“Sports injury is getting harder to ignore, demonstrated by the current ongoing global conversation around concussion, cumulative mild traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases. I am especially proud of the role that the Podium team and The Podium Institute continues to play in progressing the understanding of this complex issue and, in collaboration with Government and Sports Governing Bodies, helping to define solutions to address it.”

Podium Analytics publishes its latest Annual Report from 2022–2023, and highlights key achievements made as the team continues to strive for more sport and less injury.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OUTLINED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDE:

• The Podium Institute for Sports Medicine and Technology at the University of Oxford made significant progress in an extensive, DCMS-endorsed project to produce the first nationwide report quantifying the incidence and economic burden of sport-related concussion across the UK. Findings to be released across 2024.
• Planning of future research at The Podium Institute has progressed, in particular in the development of pioneering multimodal head injury studies, with an early feasibility study with Rugby Union.
  Professor Dame Sarah Springman DBE FREng was appointed as the Independent Chair of the Institute Steering Committee
• The SportSmart Head Injury Tool, with a unique traffic-lighting system, was launched in September 2022. The app was further developed in line with the new UK Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport and has been selected by Government-appointed experts for a two-year project to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of the new UK Guidelines.
• The SportSmart Hub was launched – a new educational platform developed to help schools and clubs deliver safer sport. A free resource open to all, the Hub provides important insights and educational resources covering key sport-health topics.
• We commenced a two-year Growth Spurt project with the University of Bath with the aim of bringing proven processes and protocols that exist in elite pathways into the school and grassroots sports environment. 
  Our Mental Health Strategy was published, and considerable headway has been made in the definition and delivery of our first mental health and psychological wellbeing projects.
• We convened initial meetings with our Research Strategy Advisory Board (RSAB), establishing four expert working groups consisting of Chief Medical Officers and equivalent roles from major sporting bodies, professional leagues and top medical and educational institutions. The RSAB provides valuable and independent insight and input into the research strategy and programmes undertaken by Podium.
• We continued to establish strong partnerships and collaborations across sport, most recently partnering with the Lawn Tennis Association, the Royal Ballet School and British Judo, and are in advanced collaboration discussions with other National and International Sports Bodies.
• Pinsent Masons joined as our official Legal Partner, bringing a wealth of market-leading expertise relating to all aspects of sport.
  We officially welcomed Tim Henman OBE, Amy Williams MBE and Steven McRae as Ambassadors.
• Our team has continued to grow, building out capabilities and expertise in fundraising and development, marketing and communications, technology, and security, and legal and governance.

“With 10,000 adults injured each day, investment into sports injury prevention is an investment into participation. Our focus on sports injury stems from a belief in the value of participation, and I am immensely proud of the work we are doing to shine a light on the issue of sports injury. If you believe in the power of sports participation and want to see a reduction in sports injuries that keep players away from the sports and activities they love, please get in touch!”