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CASEM Para & Adaptive Sport Medicine Conference 2026

Rogers Centre Ottawa, 55 Colonel By Drive

September 08

This year the IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships takes place in our nation’s capital, Ottawa, where athletes with disabilities will be participating from around the world. As with all types of athletes, sports injuries are common among athletes with disabilities. Athletes with disabilities are predisposed to medical conditions and have a higher prevalence than that of a nondisabled individual. Understanding these conditions are vital to the proper prevention, care, and return to activity for these athletes. The goal of the course is to prepare physicians to provide medical care to athletes with physical impairments.

This one day course is led by Canadian sport medicine leaders in the para & adaptive sport medicine world. Planning committee chair, Dr. Lindsay Bradley, has worked with a number of national para-sport teams and has led medical teams at Paralympic Games throughout her career.

Schedule

Please note that 25% of the presentations will be dedicated to a Q&A session, which will immediately follow the presentation.

7:30 am – Continental Breakfast available

8:15 – 8:20 am – Welcome and Introductions

8:20 – 9:00 am – Athlete Experience / Keynote Lecture

9:00 – 10:00 am – Concurrent Workshops (The two workshops are repeated and delegates will rotate through the workshops)

Session 1: Examination of an Athlete with Spinal Cord Injury
Session 2: Emergency Situations

10:00 – 10:30 am – Morning Break

10:30 – 11:30 am – Workshops Repeated

11:30 – 11:50 am – Wheelchair Hand Trauma

11:50 – 12:10 pm – Top 5 Common Injuries

12:10 – 12:30 pm – Post Competition Complications for the Para Athlete

12:30 – 1:30 pm – LUNCH BREAK

1:30 – 2:15 pm – Classification – Tricky Cases

2:15 – 3:00 pm – Training Modifications for Para Athlete

3:00 – 3:15 pm – Afternoon Break

3:15 – 3:45 pm – Lessons Learned from the Field

3:45 – 4:15 pm – Return to Play Panel

4:15-4:20pm – Closing Remarks and Final Questions

Overall Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Recognize and assess the unique medical, functional, and sport-specific considerations affecting athletes with physical impairments, including spinal cord injury and other common disability classifications.
Apply evidence-informed strategies for the prevention, acute management, rehabilitation, and return-to-sport of injuries and medical conditions commonly encountered in para and adaptive athletes.
Integrate principles of classification, training modification, emergency preparedness, and interdisciplinary care into the delivery of safe, athlete-centered medical support for para sport

Athlete Experience / Keynote Lecture

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Describe the lived experiences of para athletes navigating training, competition, and healthcare systems.
Identify barriers and facilitators to athlete-centered care in para sport environments.
Incorporate athlete perspectives into clinical decision-making and communication strategies.

Workshop: Examination of an Athlete with Spinal Cord Injury

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Perform a structured clinical assessment of an athlete with spinal cord injury.
Recognize common secondary medical conditions that may influence examination findings and sport participation.
Adapt physical examination techniques to accommodate varying levels of neurological impairment.

Workshop: Emergency Situations

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Recognize emergency medical situations commonly encountered in para sport settings.
Initiate appropriate acute management strategies for medical emergencies occurring during training or competition.
Implement emergency action plans that account for athlete impairments and equipment requirements.

Wheelchair Hand Trauma

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Identify common acute and overuse hand injuries affecting wheelchair athletes.
Differentiate injuries requiring immediate intervention from those suitable for conservative management.
Develop treatment plans that minimize disruption to training and competition participation.

Top 5 Common Injuries

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Recognize the most frequently encountered injuries in para athletes.
Describe mechanisms of injury unique to para sport participation.
Apply evidence-informed prevention and management strategies for common para sport injuries.

Post Competition Complications for the Para Athlete

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Identify common medical complications experienced by para athletes following training and competition.
Recognize athletes at increased risk of post-competition complications based on impairment type and sport demands.
Develop monitoring and recovery strategies to support safe return to training.

Classification: Tricky Cases

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Describe the role of classification in para sport participation and competition.
Analyze complex classification scenarios involving medical interventions such as botulinum toxin injections.
Apply classification principles when advising athletes regarding treatment decisions and competition eligibility.

Training Modifications for Para Athlete

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Identify factors requiring modification of training programs in para athletes.
Develop individualized training recommendations based on impairment type and sport demands.
Collaborate with coaches and integrated support teams to optimize athlete health and performance.

Lessons Learned from the Field

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Describe practical challenges encountered during medical coverage of para sport events.
Evaluate solutions and best practices developed through real-world clinical experience.
Apply lessons learned to improve future event planning and athlete care.

Return to Play Panel

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Integrate medical, functional, and sport-specific factors into return-to-play decision-making for para athletes.
Analyze complex return-to-sport scenarios using risk stratification principles.
Communicate return-to-play recommendations effectively with athletes, coaches, and members of the integrated support team.

Scientific Planning Committee

Dr. Lindsay Bradley (Chair)

Dr. Bradley is the team physician for the National Women’s and Men’s Goalball teams Para Hockey Teams, the Carleton University Varsity Women’s Rugby and Basketball teams and is on the medical staff for the Ottawa 67s, Ottawa Redblacks and Ottawa Fury.

Dr. Bradley has covered many local, provincial, national and international sporting competitions including the Paralympics, Para PanAm Games and has travelled with Hockey Canada, Rugby Canada and Canada Soccer. She is currently the OUA representative on the USPORTS Sport Medicine and Research Science Committee as well as the Past Chair of the Ontario Medical Association’s Section on Sport and Exercise Medicine. She is chair of the Para and Adaptive Physical Activity committee at the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM).

Dr. Bradley is interested in teaching and research and is involved in both of these endeavours as an assistant professor with the University of Ottawa Department of Family Medicine and adjunct professor with the Health Sciences Department at Carleton University. She is the Program Director for the Sport and Exercise Medicine Fellowship at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Bradley has a particular interest in the mental health of athletes at the varsity and National level and was part of the expert group that created the Mental Health Strategy for High Performance Sport in Canada.

Dr. Erika Persson (CASEM CPD Chair)