Physiotherapy in day-to-day life and the sports world

Gautam Ganguly

(gautamganguly2012@gmail.com)

‘Tiger’ Patudi, in his autobiography, “Tiger’s Tale,”  narrates an incident that magnifies the extent of evolution and revolutionary transformation that have taken place in the minds of the administrators of all popular western ball games worldwide on the need for physiotherapy and sports medicine to keep the players fit, exuberant, energetic, and free from injury as far as is practicable. 

The story goes that during the fourth test match played in Kolkata against the West Indies in 1967, the then-all-rounder Russi Surti required treatment for a knee injury sustained while taking a diving catch. Surti was bowling and fielding superbly at that time, and Pataudi wanted immediate intervention by specialists. But lo and behold!!! It turned out that only cardiologists were invited by the administrators in the field. No sports medicine consultant was available!!! Pataudi incisively commented that international cricket is played by the fittest players in the country. So, what role could cardiologists play in offering treatment to an injured player?

In contrast, if we take a casual look at the composition of the present-day squad of any team in any discipline of the game, it is evident that physiotherapists form an integral part. This insistence on the indispensability of a physiotherapist is due to the realisation that injuries, severe or mild, can be attended to and redressed by a qualified physiotherapist alone.

The rapid strides made by physiotherapy across the world show the growing awareness of its need in the treatment of patients suffering from spinal and cervical diseases, backaches, and  other sports-related problems like ligament tears, fractures, etc. On a superficial level, physiotherapy has been defined as ‘the art of treating injuries’. Without getting into the technical jargon, day-to-day experiences reveal that ‘physiotherapy deals with restoring and maintaining functional movement, reducing pain, and promoting a healthy lifestyle for individuals’. The physiotherapists have opened a flood gate of benefits to patients suffering from chronic disease, injury, industrial and motor vehicle accidents, and age-related conditions, besides giving relief to patients pre- and post-surgery. 

Alex Kourt is a celebrated physiotherapist for the Australian cricket team. To quote him, “As a physiotherapist, we have to manage the day-to-day injury management of the players. We see players and treat their injuries. We work with the coaches, fitness coaches, nutritionists, and sports  psychologists.”  The saying highlights the amount of effort put in by physiotherapists, together with other important professionals like nutritionists, etc., to keep a hectic modern-day player in action.

The example of the great Sachin Tendulkar comes immediately to mind. The cricket lovers of the country can never forget the swashbuckling innings of 97 runs the maestro played in the second innings against Pakistan at Chennai in 1999 in his bid to win the test despite having an excruciating backache. Sachin, in his famous farewell speech, paid glowing tributes to the physiotherapists. To quote him, “I would be failing in my duties if I did not thank all the doctors, the physios, and the trainers who have put this difficult body together to go back on the field and be able to play. With the amount of injuries that I have had in my career, I don’t know how you have managed to keep me fit, but without your special efforts, it would never have happened.”

Daniel Troxler is the physiotherapist on whom the tennis legend Roger Federer banked to extend his magnificent tennis life. Troxler was the physiotherapist for long-distance runners. Symbolically, by hiring his service at the age of 35, the maestro hopes to prolong his glorious career. Roger was down during the 2013–14 season with a stiff back but recovered back to his good old self with amazing fitness.

The fitness crazy Lionel Messi virtually lives with Marcello de Andro, the famous Argentine physiotherapist, popularly known as ‘Dady’. When Diego Maradonna took over as Argentina’s football coach, he ousted all officials associated with the national team except ‘Dady’.

The burgeoning growth of ‘physiotherapist clinics’ in our own Guwahati is a healthy indication of growing awareness among people about the impact of physiotherapy on all strata of society. Empirical experiences reveal that ‘even’stroke-caused’ paralytic patients respond positively to the healing touch of physiotherapy. People are seen consulting a physiotherapist for all types of injuries rather than taking harmful painkillers. 

Modern-day players are to withstand ‘non-stop-playing’ round the year in addition to extensive travel that was unheard of till the mid-90s. It is said jokingly that Bradman would have found it difficult to adjust to the present breakneck speed.

Physiotherapy has undergone a remarkable transformation in the last decade. The gadgets used in the past have now been replaced with more modern equipment. However, the most remarkable change that has occurred is the approach and attitude of the physiotherapists. The present-day physiotherapists, with their suave, amiable, and intelligent dispositions, by and large prove the saying, “that the man behind the machine is more important.”