Hello sports medicine!

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In the high-profile English Premier League, people not wedded to football could be forgiven for not knowing those working behind the scenes.

But whenever the cameras zoomed in on Eva Carneiro, the charming team doctor of Chelsea FC, and every time she ran on to the pitch to attend to an injured player, Eva grabbed attention for her sheer charisma.

Things are different in India, as hardly any State-level or even national association has cared to take sports medicine seriously.

However, the Kerala Cricket Association called for a major change in April with the introduction of the Centre for Cricket Medicine & Sciences (CCMS) headed by Dr Shibu Varghese, an experienced orthopaedic consultant.

The doctor, who has worked with Northamptonshire County and had a stint with Everton FC in England, is running a massive fitness programme for Kerala’s cricketers with more than 300 athletes taking part. This system has never been tried or heard of in the country.

“In India, across most sports we find that players keep their injuries and medical ailments hidden for fear of being dropped and such simple things can become career threatening in the long-run,” says Dr. Shibu.

The revolutionary programme started by Dr Shibu and his team is focused on preparing the medical history of each player in KCA’s 22 district academies, including the under-16 and the senior squad and improving their fitness levels.

“Such a practice is mandatory in professional football teams abroad. Unlike in Northamptonshire, where we implemented the programme on less than 25 athletes, in KCA the project is huge,” he said.

For the first time in Kerala sports, a ‘pre-participation examination’ was done on each of the 300 plus State cricketers ahead of the season where musculo-skeletal screening and complete body check-ups were carried out.

“We realised there are players with asthma and diabetes, who had been quiet about their problems. What we have done is to make players aware that such things do not prevent a person from playing. We will now keep regular checks on such players.”

The medical team has prepared a ‘Medical Audit’, which is expected to be ready this year and is believed to be the first of its kind in the country involving a state sports team.

Kerala cricket has had a fabulous start to its season and while the credit goes to the coaching staff and the players, the vital role played by this team of 'not-so-charming' medics needs a special mention.