NUHS Florida students and faculty participated in the annual American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Sports Council Symposium Oct. 18-19 in Miami. This year’s theme was “integration and application: the team approach to prevention, performance and recovery.”

The event featured various expert speakers in sports chiropractic including NUHS-Florida faculty Drs. Robert Arnold and Carlo Guadagno, who teamed up to discuss interdisciplinary management of concussion and post-concussion syndrome.

NUHS-Florida faculty Dr. Carlo Guadagno presents research on concussions during the ACA Sports Council Symposium.

“My interest in this topic has always been high since it is a condition we must be ever so vigilant for when covering any sports events as a sideline sports chiropractor,” Dr. Guadagno said. “It has been popularized even more in the media since the movie “Concussion” was released in 2015.”

In the movie, Will Smith plays Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist who proposed the correlation between repetitive concussions and the brain degeneration in football players. The effect of tackle football on youth is also being vigorously discussed, Guadagno added.

In addition to expert presentations, the symposium included student presenters as well. As part of the 10th annual Dr. Tom Hyde Poster Presentation, a student research competition, NUHS-Florida chiropractic student Tom Marciano won second place overall for his presentation about tai-chi and qi gong as a treatment for sports-related concussions. The top five winners were chosen based upon votes.

NUHS-Florida faculty Dr. Carlo Guadagno poses with NUHS-Florida chiropractic student Tom Marciano who won second place overall in a student research competition.

Last year NUHS-Florida chiropractic student Addison Ozakyol was the second NUHS-Florida student to ever present as well as the first to win the presentation competition. “Over the last year I really pushed an interest and we grew our presence to nine students and another presenter [this year],” he said.

NUHS-Florida faculty Drs. Rober Arnold and Carlo Guadagno take a photo with NUHS-Florida chiropractic student Addison Ozakyol.

During the conference, Ozakyol was voted onto the ACA Sports Council Student Executive Board as second vice president. In the role, he will help with coordinating next year’s symposium. He’ll also be developing the student networking events and working as the primary contact for meeting with sports physicians and vendors.

“Since coming to NUHS-Florida and starting to become active in the field of sports chiropractic I have truly found my passion and cannot wait to become a part of the organization,” Ozakyol said. “I want to build interest in sports chiropractic on campus and on a national level and bring opportunities to all students with a passion for the field.”

Next year’s symposium is scheduled in Long Beach, California. Students are encouraged to apply to the student research competition on topics they are passionate about. Each school is allowed to select up to five representatives with one presentation each.

For more information visit the ACA Chiropractic Sports Council website.