“Sports Science” has many benefits, especially in maximizing the physical potential of athletes or assisting with injuries and recovery time.
Nowadays, various types of sports in Thailand have started to emphasize sports science, such as leading football clubs in the Thai Premier League, Toyota. A clear example is Suphanburi FC, or Thai athletes like Ratchanok Intanon, a female badminton player who trained in the martial arts with Qingdao club in the People’s Republic of China. The science there includes in-depth blood tests and analysis to create a training program to build muscle and eliminate weaknesses, including nutrition tailored to individual players until “May” becomes one of the top players in the world.
Health science organizations recognizing the importance of sports science include Bangkok Hospital, which has established the Sports Medicine and Exercise Institute, or BASEM, which has been certified by FIFA as a “FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence.” One of the regular users is “Tong” Kawin Thamsatchanan, the number 1 goalkeeper of the Thai national team from SCG Muangthong United, who used the services continuously to treat a fractured shinbone from a past warm-up game with Shanghai East Asia. Initially expected to rest for 8 – 9 months, the recovery time was reduced to 3 – 4 months before he could fly again.
Dr. Paisarn Chantraphitik, Deputy Director of Bangkok Hospital, mentioned the purpose of establishing this center as “The Sports Medicine and Exercise Institute (BASEM) at Bangkok Hospital was initiated to create international standards in caring for athletes of all types, genders, and ages, including providing advice on the correct way to exercise to prevent injuries to the general public as well. The care for football players follows the best standards, including injury prevention, care, rehabilitation, nutrition, sports psychology, and prevention of doping (Anti-Doping), where FIFA standards require teamwork in various medical disciplines.”
Kawin’s case is a great example of injury rehabilitation post-surgery. Mr. Athiphol Methathip, a physiotherapist, explained “When Kawin came for surgery to join the bones using a metal plate, his physical condition was nearly normal afterward, but the muscle condition on his right side was not equal to the left because he hadn’t fully exercised that leg. Although he only received treatment for just over 2 months, we started with ultrasound and muscle relaxation massages for the legs, ending with wearing weighted gear to build muscle before starting to use regular sports science equipment.”
Mr. Methawee Khamjang, a sports science expert at Bangkok Hospital, also recommended equipment that helped the “Kirin” goalkeeper recover quickly at that time, saying “We started with cycling, since there was a problem with training at full running capacity. Just 20 minutes before moving on to use an Anti-Gravity Treadmill, which has a feature unlike regular running because it will have pressure equipment in a fabric bag attached to the machine, along with wearing pressure-resistant pants. And while the user is moving, the runner will feel less foot pain because the pressure on the ground is reduced to only about 20%, suitable for those who are not yet able to fully exercise by running.”
Currently, Bangkok Hospital partners with other sports types as well, whether it’s weightlifting, badminton, volleyball, and amateur boxing, because the Sports Medicine and Exercise Institute (BASEM) is certified in various comprehensive methods, such as hydrotherapy, which is widely used abroad with athletes because water helps support the body, assist individuals who cannot move or exercise on land by lightly running, stepping, or using foam material for weight training, and moving different body parts in water. The pool must have a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, and it helps with blood circulation and faster recovery.
The potential of athletes who undergo rigorous and continuous training must come first if they wish to succeed. Sports science is an incredibly useful enhancement for the development of the field, starting within Thailand to be used in every association, to advance to the international level to be proven in tournaments around the world such as the Asian Games or Olympic Games.
