EVMC research awarded top prize at sports medicine conference

An abstract of a research study on horse rehabilitation, led by Dr Florent David, head of the Surgery and Sports Medicine Service at Qatar Foundation's (QF) Equine Veterinary Medical Centre (EVMC) has won first place at the 2021 annual American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation conference. As part of the rehabilitation study, the EVMC team conducted an underwater analysis of the fore- and hindlimbs during straight-line free swimming in eleven elite endurance horses. The results will allow for the establishment of tailored rehabilitation protocols, with the aim of improving rehabilitation results and times. Dr David said: “I am extremely proud of our team – to receive this level of recognition is more than what we could have expected. It is the first time a research project has been entirely conducted at EVMC, and has been able to take advantage of some of the great resources and facilities Al Shaqab, a member of Qatar Foundation, has to offer, such as a long swimming pool and endurance horses. This award means a lot – and it truly highlights how Qatar Foundation has rapidly arrived at the forefront of the equine veterinary scene.”Dr Florent David and his EVMC co-authors included Dr Tatiana Vinardell and Sarah Johnson, as well as Dr Silvio Filho from Al Shaqab Endurance department, and Dr Emma Santosuosso, Dr Perse McCrae, Shannon Massie, Cambell Rolian and Prof Renaud Leguillette from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.Dr David added: “Reaching this quality of research could not have been possible without a fruitful research partnership with the veterinary faculty from the University of Calgary, Canada, and the collaboration of Dr Renaud Leguillette, co-principal investigator on this project with me. Renaud brought with him a team of highly motivated and skilled young researchers, perfectly complementing our research team.”EVMC has been active in recent years in seeking out research and educational collaborations. Conducting innovative research with established institutes such as the University of Calgary has facilitated its progress towards cutting edge research in line with Qatar Foundation’s mission and vision.Dr Leguillette, said: "The results of this research will benefit horses not only in Qatar but all over the world. It was a great experience for the graduate students who were involved in this project to come and visit Qatar, study its horse heritage, and learn about swimming research, data analysis, and the scientific publication process.”