Sreelatha Menon/Kochi

Sports Ayurveda! Believe it or not, it is a well-evolved department in Kerala with its specialists and its strategies for the management of injuries like Allopathy.

If you were to visit the ongoing Kerala state school athletics meet in Kochi, you would find Ayurveda orthopaedic specialists and therapists in each of the 17 venues where events are being organised. Doctors from allopathic wing also are there but both teams complement each other, providing a wide range of options for the students and the participating schools.

Sports Ayurveda is the unique amalgamation of ancient Ayurvedic practices tailored to the needs of sportsmen on or off the field.

The specialised and customized Ayurvedic practices for athletes have evolved under the patronage of tradition and the state government’s health machinery.

The state’s sports ayurveda department which has a wing in every district is currently catering to 24000 students attending the state-level schools athletics meet.

 A team of 20 specialist doctors, 60 medical officers, paramedics, and physiotherapists besides interns and postgraduate students have been managing sports injuries since Nov 4 when the week-long meet began.

Tug of war competition at Kerala state school athletic meet

While Sports Ayurveda teams have always been providing preventing and curative management of sports injuries at all school meets since 2009, this year the sports meet was bigger in size and the health team size also has swollen to 200 members.

The government of Kerala which has a robust network of ayurveda and allopathy clinics across the state, has an ayurvedic health center in every village, block, and district in the state.

Sports Ayurveda under the state health department is dedicated to sportsmen of Kerala. Their district wing focuses on government schools and the needy sportsmen and most services are free of cost. The Kerala Institute of Sports Ayurveda and Research (KISAR ) a super specialty hospital in Thrissur with facilities of physiotherapy, gymnastics, track, and proper diet has been helping sportsmen recuperate from injuries, manage injuries, and provides all-round therapy. Many Olympian sportspersons have stayed at KISAR for treatment and post-surgery rejuvenation. The latest patient at KISAR was Arjuna awardee MR Poovamma, says Shiji.

  As for the school sports meet, a whopping 1000 students have consulted the ayurvedic sports medicine unit in five days, the highest on a single day being 400.

A maximum number of injuries were reported from Wushu and Volleyball events, says Shiji. (Wushu is a martial arts event.)

The Sports Ayurveda team has been accompanying Kerala sportsmen and women at all sports events in India since 2009.

Dr. Shiji an MD in orthopaedics in Ayurveda’s shalya chikitsa has been part of these teams since 2016. She dismisses the questions and doubts raised about the efficacy of Ayurveda and its efficacy in sports injuries."Those athletes who have seen its effect know how effective it is,’ she says. ``We go only because we are invited by the Government education department for the annual school athletics meet. Our sports Ayurveda teams come under theUnder the Department of Indian systems of medicine along with National Ayush mission.

Ayurveda bone specialists Dr Namitha (second from left) and Dr Narayanan (extreme right) with their team at the Kerala School Athletics meet

The presence of Ayurveda doctors and para-medics at sports events is not new for students, especially of government schools. There are sports ayurveda units in every district and they reach out to government schools and sports academies.

"So they know us and how we can help them prevent injuries, manage injuries, and prepare them after injuries for the next event.They know the preparatory services we offer before, during, and after an event, she says. "So they know us and how we can help them prevent injuries, manage injuries, and prepare them after injuries for the next event,’’ They know the preparatory services we offer before an event during, and after events, she says.

Asked if there was any conflict between allopathy and ayurveda departments during such events, Dr Shiji said that usually it is left to schools to choose the health teams they want to seek help from.

"And if there are serious injuries we provide first aid, and then send them for X-ray and refer them to the allopathy doctors. As for other injuries, the team uses methods like taping, oil treatment with massage oil, and lepam for muscle relief and strengthening. We have special sprays that reduce swelling. We have our onfield massage oils and sprays.  

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But in case of fractures or serious injuries, we look at the symptoms, give them first aid and send them for X-rays, and further consultation of an allopathic doctor also available from the state health department.’’