New National Mental Health Coalition Seeks Equitable Access to Depression Medications
'An employment lottery should not be the basis for treating the most significant public health issue of the 21st century'
OTTAWA, May 3, 2017 /CNW/ - During CMHA's Mental Health Week, Canadians are being asked to 'get loud' for mental health. It's all part of this year's Sick of Waiting: Get Loud for Mental Health campaign. A newly formed group of mental health professionals and leaders, advocates, doctors, academics and people with lived experience is lending its voice to the campaign — and calling for changes to Canada's public drug plan system that prevents many Canadians from getting the treatment they need to get better.
The Canadians for Equitable Access to Depression Medication (CEADM) coalition — led by three of Canada's strongest advocates for mental wellness, Phil Upshall, National Executive Director of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada; Dr. Patrick Smith, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association; and Jeff Moat, President of Partners for Mental Health — states that under the current system, Canada's most vulnerable — the marginalized, the unemployed, veterans, seniors, single parents, Indigenous peoples — are unable to access the latest medications that could help them get better.
In forming the coalition, CEADM intends to:
- create awareness and recognition among policy-makers about the complexity of major depressive disorder and the effects of depression on Canadians' overall health;
- highlight the inequity issue for many Canadians who rely on what is a broken public drug plan approval system; and
- make better depression care a priority among policy-makers.
Improving the system will go a long way to treating what is the most significant public health issue of the 21st century.
"Canadians who live with mental illness already face the barrier of stigma as well as being debilitated by this disease," says Mr. Upshall. "But in Canada, people who rely on the provincial and territorial public drug plans either can't get access to or face considerable delays in accessing the latest medicines to treat their illness. Contrast this to people with private plans, where access to innovative medicines is far more efficient and timely."
Dr. Smith points out that this federal government has taken a bold leadership stand for mental health. Federal Minister of Health Jane Philpott has remarked on the importance of improving accessibility to pharmaceuticals for Canadians and investing more into mental health treatment. Through her leadership and that of her fellow ministers, we are beginning to see real action taken to transform Canada's response to mental health. "Yet, despite open conversations and thoughtful discourse, despite public policy strategies and emerging philanthropic interest in mental health, people who are living with mental illness still struggle to get the care and supports they need, with ease and without prejudice," Dr. Smith adds.
Compared to other OECD countries, Canada can do better, says Laureen MacNeil, CEADM's Alberta Regional Co-Chair and Executive Director, CMHA Calgary Region: "Access to new medicines in Canada's public drug plans is lagging when compared to access in private sector drug plans, and when compared to public drug plans in other countries."
First responders like Ron Campbell, a retired RCMP officer from Alberta who has dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression, and is a member of the national coalition, appreciates the fact that his private drug plan enabled him to get the support and therapy he needed. "I'm one of the lucky ones whose private drug plan covered some of these innovative new medicines. But there are so many Canadians who aren't as fortunate as I. Access to the right medicines shouldn't be an issue for anyone. It isn't right."
The one in five Canadians who experience mental illness and the $51 billion-a-year-cost to the Canadian economy underscore the scale of the problem.
"Depression is a significant public health issue, and it's getting more problematic," says Ann Marie MacDonald, CEADM's Ontario Regional Co-Chair and Executive Director of the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario. "One in five Canadians is affected by mental illness and about 4,000 die by suicide every year. Sadly, suicide is a leading cause of death among our young people. Yet, despite the magnitude of the problem, government investment in mental health care is modest at best."
CEADM's call for change to the public drug plan system is both an equity issue and a moral issue.
"It is time for Canada to change the way we support people with mental health problems or illness. Access to treatment should not be limited to those select few with employment benefits," adds Mr. Moat. "Changing the process that recommends drugs for reimbursement by provincial and territorial public drug plans to allow all Canadians access to the latest and best drugs to treat this complex illness is the right thing to do."
Backgrounder - Canadians for Equitable Access to Depression Medication (CEADM)
In an unprecedented move, mental health professionals and leaders, advocates, doctors, academics and people with lived experience from across the country have joined together to form a coalition to ensure equitable and sustainable access for all Canadians suffering with depression.
Through Canadians for Equitable Access to Depression Medication (CEADM), these coalition members are speaking with a common voice on behalf of Canadians who need equitable access to medication to treat their depression, regardless of their income, education or access to employment benefits.
CEADM's objectives are to:
- create awareness among policy-makers about the complexity of major depressive disorder and the effects of depression on Canadians' overall health;
- highlight the inequity/fairness issue for many Canadians who rely on a public drug plan approval system that requires fixing; and
- make depression care a priority among policy-makers.
The Issue Around Inequity and the Public Drug Plan System
At the heart of the problem, preventing vulnerable Canadians from accessing the latest medicines, are three related issues.
Number 1: Depression is complex, with 227 different combinations of symptoms. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to treatment. A wide choice of therapy is critical to be able to find the best option for individual patients when it comes to treating mental illness — one that addresses not only mood but also changes in sleep patterns and appetite, as well as cognition.
Number 2: Canadians who depend on public drug coverage because of a lack of income, education or access to employment benefits are limited to a range of drugs that are available to treat depression. Currently, public drug plans only cover medications that were developed to address mood symptoms However, as we learn and understand more about depression, it is clear that a broader range of choice of medications brings with it a greater probability of success. Unfortunately, that broader range of choice of medications is not available to those on public drug plans.
Number 3: Despite the fact that innovative medications have been approved as safe and effective treatments by Health Canada, a complex multi-stage review process is preventing these medications from being approved for public drug plan coverage.
Under the current system, new drugs are submitted to a health technology assessment (HTA) agency for evaluation. While it is not the only element that is evaluated, the cost of a medication does play a significant role in the decision-making process, even though HTA evaluations are meant to be evidence-based, where clinical effectiveness and safety are also considered. The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) then releases its final recommendations to the federal and provincial/territorial governments.
Of the 21 new mental health drug submissions filed to the CADTH between 2004 and 2015:
- 76.2% were given negative recommendations for public drug plan coverage.
- 100% of the submissions for major depressive disorder received a negative recommendation — not listed for reimbursement — while of the 134 non-mental health drug submissions, 65 (48.5%) received a negative recommendation.
- The review process was considerably lengthier, at 242 days on average for mental health drugs compared to 192 days for non-mental health drugs.
- It is estimated that the direct costs of new mental health drugs on provincial, territorial and the federal Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) public drug plans represents less than 1 percent of the more than $54 billion in societal costs associated with the economic burden of mental illness in Canada.
Furthermore:
- Public drug plan spending on the direct costs of new mental health drugs was less than 1% of the more than $54.6 billion associated with the total economic burden of mental illness in Canada for 205.
Members of Canadians for Equitable Access to Depression Medication to date:
Phil Upshall, National Leadership Team, Mood Disorders Society of Canada
Dr. Patrick Smith, National Leadership Team, Canadian Mental Health Association
Jeff Moat, National Leadership Team, Partners for Mental Health
Ann Marie MacDonald, Regional Ontario Co-Chair; Mood Disorders Association of Ontario
Michael Landsberg, Regional Ontario Co-Chair; #SickNotWeak
Laureen MacNeil, Regional Alberta Co-Chair; Canadian Mental Health Association, Calgary
Ron Campbell, Regional Alberta Co-Chair; person with lived experience
Dave Grauwiler, Canadian Mental Health Association, Alberta
Camille Quenneville, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
Dr. Sid Kennedy, University Health Network
Pratap Chokka, Chokka Centre for Integrative Health
Bill Gaudette, formerly CMHA, Past Member, Provincial Mental Health Board (Alberta)
Brianne Moore, person with lived experience, Ontario
Jean-François Claude, person with lived experience, Ontario
SOURCE Coalition for Equitable Access to Depression Medication
Physician leadership needed to transform health care
CSPL white paper calls for changes to increase physician involvement
Effective reform of the Canadian health care system cannot occur without the involvement and leadership of physicians.
That's the main conclusion of "Accepting our responsibility: a blueprint for physician leadership in transforming Canada's health care system", a white paper prepared by the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders (CSPL).
The document outlines actions that must be undertaken by individual physicians, the medical profession as a whole, health care organizations, and governments to bolster the role of physicians as leaders to help change the system.
"The current framework for creating and supporting physician leaders in Canada today is disorganized, episodic, and limited in scope," said CSPL past-president and study co-author, Dr. Johny Van Aerde.
"While there are examples of physicians being meaningfully involved in helping shape health care transformation and innovation in Canada, these examples are limited," said Dr. Van Aerde, who is also clinical professor of pediatrics at the universities of British Columbia and Alberta.
Findings in the paper are based in part on the first-ever survey of physician leaders in Canada conducted by the CSPL, in partnership with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Centre for Health Innovation at the University of Manitoba.
Among the findings from the survey of 689 physician leaders:
- Many physicians take on a leadership role with no compensation or only a minimal stipend
- Only 54% of physicians in formal leadership roles are compensated for pursuing leadership training or education
- Only 39% said they were involved in innovative projects in their organization
"Organizational policies often exclude physicians from meaningful leadership roles, but the culture of medicine must change to acknowledge the responsibility of physicians to the system as a whole," said Dr. Van Aerde.
The white paper contains a number of recommendations to enhance physician leadership and improve physician participation in health care reforms, including the following:
What physicians should do
- Explore and challenge their personal mental models and the world views that restrict them from engaging in the health care system and realizing their potential as leaders.
- Be willing personally to participate in and champion efforts by colleagues to understand the reform agenda within their provincial health care system and the implications for their own area of responsibility.
- Take steps to negotiate appropriate working conditions for physicians in a reformed health care system.
What health care service organizations should do
- Make changes in organizational structure and design, jointly advocated by the organization and physician representatives, to alter policies and practices toward involving physicians in informal and formal leadership roles.
- Use informal and formal communications approaches to ensure that physicians are aware of organizational issues and priorities and are able to respond and provide feedback on such issues.
What provinces and medical associations should do
- Initiate negotiations to formalize and support regional and organizational efforts to realize effective physician leadership and engagement.
- Work with universities and health research agencies, both provincially and nationally, to identify best practices; either conduct or gather research on the impact of various models of physician leadership and engagement; and share that knowledge widely with potential partners.
- Provide financial support for physician leadership development and remuneration for physicians in leadership roles.
What Canada should do
- The Government of Canada and Health Canada are encouraged to endorse the recommendations of the Advisory Panel on Healthcare Innovation and, in the spirit of human resource development, instill in the national innovation hub strong support for physician leadership development and engagement.
- The Canadian Medical Association should develop a policy statement that recognizes the importance of physician leadership in health care reform and, through its subsidiary, Joule, reform and expand its existing efforts to increase physician leadership.
- The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, provincial colleges, and medical schools across the country should expand their efforts to embed leadership development in formal medical education and professional development.
"This paper is the first step toward improved physician engagement and leadership in the Canadian health care system," said Dr. Becky Temple, president-elect of the CSPL. "We are asking all stakeholders to initiate a dialogue and take action to support physician engagement and leadership in the context of their own organization or setting."
"The thoughtful and encompassing white paper from the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders is a valuable document, showing the way to the overdue health care reform urgently required in Canada. The paper acknowledges the essential leadership of physicians in health system design and management at all levels, while also focusing on the required collaborative approach to system improvement. Only by working in partnership with all stakeholders in the health care system may we expect to develop sustainable and high quality care," said Canadian Medical Association president Dr. Granger Avery.
"The document acknowledges the important step taken by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in changing its basic framework for medical education (CanMEDS 2015) to acknowledge the role of physician as 'leader'," said Dr. Andrew Padmos, president and CEO of the Royal College. "We agree with the CSPL that every physician is a leader and leaders can and should be found at all levels."
"Family physicians can be leaders, both in their local communities and at the national level," said Dr. Francine Lemire, executive director and CEO of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. "This white paper provides the rationale for all family physicians to consider taking leadership roles."
About the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders (CSPL)
The Canadian Society of Physicians Leaders is the "go to" organization for physician leaders. Since 1998, it has been providing support and development opportunities for Canadian physicians to help them succeed in their leadership and management roles in health care. The CSPL, with Joule (a CMA company), hosts the only annual meeting in Canada dedicated specifically to physician leadership.
SOURCE Canadian Society of Physician Leaders
Is 3D Mammography more effective in detecting breast cancer?
The Ottawa Hospital Breast Health Centre and Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre collaborate on clinical trial for breast cancer screening with digital breast tomosynthesis
Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital Breast Health Centre and the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (OICC) have opened the Ottawa site of the Lead-In to the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST). The Breast Health Centre is one of three clinical trial sites to launch the Lead-In in Canada. It is expected that shortly this trial will be integrated into a larger U.S./Canada TMIST, managed by the ECOG-ACRIN Cooperative Clinical Trials Group.
TMIST is the first large randomized, multi-centre study to assess whether a novel "3D" digital tomosynthesis technology combined with 2D digital mammography may be more effective at reducing the incidence of advanced breast cancers than conventional 2D mammography alone. Previous smaller studies suggest that this new kind of mammography can increase breast cancer detection and reduce the rate of false positives and recalls for women who do not have cancer. If successful, implementation of this technology would provide greater assurance of an effective test, reduce patient stress and anxiety, and ultimately reduce costs to the health-care system. The current Lead-In study aims to enroll 6,300 women in Canada, including 2,000 from Ottawa. Women attending mammographic screening at the Breast Health Centre may be approached to participate.
Digital breast tomosynthesis uses multiple low-dose images of the breast that are layered into a pseudo 3D view instead of the traditional 2D views. As information is not superimposed, tomosynthesis creates a richer and clearer image that may help avoid missing cancers that may be hidden in surrounding breast tissue.
"Tomosynthesis is the most advanced and exciting technology for mammography," said Dr. Jean Seely, Head of Breast Imaging at the Breast Health Centre, associate professor at the University of Ottawa and lead investigator of TMIST Lead-In in Ottawa. "When the full study begins, it will be the largest and most important study to evaluate both 3D and 2D mammography technology together. Outcomes of the study will allow us to decide how we move forward from 2D to 3D screening. Our goal is to improve on ways to detect important cancers as early as possible in order to save lives."
"We are pleased to collaborate and help fund this critical trial," said Dugald Seely, naturopathic doctor, Executive Director of the OICC, and co-investigator of TMIST in Ottawa. "Imaging and mammography are stressful events. The OICC is committed to supporting women so that they receive the best diagnostic technology, limiting unnecessary anxiety and ultimately reducing the burden of disease. The screening program is potentially revolutionary and we hope will be more accurate in correctly finding breast cancers that may not otherwise be diagnosed."
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death amongst women between 40 and 50 years of age. At The Ottawa Hospital there are one thousand new cases of breast cancer diagnosed per year.
Screening mammography has been shown to reduce the mortality of breast cancer. Specifically, women with breast cancer who underwent prior screening had a death rate of approximately six percent after five years compared to 15 percent for people who did not undergo screening. Despite this fact, there is extensive controversy surrounding screening. The harms of high numbers of false positives from 2D mammography have called screening into question. For every 100 women who are recalled for additional testing, more than 90 will have a normal finding or benign disease. This high number of initial false positives creates stress for women and may lead to decreased screening use, with a potential greater loss of lives from undetected cancer. It is hoped that tomosynthesis technology will reduce false positives, improve sensitivity and overall accuracy of digital mammograms.
The full TMIST study of 165,000 women will be led by Dr. Etta Pisano, Dean Emerita, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina and current Vice-Chair of Research in the Department of Radiology at Beth Israel Deakoness Medical Center, Harvard University. The Canadian Lead-in study is being led by Dr. Martin Yaffe, Senior Scientist, Imaging Research, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Professor of Depts. Medical Biophysics and Medical Imaging, at University of Toronto.
This study has been approved by the Ottawa Health Science Network Research Ethics Board. Further details are available on the Canadian Cancer Trials website.
About The Ottawa Hospital and its Breast Health Centre
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada's largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care.
Since its opening in 1997, The Ottawa Hospital Breast Health Centre has been dedicated to providing the highest quality care for breast patients across the Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). The Centre continues as a comprehensive breast centre that offers expertise in breast imaging, biopsy, diagnosis, risk assessment, surgical planning and psychosocial support for patients, and their families, in a caring environment. The Breast Health Centre offers high quality assessments in diagnostic imaging, diagnosing more than 85% of the breast cancers at The Ottawa Hospital, performing over 2,500 breast biopsies every year.
About the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (OICC)
The OICC is changing how people are living with cancer. The OICC approach to integrative cancer care enables people to live the best they can while undergoing hospital-based treatment, by reducing side effects, improving quality of life, and helping prevent recurrence. The OICC is the first integrative cancer care and research centre in Central and Eastern Canada, and has been awarded the two largest-ever integrative cancer care research grants in North America. A not-for-profit, the OICC provides a range of supportive programs for patients including the Babes4Breasts Head Start Program for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. www.oicc.ca
About the University of Ottawa — A crossroads of cultures and ideas
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada's top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today's challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca
SOURCE Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (OICC)
The Terry Fox Research Institute, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and BC Cancer Agency launch innovative pilot project to accelerate precision medicine in Canada
http://www.tfri.ca/en/NewsEvents/news/news-releases-detail/2017/02/02/the-terry-fox-research-institute-princess-margaret-cancer-centre-and-bc-cancer-agency-launch-innovative-pilot-project-to-accelerate-precision-medicine-in-canada
In a national first, today the Terry Fox Research Institute and two leading cancer centres in Canada -- the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto and the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver -- launched an innovative pilot project to accelerate precision medicine for their cancer patients.
The initiative comes at a time when other developed countries are investing heavily in strategies to improve survival from cancer through precision medicine and increased collaboration. The pilot will provide much-needed evidence on how best to roll out a broader vision for data sharing and collaborative translational and clinical research to enable precision medicine for cancer patients.
The pilot is the first phase for developing and implementing a national program that will link high-performing comprehensive cancer research centres, hospitals and universities and their clinical and laboratory programs across Canada through the Terry Fox Designated Canadian Comprehensive Cancer Centres Network.
"With the support of The Terry Fox Foundation, TFRI is pleased to have provided catalytic funding to bring this novel and innovative research initiative forward. A project of this scope with two leading cancer care and research institutions working together in this way has never been done before," remarks Dr. Victor Ling, president and scientific director of the Terry Fox Research Institute. "Our ultimate goal through this collaboration is to create a national network of designated Terry Fox comprehensive cancer centres that will be able to deliver excellence in personalized and precision medicine from coast to coast to coast."
"As a world-leading comprehensive cancer centre, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has made strategic investments to enable personalized cancer therapy through efforts in immune therapy, genetic sequencing and molecular imaging, thanks to the ongoing support of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. We are excited to participate in this new strategic partnership with the Terry Fox Research Institute and the BC Cancer Agency to enable collaborative efforts in these areas and to accelerate the implementation of effective, targeted therapies for patients," said Dr. Bradly Wouters, executive vice-president, science and research, University Health Network.
"This project will leverage BC's pioneering contributions in massively parallel sequencing and cutting-edge research in cancer immunology and molecular imaging. Along with our funding partner, the BC Cancer Foundation, we are committed to excellence in cancer care and research and we are pleased to be a founding partner in this initiative. We will share our expertise and learn from each other to make a substantive difference for cancer patients in British Columbia and across Canada" said Dr. François Bénard, vice-president research at the BC Cancer Agency.
"As a long-time supporter and Terry Fox Run organizer who is inspired by Terry's selfless example, courage and unwavering determination, I am delighted to witness these world-leading organizations working together, bringing hope and innovative care to help more patients survive their cancers," said Pam Damoff, Member of Parliament for Oakville North-Burlington. "Terry Fox reminded us that anything is possible if we try. This partnership is an example of that."
Through the pilot project, these organizations will provide complementary analyses of specimens (e.g. tumour biopsies and blood samples), identify and determine ways to harmonize their research processes, set up an IT infrastructure for data sharing, and develop resources required to conduct multi-centre precision medicine clinical trials. The initial focus will be on colorectal, ovarian, and prostate cancers, with the goal of improving the health outcomes of patients through treatment by precision medicine.
Each organization is contributing $4 million over the next two years for a $12-million total investment that will see multidisciplinary teams focus on four specific research thrusts that are institutional priorities: genomics, immunotherapy, molecular imaging and data sharing.
Networking and shared efforts of comprehensive cancer centres already operate in many other countries, including the US and Europe. A multimillion-dollar continuing annual investment from many funding sources is required for the pan-Canadian network to become fully operational.
Several national and international cancer experts have voiced their support for the TFRI-led initiative, saying that Canada already has many elements that would contribute to the network's success and its aim to transform cancer care so current and future generations will benefit from precision medicine.
About The Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI)
Launched in October 2007, The Terry Fox Research Institute is the brainchild of The Terry Fox Foundation and today functions as its research arm. TFRI seeks to improve significantly the outcomes of cancer research for the patient through a highly collaborative, team-oriented, milestone-based approach to research that will enable discoveries to translate quickly into practical solutions for cancer patients worldwide. TFRI collaborates with over 70 cancer hospitals and research organizations across Canada. TFRI headquarters are in Vancouver, BC. www.tfri.ca
About Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network
The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has achieved an international reputation as a global leader in the fight against cancer and delivering personalized cancer medicine. The Princess Margaret, one of the top five international cancer research centres, is a member of the University Health Network, which also includes Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and the Michener Institute for Education; all affiliated with the University of Toronto. For more information, go to www.theprincessmargaret.ca or www.uhn.ca.
About BC Cancer Agency
The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality from cancer and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer. It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care. For more information, visit www.bccancer.bc.ca or follow us Twitter @BCCancer_Agency.
For more information, or to schedule an interview with any of the institutional leads, please contact:TFRI: Kelly Curwin, 604-675-8223; 778-237-8158 (cell) kcurwin@tfri.ca
PM/UHN: Jane Finlayson, Public Affairs, (416)946-2846 jane.finlayson@uhn.ca
BCCA: Pamela Gole, Communications, 604-877-6282 pamela.gole@bccancer.bc.ca
Pilot Project Backgrounder: http://www.tfri.ca/docs/default-source/default-document-library/pilot-project-backgrounder-f.pdf
Q&A about The Terry Fox Canadian Comprehensive Cancer Centres Network: http://www.tfri.ca/docs/default-source/research/tf4cn-faq_v7_online.pdf
SOURCE Terry Fox Research Institute
Why Elite Athletes require Strength & Conditioning Coaches?
With the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics just a couple of weeks away let’s take a look at one aspect of getting to the highest level in a sport, Strength training. While yes a vast majority of sport specific coaches have a decent understanding of strength training the truth is their expertise is the specific skill and tactical development of the sport which is why athletes need an additional component to their support staff, Strength and Conditioning Coaches.
Using track and field as an example, the main staples that 90% of track coaches program for their athletes are:
- Power Cleans
- Partial Range Back Squats
- Barbell Flat Bench Press
- [insert random abdominal exercise here]
As a strength coach I have to look not only at what will improve performance by making the athlete faster (stronger to improve stride length) but also what will prevent injury and the biggest injury in the sport is a hamstring injury, but yet not one of the above exercises addresses the issue of ensuring the hamstring is sufficiently strong to prevent being overpowered by the quadriceps and glutes and then leading to a strained/pulled hamstring. This can then be extended to every sport and the specific strength qualities related to them whether its acceleration/power, speed, strength, endurance, strength endurance.
Strength Coaches study and are better equipped than sport specific coaches to find various imbalances and then using the tools in our toolbox, scientifically formulate a program to reduce the discovered imbalance to reduce injury risk and improve athletic performance whether that’s running speed, jump height, racquet speed or punching power. This requires another approach to periodization training and even mini periodization within a specific training cycle/block to maximize the effect of training to translate onto the field of play. Just in a program this includes:
- Exercise selection
- Variation of exercise selection (Range of motion, implement, grip, angles)
- Specificity to sport skills, tasks and movements
- Taking into account physical and emotional demands of practice
- Taking into account physical (metabolical, hormonal, neurological) and emotional demands of training session (repititions, sets, intensity/load, tempo and speed of movement, rest intervals, range of motion)
- Nutritional demands and status of athlete
Elite athletes need to have a strength coach in their support staff to help to ensure they are physically ready to perform at their highest level, to be their strongest/fittest for competition. Take a look at every NCAA collegiate program, they have a department dedicated to strength and conditioning for this very reason.
To perform at the highest levels, elite athletes require their training to be catered and specific towards them. This gives the added NEED to have an additional coach who specializes in strength and conditioning training to ensure the athlete is at their best when in competition and able to handle the rigors and demands of day to day practices and come out of it healthy.
- Tony Risling
