With Ayurveda now being officially accepted as a treatment option for ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis and H1N1, the scope for this traditional healthcare system is on the increase. From being considered a palliative care option resorted to by a few old timers, Ayurveda is fast gaining popularity and is coming into its own by offering successful cures and remedies. And today, as something that would surprise many, Ayurveda is being seriously considered in the selective field of Sports Medicine as an effective treatment option for sports injuries.
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Ayurveda as a sports medicine is a relatively new concept – although ancient India relied upon this system to treat and maintain the well being of its warrior folk – and it focuses on health aspects of sports persons, such as, their stamina, flexibility and endurance. It is not only curative and rehabilitative, but also preventive.
Recently, the Sports Ayurveda unit of the Indian Systems of Medicine Department in Kannur organized Drona – 2015, a two-day workshop for doctors, trainers, physical education teachers and students to promote the efficiency of Ayurvedic sports medicine.
The workshop highlighted the role of Ayurveda in the brilliant performance by the Kerala women’s basketball team, which went on to win the gold medal at the recently concluded National Games. Ayurveda does not use steroids to enhance performance and will never fall under the shadow of doping, which is so (un)popular in sports circles. Moreover, Ayurveda treats most injuries without invasive surgical procedures and has proven to be highly effective for the treatment of injuries to soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons and meniscus. And since the procedures are mostly non-invasive, there is minimal scarring, tissue regeneration is faster and allows injured sportspersons to get back to the field quicker, after treatment.
There is a 50 bed hospital coming up, exclusively for sports Ayurveda in Thrissur and with the recognition of Ayurveda as a sports medicine by the Sports Athority of India (SAI), and its support, Ayurveda is rightfully coming into its place as it should – as the Science of Life.
