26 February 2025 – The Podium Institute for Sports Medicine and Technology at the University of Oxford and Podium Analytics celebrated Podia Day, a gathering that underscored the progress being made in various research fields related to reducing injury in sport.

Building on the success of last year's event, this year’s proceedings were marked by a focus on exertion and return to activity, musculoskeletal health, women's health, head injury, neurocognitive tests, biomarkers, mental health, computer vision, helmets and personal protective equipment (PPE) – all vital areas that contribute to enhancing athlete and player injury prevention.

The day began with an introduction from the Institute’s Director, Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng FMedSci. He set the stage for the presentations that followed, during which over 40 esteemed academics showcased research projects currently in development as well as updates on current projects. These projects exemplify innovative approaches to sports medicine and technology, emphasising the importance of solutions to common injuries faced by athletes.

There were key areas of discussion on musculoskeletal injury prevention, scaling up and democratising research for women’s youth and grassroots sport and translating research into policy and delivering impact. The collaboration between the research teams continues to push the boundaries of understanding in these critical areas.

Professor Coussios commented: “Today exemplified how we have been striving to establish  the basic research and technological development taking place at The Podium Institute at Oxford, and applied research led by Podium Analytics, to ensure timely and impactful deployment of cutting-edge advances for sport safety and athlete wellbeing across the women’s, youth, grassroots and professional sport.” 

Podium Analytics also took the opportunity to reflect on its achievements over the past five years and the collaborative spirit that has defined its journey. The synergy between the two organisations was evident throughout the day, revealing shared ambitions and the collective drive to accelerate research in injury prevention. Andy Hunt, CEO, Podium Analytics, remarked on the importance of these gatherings, stating, “Today was a testament to our vision of unity and collaboration. The passion we all share for promoting more sport and less injury was palpable, and it’s this camaraderie that fuels our efforts to push the boundaries of what is possible in sport.”

It was Podium Analytics’ new Director of Research, Dr. Carly McKay’s first Podia Day and she added her thoughts: “Joining the dots between research at The Podium Institute and Podium Analytics is essential for our future strategy. It not only enhances our understanding but also leads to far greater impact in the prevention of injury in sport."