First ever clinical placement in performing arts medicine: a ‘massively exciting project, with a global reach’
Throughout the 2022 Commonwealth games, BAPAM Physiotherapists worked with Physiotherapy students from the University of Birmingham to look after the performers in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. This involved professional dancers, local volunteer dancers, circus performers, parkour artists, stunt BMX riders, puppeteers and musicians.
Rehearsals for the ceremonies ran six days a week since May, with up to three rehearsals a day, and there have been students at every rehearsal.
Dr Sarah Upjohn (Performing Arts Medicine physiotherapist, and BAPAM assessing clinician) worked on the project since February, with Jude Coe, one of the Physiotherapy teaching fellows at the University. She helped organise a series of online training sessions, as well as onsite support, delivered by BAPAM colleagues, Kiran Franklin, Cathy Gordon, Lou Curley and Sudhir Daya.
The BAPAM physiotherapists were sought out for their unique skills, expertise and experience, to provide clinical-educator support to the students on this first ever clinical placement in performing arts medicine. As Sarah told the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, this has been ‘a massively exciting project, with a global reach.’