For the first time ever, the WFH International Musculoskeletal (MSK) Congress—which took place from May 3 to 7, 2021—was held virtually. The event brought together a record 640 participants from over 80 countries. Orthopedic surgeons, physiotherapists, hematologists, nurses, psychologists, social workers, researchers, patients and other specialists all took part in a robust program that offered a mix of educational sessions, interactive workshops, industry symposia, free papers, ask-the-experts sessions, and a virtual poster gallery featuring authors from around the world.
This year’s Congress was unlike any other in many ways. The program featured multiple start times, making it easier for attendees in different time zones to participate. The Congress also included four distinct interactive workshops, each with three different time options to choose from. Attendees also enjoyed another first: live interpretation in Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish.
The 17th WFH International MSK Congress opened with welcome remarks from WFH President, Cesar Garrido; WFH Vice-President, Medical, Glenn Pierce, MD, PhD; and WFH Musculoskeletal Committee Chair, Gianluigi Pasta, MD. The remarks included a heartfelt tribute to Axel Seuser, MD, who passed away suddenly last year.
The scientific sessions covered a number of important developments in the musculoskeletal field. A talk on scoring systems looked at—for the first time at an MSK Congress—the most used assessment tools for a patient with a bleeding disorder. Each tool—MRI, ultrasound, 3D motion analysis, and X-ray—was compared and measured. “Pre and Post Surgery” looked at the important role of each member of the musculoskeletal team: the physiotherapist, the orthopedic surgeon, and most importantly, the patient.
Two educational sessions were dedicated entirely to orthopedic surgeons and physiotherapists. “Replacement surgery: tips and tricks” focused on specific joints and was presented by leading specialists on the elbow, knee, and ankle. A session on physiotherapy looked at options specialists can consider before moving to surgery, such as manual therapy, electrotherapy, pain management, and other inexpensive tools and techniques.
The final educational session of the week looked at the future of musculoskeletal care in patients with hemophilia. That talk explored how wearable technology, telehealth, regenerative medicine, and the role of the orthopedic surgeon in the musculoskeletal team will make an extraordinary difference to the future of the patient with hemophilia.
For the first time in an MSK Congress, attendees had the chance to participate in a series of interactive workshops centered around four key musculoskeletal topics: clinical assessment, ultrasound, manual therapy and clinical cases. Hosted by expert leads and moderators, each workshop was presented at three different times throughout the day to accommodate participants in different time zones.
If you weren’t able to attend the 17th WFH International Musculoskeletal (MSK) Congress, there is still time to see what you missed! Content from the Congress will remain online until June 18, 2021. Register today to view all of our educational content, sign up for our workshops, earn your CME credits, and browse our abstracts and poster gallery. Our plenary, educational, WFH session, and free paper sessions are also available in Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish.
For more information on the 17th WFH International Musculoskeletal (MSK) Congress, please click here.