Schools get a dose of Sports Medicine

The level of sports and performance has excelled to unforeseen heights in recent times. In many countries, sportsmen and women have added ‘sports medicine’ to their arsenal, playing an essential role in keeping them in prime form while preventing injuries. Though we cannot match the technological advantage of the western world, following proper basic sports medicine can help improve the standards of school athletics and sports to new standards.

It is evident that even the most basic techniques, which could be employed by anyone with minimum resources, are neglected. Unfortunately, ‘quick-fixes’ have captured the status of proper sports medicine in the country. But in the long-run it will be detrimental for the careers keeping them from reaching the optimum performance. So it is vital to grasp the ‘tricks of the trade’ in sports medicine at a school level.

To address this need, the Faculty of Medicine Sports Association (FMSA) of Colombo organized a workshop to school athletes and players to help grasp the basic principles of sports medicine. Lectures were delivered by sports medicine guru Dr. C. Thurairaja, Prof. Rohan Jayasekara, Dr. N. Andraweera, Dr. T. Wijesinghe and Dr. A. Karunanayake. Over hundred students representing schools in the Colombo region participated in the event.
A lecture on the importance of proper warming up techniques were given at the initial lecture along with the importance of stretching and warming down after the sports activity to reduce the ‘Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness’.

Students tasted a sip of ‘nutrition in sports’ paying special attention on how to avoid dehydration before, during and after the game. They were given an overview into dietary requirements in sports while many strongly held myths on sports nutrition were debunked.

Injury prevention was another key component of the workshop. Students were introduced to the ‘PRICE-R’ technique – an effective first aid method for many sports injuries. The acronym stands for protection from further injury, rest, applying ice, compression of the area, elevation of the injured part and referring to a medical care facility.

Demonstration stations covering the common injuries helped students to get a hands-on experience in dealing with sports injuries and stretching techniques. The interactive sessions also gave them the opportunity to ask questions and gain a better insight into ‘injury prevention’.

A discussion on doping was help at the end with case scenarios of international and local sports stars. Students were guided on why they should not ‘give in’ to doping to win at all costs. A book covering all the basic topics of sports medicine were given to students.
The main topics covered were