Prioritising Performance-—Where Does Health Fit In?

Elite performance encompasses a complex balancing act involving a series of professionals attempting to help an individual perform to the limit of their abilities, whilst simultaneously striving to further their capacity. Teachers and performance scientists are under pressure to try to push performers harder to be able to achieve success in competitions, performances and their career. Clinicians must strive to keep the physical and mental health of performers in as good shape as possible while they are balancing these often extreme physical and psychological training demands-—‘the show must go on.’ Efforts to better understand mechanisms that may impact both performance capacity and risk to health are therefore highly important, and feature in research presented in the current issue.