Physiotherapy students of BPT program, CoHS, GMU provided physiotherapy first aid services to the participants of Celebrity Cricket League (CCL), Sharjah Cricket Stadium from 23rd to 25th Feb 2024 in coordination with Thumbay University Hospital.
BPT students namely Ms. Ann Thomas, Mr. Jeff Jose, Ms. Naman Sharma, Mr. Balaabishek R, Ms. Mehak Gulati, Diya Thakur (3rd BPT) & Mr. Fadl Rasheed (4th BPT) initiated community service activity and rendered the service under the guidance of Dr. Waqar Naqvi and Dr Animesh.
Friday, February 23, 2024: Day 1
Players visited the physiotherapy team for assistance, treatments included myofascial release, hamstring stretching, cryo-stretch, calf stretching and spinal manipulation. as well as hamstrings and calf stretches. Additionally, a minor medical emergency of severe dehydration was efficiently handled by administering oral rehydration solution (ORS), and after the match, electrolyte solutions were administered to all players to rehydrate them.
Saturday, February 24, 2024: Day 2
Ms. Divya expressed management of acute sports injury is different ball game than in daily outpatient care. A player experienced acute pain on the inside of his right elbow, and was treated with muscle relaxation, a tourniquet for immobilization, and effective K-Tape application with help of Dr. Animesh, was good learning experience.
Sunday, February 25, 2024: Day 3
An on-site emergency nurse, assisted by students, addressed emergency cases. Emergency services were also provided for acute arm and shoulder pain and finger injuries and lacerations.
Overall Learning Opportunities & Acknowledgments:
The event provided an immersive learning experience in sports physiotherapy, emergency care, and general health applications. The success was attributed to Thumbay’s Marketing Team who coordinated the initiative, as well as adding the essential “medical support assistance and coverage”. The opportunity materialized thanks to the collaboration efforts of Ms. Navneet, the CCL team’s event management lead, as well as guidance from our greatly supportive faculty, Dr. Waqar Naqvi and Dr. Animesh Hazari. The students’ commitment and professionalism made a significant impact on the community, showcasing the multifaceted role of physiotherapists.
Ms. Ann Thomas, 3rd year BPT (2021PT47) commented- “The experience was absolutely incredible! Being part of the medical team, I got to work closely with the players, helping them stay fit and recover from any injuries. It was amazing to witness their dedication and passion for the sport. The atmosphere was electric, and seeing the players give their all on the field was truly inspiring. The Celebrity Cricket League definitely showcased the importance of physiotherapy in supporting athletes and keeping them in top shape. It was an unforgettable experience! I’m really grateful to the College of Health Sciences for giving me a wonderful opportunity.”
Diya Thakur, 3rd year BPT (2021PT11) commented- “Over the course of 4 days (23rd February to 25th February), my team and I had the opportunity to assist the cricketers playing in CCL (Celebrity Cricket League) with sports related physiotherapy. As a part of our Community Engagement Program, we gained insight on, and embraced our responsibilities as healthcare professionals towards community outreach. Whether it be stretching a taut hamstring or offering a quick myofascial release, the satisfaction that came from being able to represent our profession at this scale had been an incomparable learning and working experience. Pursuing passions is fulfilling, but doing so with a team like ours is pure bliss! This enigmatic experience was a result of invaluable support from each other, our faculty, and department, for which we are immensely grateful.”
Dr. Ramprasad, Chairperson, Physiotherapy Department emphasized the epoch of sports coverage training serve as transformative tool to enhance clinical skills and facilitated transfer of learning. ‘The students gain experience in application of clinical skills in sports physiotherapy, emergency care, and general health applications through hands-on experience at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium event.
Praveen Kumar Dean, CoHS commented “Community engagement is a very crucial role to be played by all health care professionals which is imparted in GMU students in all programs”.