The who's who of sports medicine in Australia and India descended into Mumbai for an Orthopaedic meet. Top sport docs tell that Tendulkar is here to stay.
The who's who of sports medicine in Australia and India descended into Mumbai for the Indian Orthopaedic Association's annual conference.
The conference brought together Dr David Young -- who has operated on Ricky Ponting, Muthaih Muralitharan and many others, Dr Greg Hoy -- who has operated on Shane Warne and was regularly consulted by Sachin Tendulkar, Dr Anant Joshi -- the official BCCI doctor, and the Indian cricket team's physio John Gloster. And it was only a matter of time before the conversation veered towards sport and injuries.
"ODIs make cricket very strenuous. There is hardly an off-season -that has resulted in the injury rates really going up," Dr Young.
Young knows about tennis elbow not because Sachin Tendulkar was afflicted but because it is his business to know. "Tennis elbow destroyed former Aussie cricketer Dav Whatmore's career. He was scared of being operated upon. Every batsman would admit that he has had some form of tennis elbow," he said.
Young felt that given the way Sachin plays, anyone could have predicted that he would eventually get tennis elbow. "I don't think you can prevent tennis elbow. I think it will take between 1-2 years for him to recover his full strength once again," said Young.
We have all seen Tendulkar strutting around on the cricket field with both elbows strapped. Does the strapping actually provide any real protection?
"The strapping not only gives external support to the injuries but also gives him psychological support," said Dr Joshi.
Joshi feels that while cricket is a low-risk sport in most countries, the ground conditions peculiar to India -- the grounds are bad, poor footwear, bad pitches all make a difference - make injuries a lot more common among youngsters.
Dr Hoy feels that as long as the rehabilitation of a player is good, age is never really a factor.
"Age is never a factor. A sportsman usually stops playing because he is just bored. I mean, Tendulkar could play till he is 70 if he wants to," said Dr Hoy.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}