Sports Medicine

ISIC Sets up Department for Sports Medicine

This unit will offer tertiary care services to injured sportsmen, training of medical manpower and research in sports medicine and injuries

The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), New Delhi has set up a department for sports medicine in order to provide expert diagnosis and treatment to sportspersons.

"With Delhi gearing up for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, it is extremely important that sportspersons and anyone involved in active sports understand the importance of right treatment for sports related injuries. The primary objective of setting up a sports unit is to treat the injured athlete by specially trained surgeons, educating the doctors, physiotherapists and giving the right diagnosis and treatment," said Dr HS Chhabra, Medical Director, ISIC.

This unit will be involved in multi- faceted activities including tertiary care of injured sportsmen, training of medical manpower, research in sports medicine and injuries, fitness assessment of ordinary persons intending to take up sporting activities, sports programme for the disabled sports persons and tie-ups with existing sports facilities in the NCR region.

"Research activities will be an important part of the sports unit. A special laboratory for the screening of future athletes by means of physiological, psychological testing, speed and skill testing will also be set up to determine who are the athletes with the best potential," added Dr Chhabra.

Yearly courses will be held to keep the health professionals, both doctors and physiotherapists updated with the latest development in sports medicine and to set a high standard in the field of sports medicine in the country. The sports unit will also fulfill the function of fitness assessment— people who are starting sporting activity in adolescence or as adults after a long break need proper assessment of their cardio vascular fitness level to avoid injuries or damage to their heart and lungs.

Through tie-ups with existing sports facilities, ISIC will also provide advice to sports complexes and gymnasiums about correct nutrition and training techniques to enable sportsmen and women to achieve their potential and avoid injuries.

One of the unique features will be to organise activities for disabled sportsmen. ISIC has organised several activities for disabled sportsmen in the past and this Sports Unit intends to carry on with this in a more structured fashion. "At ISIC, the doctors are specially trained and employed in sports medicine from the UK and Singapore, who are well versed in the latest techniques being used abroad such as telescopic and keyhole surgery of joints. The physiotherapy department too is extensive and well equipped both in terms of material and staff," says Dr Ravi Khetrapal, Senior Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon and In charge of ISIC Sports Medicine Unit.

EH News Bureau