Over 150 students from various institutions attended a first-of-its-kind Physio-Fusion symposium that was held on Saturday at the AMREF International University in Nairobi.
The symposium was organised to enlighten students on the research done on new methods of handling patients who need physiotherapy, especially sportsmen and women.
“We’ve noticed that there are so many boundaries in our universities and colleges, and when we meet in hospitals, we seem like we don’t know each other, and we don’t want to know each other. So the most important aspect of this symposium is networking and then the aspect of education. What is in the curriculum is not what is currently being practiced.” Said Rachael Kaboro, President of the Association of Physiotherapy Students at AMREF International University.
With new methods of technology both in training and competing in various sporting disciplines, the need to find new methods of treating injuries in sportsmen and women has become a necessity with continued research on physiotherapy that is required to handle such cases.
The students drawn from various learning institutions, including JKUAT and the Kenya Medical and Training College, who attended the symposium not only got the chance to beef up their knowledge but also learnt about avenues of getting employment after graduation.
“For the students, such events will play a key role in boosting their morale in studies, and it’s also a great avenue for them to come together and socialise because this is not only for AMREF International University but for all universities teaching physiotherapy and also brings on board physiotherapists who are practicing,” said John Owino, president of the student council at AMREF International University.
The number of sportsmen and women who need physiotherapy, especially after operations, has increased due to the growing numbers of athletes competing in the various new sporting disciplines introduced, and the Physiotherapy Council of Kenya, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is working hard to ensure these sportsmen and women get the help they need here in the country.
“We want the students to know that it’s them next as medical practitioners. And it begins from here because this is like mentorship so that you don’t graduate and you don’t know where to start. From here the students can understand that they can venture into sports physiotherapy, they can venture into occupational health and safety, they can venture into research, and they can come back and do training as lecturers, or they can look for jobs in hospitals.” Said Henry Opondo, president of the Kenya Society of Physiotherapists and chairman of the Physiotherapy Council of Kenya.
Physiotherapy helps to restore movement and function of the body affected by injury, illness, or disability and also reduces the risks of injury or illness in the future.
“There is a key difference between people who have had operations and those injured in sports. They might be sharing an injury, but the level of severity is different. So the point of physiotherapy is ensuring the sportsperson can be able to perform well again in their respective sports, while in the case of an operation, it is necessary in restoring the normal functions of their body.”Said Abraham Ochung, Senior Physiotherapist
at KMTC.
