Role of Ayurveda in the Management of Sports Injury: A Review

Abstract

Sports injuries are commonly seen in sportsperson. Sports medicine helps in physical fitness along with treatment and also preventive of injury related to sports, exercise etc. All sports are prone to risk of injuries in one or other form. Varieties of sports injuries are seen in form of bruises, sprains, strains, tear and stress fractures caused when an abnormal stress is placed on tendons, joints, ligaments, bones or muscles. In Ayurvedic classics, Vatadosha is responsible for all the body movement and when it is vitiated due to the excessive use of particular joint, it cause pain in the affected muscle, joint and ligaments. In sport injuries Vata dosha is aggravated due to increased risk of trauma or injury, which may leads to pain in the affected parts. As Vatadosha is responsible for any kind of pain in the body, hence in this case Vatashamak Chikitsa should be the choice of treatment which includes Prakritisthapana with internal medicine or with external therapies like Lepana, Upanaha, Aalepa, to promote tissue healing, Patrapinda Sweda in stiffness and pain, along with treatment modalities like Katibasti, Bandhana, Agnikarma and Raktamokshana. In various Ayurvedic text, the Marma mainly considered as fatal points of body in which any trauma may leads to severe disabilities or even death. These Marma points can be utilized in wise manner for treatment of various sports injuries.