‘Specialist sports medics can help national teams avoid injuries’
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Sports podiatry can help Oman’s national teams detect injuries before they happen, a leading expert recently revealed.
Dr. Fahad Al Shamsi, a podiatrist at the Aspetar hospital in Qatar, made the comments during a workshop attended by more than 22 medical sports specialists in the Sultanate.
The event was opened under the patronage of Sheikh Saif bin Hilal Al Hosni, Acting Chairman of the Oman Olympic Committee, with a number of other senior officials in attendance.
Al Shamsi stated, “(Sports podiatry) allows practitioners to consult football clubs, as well as national teams to improve performance and avoid sports-related injuries before they happen.”
“Additionally, it also helps medical teams treat reoccurring sports injuries by educating them on foot mechanics, which is the main reason for sports injuries.”
Al Shamsi explained that podiatry is the area of health that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of medical conditions related to the feet and lower legs. Sports podiatry is a sub-speciality of podiatry. It deals mainly with injuries of the lower limb, knees, ankles and bones.”
Benefits
“(Sports podiatry) can benefit athletes in Oman, as well as nonathletes. Mainly, it can help guide them in choosing the right running and walking shoes.
Different people have different feet and different feet mechanics, so different people require different kinds of shoes.”
Al Shamsi, who currently works for one of the most acclaimed hospitals in the region, also shared his inspiring journey with participants. The Omani doctor hails from Fanja, in the Governorate of Ad Dakhiliyah, and went on to successfully complete his education in Australia.
“From 2003 to 2008, I studied podiatry at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. Then, from 2008 to 2010, I took a Master’s Degree programme at North Australia University. It was a big shock for me—the culture, the language, the food, everything. The first year was confusing. Just imagine, the first time I travelled was from Fanja to Melbourne.”