature live streaming from two parallel sessions using three cameras and on-site live production for the first time. This new option aims to help researchers and practitioners from low-income countries access the latest knowledge in sports medicine, as well as provide an alternative for those unable to attend the conference in person. Physical attendees will have the opportunity to purchase recordings of missed sessions or revisit sessions via video on demand (VOD) for 60 days. Digital attendees will receive a unique code for accessing live sessions and VOD. The organisers view this initiative as an investment in the future. If it generates financial profit over time, those funds will be reinvested in future congresses to further enhance scientific quality and the overall experience.
We are with BOSEM
Importantly, the Scandinavian Sports Medicine Congress has always committed to diversity, with a clear action plan for gender equality, aiming for a 50/50 distribution at all levels, from committees to speakers.1 6 This goal involves ongoing efforts and aligns with the vision shared by our close journal collaborator, BOSEM.7 As we prepare for 2025, we reflect on the considerable progress made over the past decade. The Scandinavian Sports Medicine Congress has developed into a platform for international collaboration in sports medicine, fostering scientific excellence, diversity and inclusivity. We eagerly anticipate welcoming participants from around the world to engage in meaningful discussions and contribute to the advancement of sports medicine.
Footnotes
Funding: The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Patient consent for publication: Not applicable.
Ethics approval: Not applicable.
Provenance and peer review: Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.
References
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