Asia’s first sports rehab centre opens at Charni Rd

Saifee Hospital introduces Primus RS, a system that will help identify the extent of injuries in players

by Swati Pujari

Imagine a state-of-the-art facility, which can precisely beasure the extent of a player’s injury. Well, that has become a reality. Developed by BTE Technologies, USA, India’s first sports therapy rehabilitation system with a cricket package- PrimusRS- was inaugurated by former Indian cricket captain Dilip Vengsarkar at the Saifee Hospital in Charni Road on Tuesday.

The software will help physiotherapists and doctors record the extent of the injury or disability, determine speed of movement of the limbs, what level the muscle has strengthened and the percentage of improvement with accurate empirical data. The PrimusRS, which is already used by the Beijing Research Institute of Sports Science to train their national team for 2008 Olympics, is tailor-made for Indian cricketers. The company has built the same system for baseball players in the United States.

Physiotherapist Andrew Leipus said, “This system, which has not even been introduced in Australia, will help train and improve the players’ performance levels.” He added that the facility should be utilised to the maximum by the Indian cricket board as it will help the players to
enhance their performance and stay injury-free for a longer period of time. The PrimusRS works by simulating the movement patterns and biomechanics encountered on the field, on the pitch, or on the court.

Director of Saifee Hospital Dr Vernon L de Sa said the machine will be placed in the hospital’s advanced physiotherapy centre and the equipment includes a sports attachment package and with specific attachments such as cricket balls, bats and grips the sports package allows the replication of movements like bowling or batting in a variety of sports including golf, cricket. The new machine can measure the swing velocity of a cricket bat or replicate twist movement while spinning a cricket ball.

MedTech director Ashish Thakur said, ‘’The heavy emphasis on Indian participation in the international sporting arena has sports trainers and coaches driving athletes and sports people to peak performances. However, more needs to be done to ensure success. The training and injuries of sports stars brings to light an imperative need for the very latest in sports rehabilitation and fitness testing.’’ He added, ‘’This equipment is sensitive enough to measure the subtler changes in force for the ability to train with a high-level of specificity in isolated or integrated movement patterns. From those measures, we are able to gain valuable indicators of progress and improvement ensuring a faster recovery.’’

According to International Sales Manager Waldo Vazquez, “This system can be used by physiotherapists anddoctors to accurately measure the extent of injury among sportsperson as well as those in their teens and old age.” Praising the hospital’s efforts, former Test cricketer Sandeep Patil said, “The sports rehabilitation system is an excellent opportunity for sportspersons and there is definitely a need for such centres especially in a city like Mumbai where there are so many sports.”

Former Indian cricket captain Dilip Vengsarkar with Andrew Leipus at the inauguration of Asia’s first sports therapy rehabilitation system —Satish Bate, DNA

PrimusRS unveiled as cornerstone of sports rehab program in Mumbai, India