UDOTS Success at IOACON, 2019

It was an exhausted but happy team from the University Department of Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery (UDOTS) that returned from a successful trip to the Indian Orthopaedic Association’s 64th annual conference (IOACON), held in Kolkata, India, from 19-24th November, 2019.

Dr Graham Arnold, Mr Sadiq Nasir and Mrs Sheila MacDonald represented UDOTS to present the first ever Live Demonstration Workshop on Gait Analysis to be held at the conference. The workshop was expertly organised and hosted by two MCh (Orth) Dundee Alumni, Dr Amitava Narayan Mukherjee and Dr Nirmalya Deb, both of whom looked after the team throughout their stay.

Left: Dr Amitava Narayan Mukherjee, welcomes the visiting Dundee Team at Kolkota airport; Right: Mr Arun Ramanathan, Mr Sadiq Nasir, Mrs Sheila MacDonald and Dr Graham Arnold prior to the Gait Analysis Workshop.

Over 100 delegates attended the workshop that took place on Wednesday 20th November at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Kolkata. The enthusiastically received interactive workshop included a practical demonstration of 3D motion capture using volunteers to show how to analyse the gait data obtained and the graphical outputs in three anatomical planes were explained. Pre- and post-op data was covered as well as examples of sports injuries and performance. Foot pressure analysis case studies were covered by Dr Arun Ramanathan, who is an MCh (Orth) Alumni from 2005.

Left: The Gait Analysis Workshop in full swing. Sadiq placing reflective markers onto Sheila whilst Graham explains the procedure of the infrared cameras tracking the motion of the markers in space.

Dr Graham Arnold was also an invited guest speaker on 22nd November where he presented a ten-minute talk on the subject of ‘Gait Analysis in Orthopaedics’, explaining to an audience of orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists and pain specialists why this is important.

During the Team’s busy schedule, they also found time to give advice at a University of Dundee information stand where they promoted courses run by the School of Medicine and explained about life as a student at the University and of Dundee as a whole.

Left: Dr Arnold, invited guest lecturer, delivering his presentation on why gait analysis is important to orthopaedics; Right: a busy University of Dundee stand at the conference. Dr Sukin Reddy Indukuri, an MCh graduate from 2018-2019, explains about what it is like studying in Dundee.

Whilst there, the team hosted an MCh (Orth) Alumni evening on the 20th November to catch up with the many valued ambassadors who attended the conference and to share happy memories of their time spent in Dundee.

Some of the MCh (Orth) Alumni who attended the Dundee Alumni Dinner. From right to left: Dr Sukin Reddy Indukuri (graduated 2018), Dr Ganapathy Koneri Murthy (graduated 2018), Dr Pulak Kumar Giri (graduated 2019), Dr Nirmayla Deb (graduated 2012), Dr Graham Arnold, Dr Amitava Narayan Mukerjee (graduated 2018), Professor Abhey Elhance (graduated 2011), Mr Sadiq Nasir, Mr Arun Ramanathan (graduated 2005), Mrs Sheila MacDonald, were joined by Mr Kartik Hariharan (External Teaching faculty for MCh Orth, Dundee course).

The conference was well-represented by many graduates of the MCh (Orth) Dundee course, with Dr Rakesh Rajput (graduated 1999), Dr Jaydeep Mukherjee (graduated 2011), Dr Debadyuti Baksi (graduated 2008), Dr Nirmalya Deb (graduated 2012), Dr John T. John (graduated 2007), Dr Amitava Mukherjee (graduated 2018), Dr Arun Ramanathan (graduated 2005), and Dr Aditya Agrawal (graduate 2014) either on various IOACON 2019 Committees or who presented as invited guest speakers. This is such a big achievement for individuals but so much more for the MCh (Orth) Dundee Course and the UDOTS.

The team will be joined by Mrs Linda Johnston to give their next workshop, 3D Motion Practical Workshop for Gait, Sports and Engineering, on the 18-19th January, 2020 at the EKA Club & EKA Life, The Arena Gate, Ahmedabad, India. For full details please visit uod.ac.uk/3dmotion

Dr Amitava Narayan Mukerjee, IOACON 2019, Organiser and Convenor, stated:

“This year, the six-day IOACON conference was a mega event with almost 6000 delegates and 220 trade participants attending. There were numerous overseas faculties and delegates and 20 well-attended and enthusiastically received workshops. Various cultural activities, focussing on the cultural heritage of Bengal, interspersed the conference this year.

For the first time in IOACON history there was a live workshop on gait analysis given by the University of Dundee, UK Team, Dr Graham Arnold, Mr Sadiq Nasir and Mrs Sheila MacDonald. The workshop was attended by 60 delegates. After the gait workshop, 12 MCh (Orth) Dundee graduates joined the Dundee faculty for an MCh Alumni Dinner. It was lovely catching up with old friends and reminiscing about our times in Dundee.

I have been participating in IOACON meetings for the past 20 years and I can safely say this was one of my best lifetime achievements. Thanks to every single person involved in this year’s event and we look forward to IOACON 2020 in Mumbai.”

Mr Arpit Jariwala, Director of UDOTS, stated:

“Unfortunately I couldn’t travel with the Dundee Team this year due to work commitments but I’ll be there for IOACON 2020 in Mumbai. I must praise the team, Graham, Sadiq, Sheila and Arun, for all their hard work and effort in presenting the Gait Analysis Workshop, for meeting our valued Alumni and for promoting Dundee University courses at the trade stand. I applaud your dedication and application to UDOTS. This is the first of many more live demonstrations that we’ll continue to offer, both overseas and here in Dundee, as we endeavour to expand our workshops into 3D Motion Analysis, Clinical Gait Analysis and Motion Analysis in Sport.

I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr Mukherjee, Dr Deb and Professor Parag Sancheti for looking after the team during their time in Kolkota, and for continuing to champion the MCh (Orth) Dundee course. The feedback from delegates has been fantastic and I believe the team have already been invited back to IOACON for the next two years!”

 DELEGATE FEEDBACK ON GAIT WORKSHOP

“Nice interactive sessions”

“Congratulations on the successful workshop. Well done!”

“Superb … great … congratulations”

“Great job done. Congratulations to Team Gait Lab”

“Congratulations for such a wonderful workshop … really impressive”

“A great learning experience”

“A big thank you to the organisers for such an interesting and interactive workshop, the faculty from Dundee deserve a special thanks. It was a great learning experience!”

“Team Dundee and Arun were just perfect, hats off to them”

“An extraordinary show!”