In what is said to be the first of its kind facility in South India, a sports laboratory that would assess and tell a sportsperson if they have chosen the right sport for their body frame is coming up in Karnataka.
The ₹29 crore facility in government-run Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics in Bengaluru is touted to be the second such facility in the country after the State-run Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi. The foundation stone for the new building that will house the laboratory was laid on Thursday.
“Some budding sportspersons do not know which kind of sport they are fit to pursue. They may be fit to play cricket but may be playing football. An early assessment of the body will help them perform better,” institute director H.S. Chandrashekar told The Hindu. Since the Centre is promoting sports in a big way, the government initiated the project to identify talent at an early stage, he said.
The equipment will assess the ability of the shoulders, biceps, forearms, legs and all groups of muscle before providing an assessment. “Trained coaches will be appointed to help. A large number of children in rural areas are skilled but may not have chosen the right sport and may end up unsuccessful,” Dr. Chandrashekar said. The facility will be offering free services to children from BPL families.
Clinic and gym
Besides the sports lab, the new state-of-the art sports medicine facility will be equipped with a sports clinic and a full-fledged gym to offer treatment and rehabilitation to injured sportspersons of the State. Among others, the facility will have an astro turf, running track, weights section, high altitude room and cryotherapy.
“Bengaluru has been identified as a hub for cricket, football, tennis, hockey and badminton. Karnataka has a large pool of aspiring sportspersons in rural areas. It is very expensive for them bear treatment and rehabilitation costs when injured,” Dr. Chandrashekar said.