The World Health Organization (WHO) says nearly one-third of the planet’s 8.1-billion people live with a health condition that could benefit from rehabilitation, such as back pain and arthritis. Yet, in many instances they are unable to access the essential health interventions they require. As part of the global response to this issue, the WHO recently designated the Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research at Ontario Tech University as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation and Musculoskeletal Health.

Ontario Tech’s Dr. Joseph Gurgis says one of the reasons safe sport goals have not been reached is due the development of dozens of safeguarding initiatives that are intended to support a safe environment, but are not empirically or theoretically driven. Dr. Gurgis is addressing this gap through new research leading to the development of a resource that will provide coherent, effective and proven safe-sport guidelines.