Issue 31 Spring 2012 - Bases

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Point to ponder - Prof Edward M Winter FBASES P values: Have they a future? For some 50 years or so, hypothesis testing has been a bedrock of science. Such testing reflects Popper’s principle of falsification i.e., before something can be accepted, the opposite has to be shown to be untenable. However, the simple pass-or-fail nature of this approach has increasingly been seen to be wanting. Indeed, the nature of absolutes has been challenged and was a theme of the Royal Society in 2010 to mark the 350th anniversary of the Society’s formation. Some of us, like me, were taught that science was about facts and irrefutable laws and a search for truth. However, Professor Steve Jones stated at the Hay Book Festival, “Proof and certainty is the province of priests and politicians, the rest of us have to wrestle with probabilities.” Moreover, I was introduced recently to something Bertolt Brecht wrote in his biography of Galileo, “The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, but to set a limit to infinite error.” Jones and Brecht are right. This is reflected in the increased use of confidence intervals and effect sizes to indicate the effects of an intervention. In sport and exercise science, the purpose of the “intervention” might be to enhance the performance of athletes or, at the other end of Diary dates April 2012 17 Using Hypnosis to Enhance Personal and Group Confidence, London www.bps.org.uk/events/using-hypnosisenhance-personal-and-group-confidence-0 18-20 BPS Annual Conference 2012, London www.bps.org.uk/ac2012 19-21 5th Exercise & Sports Science Australia Conference and 7th Sports Dieticians Australia update, Gold Coast www.essa.org.au/venue/ 21-22 Football Medicine Strategies for Knee Injuries, Chelsea FC, London www.isokinetic.com May 2012 6 BASES Undergraduate Endorsement Scheme submission deadline – 1.00pm 9 BASES Workshop: Oxygen Uptake Kinetics: measurement and application in sport and disease, Liverpool 22 BASES Heads of Department Forum, Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds 30 BASES Workshop: ‘Signature Pedagogies’ in Sport and Exercise Science, York 31 BASES Fellowship application submission deadline June 2012 1 BASES International Conference Grant submission deadline 7 2012 North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference, Hawaii www.naspspa.org/about-the-conference/about-the-conference 8-10 Human Anatomy Dissection Seminar, Kings College London www.bases.org.uk/write/Documents/DissectionSeminar2012.pdf the spectrum, improve the quality of life for those whose health is compromised. The Olympic and Paralympic Games are only a matter of weeks away and the Formula 1 season is already underway. Success in both can be determined by the smallest of margins and attempts to identify influential mechanisms in the context of ecological validity taxes coaches and engineers respectively. It is uncertainty that characterises their work - and ours. The fundamental challenge is to accept that uncertainty - and then attempt to minimise, not eliminate it. Elimination is a fool’s errand. NICE (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) formally addresses two key questions: First, does a (particular) drug work and second, is the drug cost effective? Answers to both questions are not easy to obtain because they are based not on certainty, proof and fact but on probabilities, likelihood and acceptability. P values have run their course and it is now time to use alternative metrics to indicate effects of interventions. These alternatives are probably best represented by confidence intervals and effect sizes that give improved indications of practically or clinically meaningful change. RIP P. BASES Workshops www.bases.org.uk/Workshops Awards and Grants www.bases.org.uk/Awards / www.bases.org.uk/Grants 1.870 www.tandfonline.com/rjsp 30 The Sport and Exercise Scientist n Issue 31 n Spring 2012 n www.bases.org.uk
Final word with Prof Ian G. Campbell Before I take over as Chair of BASES in July, I thought it may be of interest to learn about some of the events and people that have influenced me. I have always been interested in sport (and physical activity) since a very young age, although the reasons for participating have altered over time. At school my objective was to make teams in any sport so that I could miss lessons. This proved successful! Perhaps because of my focus on sport, at the end of O-Levels I was advised to go and get a job. Interestingly I was clear I wanted to do A-Levels but was told I was not capable of doing 3 A-Levels and certainly not chemistry. Not accepting this I managed to convince the Head of Chemistry to take me on. To everyone’s astonishment I passed. During the sixth form I noticed courses called ‘Sports Science’, which appeared to link science to sport. I went to Trent Polytechnic where I focused on physiology. During this time I was inspired by Doug Williamson who ran modules on disability sport. On completion of my undergraduate degree I coached sports and worked as a part-time Sales Assistant at Tandy in Nottingham. I enjoyed this role, particularly selling toys in the lead up to Christmas. In December 1984 I had an interview for the MSc course at Loughborough. At this time, you had an interview with each potential module leader. At the first interview I was asked to talk about myself and before too long I found myself going into my sales talk about toy cars. I ended up selling two remote control cars (with rechargeable batteries) to the Senior Lecturer concerned! The manager at Tandy was delighted. At Loughborough I became passionate about sports science and in particular physiology, largely because of Professor Clyde Williams who inspired me. For my dissertation I was able to link my love of disability sport and physiology. As a result of Clyde and support of Dr Henyk Lakomy I managed to do this and to write up the work (published in BJSM in 1987). At this point I thought I wanted to do a PhD and spoke to Clyde. As a result I decided to go off travelling to check! A year later I walked back in the lab and started helping out. I was lucky enough to be awarded a University Scholarship focused on ‘The physiology of spinal cord injured athlete’. I feel very fortunate to have been in such a high-quality research environment. My sport participation was shifting from competitive to social! In 1992 I took on my first lecturing job at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), “As part of my current role I have responsibility for Brunel’s activity around the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I’m therefore interested to hear the stories of how you or your Department is engaging with the Games and, if not, why not!” where Professor Les Burwitz was Head of Department. Les is another man who has inspired me because of his people skills and commitment to his profession. During this time I also shared an office with Professor Keith George where he took up at least 75% of the office (physically). I was located in an area that used to be a toilet! Keith taught me an awful lot about relaxation! I still wait for the day where I regard him as being slightly angry! Following my time at MMU I had a variety of academic roles before I had an opportunity to work in business with Lane4. I had a fantastic time becoming Head of Business Development and delivering work, particularly around the benefits of physical activity for work performance, however, I was missing the challenge of leading a Department. I joined Brunel University as Head of Sport Sciences in September 2005 and became a Pro- Vice Chancellor in January 2008. As part of my current role I have responsibility for Brunel’s activity around the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I’m therefore interested to hear the stories of how you or your Department is engaging with the Games and, if not, why not! In summary, sport and physical activity are just as important to me now as they ever were, however, the reasons for participating have now shifted to ‘managing my pressures’ at work. I am also just as passionate about sport and exercise sciences and since 1988 I have been committed to BASES. I have held a variety of different roles and I am energised and excited about becoming the next Chair of our Association. I look forward to working with you. words: Prof Ian G. Campbell Prof Ian G. Campbell is Pro-Vice Chancellor and Professor of Exercise Physiology at Brunel University. He is the Chair-Elect of BASES. The photo shows Ian (third from left) in his current role - part of Brunel’s activity around the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Compiled by: Len Parker Simpson Sports Physiology Research Scholar, University of Exeter About to change your home address? Update your details in the Member Area at www.bases.org.uk, e-mail enquiries@bases.org.uk or call 0113 812 6162 The Sport and Exercise Scientist n Issue 31 n Spring 2012 n www.bases.org.uk 31
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