Faculty: Teresa Schuemann

Session Details:

Teresa will kick things off by welcoming everyone and preparing them for an incredible day of virtual learning!

Faculty: Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Katie Lucas

Faculty: Katie Lucas, Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Heidi Edwards

Session Details:

Sideline and on-the-field management of acute injury/illness in the para athlete adds a layer of consideration in rendering care. The para athlete’s acute condition may stem from, or be complicated by, their disability/diagnosis. This session reviews acute management of sudden cardiac arrest, autonomic dysreflexia, and concussion screening. Screening and management is grounded upon the principles of primary and secondary assessment of acute injuries/illnesses.  

Faculty: Heidi Edwards, Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Casi Weyer

Session Details:

Medical coverage for community-based adaptive sporting events combines event planning, sports medicine, and rehabilitation medicine into a single planning challenge. This presentation walks through the planning process for the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) Endeavor Games — a four-day, fifteen-sport, multi-venue competition that includes novice to elite athletes from multiple states. This presentation will cover everything from medical team composition and scheduling to supplies, weather considerations, and emergency action planning. It also addresses clinical conditions that distinguish this athlete population and injury patterns specific to this population that influence medical coverage and event planning. The goal is to leave clinicians with a practical framework they can apply to medical planning for adaptive events in their own community. 

Faculty: Casi Weyer, Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Jasmine Reynolds

Session Details:

This presentation will explore the clinical management of para-athletes using a case-based approach focused on sports physical therapy and rehabilitation. Attendees will review key considerations in the evaluation and treatment of adaptive athletes including equipment considerations, injury patterns, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Utilizing case-based approach, participants will gain insight into evidence-based management strategies for para-athletes.  

Faculty: Jasmine Reynolds, Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Kory Zimney

Session Details:

The presentation Pain Science Education for the Para-Athlete provides an overview of modern pain science and its application to para-athletes, emphasizing that pain is a complex, multidimensional experience influenced by neurological, psychological, and contextual factors rather than solely tissue damage. It highlights differences in pain processing among athletes, particularly para-athletes, who may have unique risks for nociceptive, neuropathic, and nociplastic pain due to underlying impairments, injury patterns, and psychosocial influences. The presentation underscores the value of Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) as an evidence-based strategy to improve pain, disability, and performance outcomes when integrated with rehabilitation. Finally, it outlines practical considerations for adapting PNE to para-athletes, stressing early education, validation of lived experience, and interdisciplinary approaches to optimize recovery and long-term health. 

Faculty: Kory Zimney, Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Katie Lullo

Session Details:

Effective care of adaptive athletes requires an understanding of the unique physical, environmental, and health-related demands that influence sport participation. This session will examine injury and illness trends in adaptive sport, sports and daily life demands, and the role of health literacy in diverse adaptive athlete populations. This presentation reviews practical approaches to assessment, risk reduction, and injury prevention to better support athlete health and performance. 

Faculty: Katie Lullo, Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Teresa Schuemann

Session Details:

This session provides an overview of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) with a focus on para athletes, highlighting how low energy availability impacts multiple physiological systems, health, and performance. It emphasizes unique risk factors, diagnostic challenges, and higher prevalence in para sport, while outlining evidence-based screening, risk stratification, and multidisciplinary prevention and management strategies. 

Faculty: Teresa Schuemann, Heidi Edwards

Faculty: Heidi Edwards, Teresa Schuemann

Session Details:

This session reviews the mechanisms, epidemiology, and clinical presentation of sport-related concussions in adaptive sports, highlighting sport-specific risks and the unique challenges associated with evaluating athletes with pre-existing disabilities. It emphasizes the need for modified assessment strategies, recognition of red flags, and evidence-based management and return-to-sport protocols tailored to para athletes. 

Faculty: Heidi Edwards, Teresa Schuemann

Faculty: Macey Hickox, Teresa Schuemann

Session Details:

This presentation will explore evidence-based nutrition and ergogenic aid considerations relevant to adaptive and para-athletes. Discussion will include nutrient timing, fueling strategies for upper-extremity endurance sports, para-specific physiologic considerations, sleep hygiene, and current evidence surrounding supplements such as caffeine and creatine. Practical applications for rehabilitation and sports medicine professionals will be emphasized, including individualized nutrition support, recovery considerations, and supplement safety. The session will also address current gaps in para-athlete nutrition research and implications for clinical practice.

Faculty: Macey Hickox, Teresa Schuemann