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OT-FORUM - O&P, REHABILITATION, HOME HEALTH CARE

Calendar News News ISPO World Congress / O+R 2010  · 

Over 600 free paper submissions / Exhibition applications at record level / Compression therapy strongly represented

In May 2010, the world’s two foremost events addressing the provision of patients with prostheses and orthoses as well as rehabilitation technology will be staged together for the first time ever. The 13th World Congress of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) will be held from 10-15 May at Congress Center Leipzig. And ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK will open as the world’s leading expo in its field, where around 470 companies will be displaying their products and services from 12–15 May.

The internationally acclaimed combination of the biggest and foremost events in the industry is warmly welcomed by exhibitors, explains Martin Buhl-Wagner, managing director at Leipziger Messe: "As far as product developments are concerned, businesses are concentrating on this unique combination of events - meaning we can look forward to an especially large number of new world firsts in May 2010. "

Compared to when the expo was last held in 2008, the number of registered exhibitors is already up by 15%, and has grown to two exhibition halls with total gross space of 40,000 square metres. "Many companies are taking bigger booths, while others are returning to Leipzig after a break," adds Herr Buhl-Wagner. Above all the compression therapy segment is enjoying a surge, with the likes of Bauerfeind, medi, Ofa Bamberg and Sigvaris having already signed up. ORTHOPÄDIE + REHATECHNIK covers the entire range of orthopaedic technology and orthopaedic footwear technology, making it globally unique. In addition, the other main areas at the expo include technical rehabilitation, research and development, medical supplies outlets, medical equipment, workshop equipment and shop fittings.

13th ISPO World Congress: 30 symposia and 25 instructional courses
At the 13th World Congress of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) from 10-15 May 2010, some 400 experts from all over the world will be reporting on progress in R&D, training, and practical applications of technical orthopaedics in keynote addresses, symposia, instructional courses, free papers and poster presentations. ISPO Germany’s Congress Committee chaired by Prof Raimund Forst has finalised 10 key topics and the keynote speakers while around 30 symposia and 25 instructional courses have been accepted. The call for papers, which closed on 11 October, proved outstanding, attracting more than 600 submissions. All the free papers will be evaluated in a structured review process by mid-November. The programme will examine technical orthopaedics from the viewpoint of clinicians, doctors, scientists, manufacturers and industry, and range from assistance systems for the elderly over neuroorthopaedics, orthotics and prosthetics to sports medicine. The programme was compiled together with Austrian and Swiss colleagues as well as in liaison with the Executive Board and Congress Committee of ISPO International along with Prof Jan Geertzen, Chairman of the Scientific Committee of ISPO (Netherlands).

Apart from the free papers and the symposia, many of which will be hosted in conjunction with related scientific associations, plenty of scope has been allowed for the poster presentations, which will be enhanced by structured poster sessions and a poster prize. To find out more about the congress, log on to www.ispo-2010-leipzig.de.

Numerous forums, lectures and workshops will serve the further training of German trade visitors. The forums will focus on specific topics such as lymphology, rehabilitation for children, podiatry, and also business issues such as marketing and distribution. New developments, types of therapy and practical tips will be addressed at workshops. Information on the economic and political situations of the markets in Europe and North America will be available at the marketplaces while forums and the exhibition itself will showcase new products and the latest research findings.

International involvement
The exhibition at ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2010 will include high international participation. Large pavilions will be hosted by France, Spain and the USA. In addition, other joint stands will house exhibitors from China, Japan, Russia and Taiwan. All in all, exhibitors are expected from 37 countries. Mind you, the visitors are set to be just as international, with large delegations already announced from Japan, Italy and Russia. "Thanks to the ISPO World Congress, the range of international expo visitors will be even broader," declares project director Bernd Wünschmann from the German Association of Orthopaedic Technology.

Podiatry to feature for the first time
Apart from orthopaedic footwear technology, in 2010 the exhibition at ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK will include for the first time the field of podiatry and medical chiropody. This topic will also be covered by the Podiatry Forum as well as seminars and workshops in the congress programme. "This will be the first time that podiatry is given an international platform at a leading medical expo," maintains Ronald Beyer, Leipziger Messe’s ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK project director. "As a result, all the target groups related to healthy feet will be represented." The external partner involved with podiatry’s debut at the expo is the ZFD Central Association of German Podiatrist and Chiropodists.

Mobile despite disability: open day and Paralympics day
People with disabilities and chronic illnesses are once again invited to the ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK open day on 15 May 2010, when around 100 exhibitors will be presenting products and services for barrierfree construction and housing, car retrofitting, mobility, tourism and
communication aids. What’s more, Paralympic Day - the most important event of its kind in Germany - will be combining top-flight Paralympic sport with disabled and rehabilitative sports activities. Alongside show matches, there will be plenty of opportunities for visitors to join in. ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK Leipziger Messe has been hosting the world keynote fair and congress ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK since 2000. After around 10,000 visitors from 30 countries and 318 exhibitors from 24 countries in 2000, 448 exhibitors from 37 countries and 18,100 visitors from 85 countries came to Leipzig in 2008. Leipziger Messe is the legal and economic organiser of ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK while the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics is the official organiser of the ISPO World Congress. The patron of the whole event is the German Association of Orthopaedic Technology, another expo partner being the ZVOS Central Association of Orthopaedic Footwear Technology.

© 2012 Bundesinnungsverband für Orthopaedietechnik