Buzz By The Bay: Dr. Ashai Shares Insights On The Evolving Perception Of Physiotherapy

Until fairly recently, physiotherapy wasn’t given much importance in India. People saw it as essential only for post-surgery rehabilitation. But, now, we are recognising it’s wider benefits. Dr Aijaaz Ashai made his way from the Kashmir valley to Mumbai and has worked hard to establish himself as a leading physiotherapist. He has played a key role in the fitness journey of many celebrities like cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Bollywood stars such as Salman Khan. He was also the physio for the Mumbai Indians, Pro Kabaddi and Rugby teams.

In an interaction with The Free Press Journal, he talks about his journey as a physiotherapist and more.

Excerpts from the interview:

Where did you study physiotherapy?

I did Bachelors in Physiotherapy from Kolkata’s National Institute for Orthopaedically Handicap, followed by Masters. In between I went to the US to get a specialisation in the back and shoulder areas. Fortunately, I got an opportunity to work with North Carolina and South Carolina football teams, after which I came back to India and started working here.

You have said in the past that physiotherapists are not given the importance they deserve?

Now it’s much better. It has become a part of medical science and part of medicine. After doing surgery, doctors these days prefer to send patients to physios to maintain themselves.

People understand the value of fitness more now, that’s a good trend right?

People go to the trainers in the gym and there’s nothing wrong in that but they are not medically trained people. For example, you have a neck pain, you go to gym and your pain shoots up. This is because the person he trained before you with the same neck pain got better with the same exercise, so he assumed it would work on you. The trainer doesn’t know the guy who came before you had spondylosis, where exercise is a must. But if you have spondylitis, you’re not supposed to exercise. You’re supposed to rest that part. Once the inflammation and stiffness is gone then you can exercise. But in spondylosis, which is degeneration, exercise is the first step. It’s easier for physios to diagnose this and give you a proper programme.

How did you get into sports physiotherapy?

Yes, I played cricket and football in Kashmir. I’ve seen sportsmen leaving in between because of injuries and because there was no one to help them. Every doctor has a limitation. Like an orthopaedic surgeon can do surgeries after that he can’t do anything.

How long ago did you move to Mumbai?

I left Kashmir in 1991 and moved to Delhi to play for Delhi University. At the same time, I gave my entrance for Kolkata National Institute and got in. I finished from Kolkata in 1998 and came to Mumbai straight away. I spent two good nights at a Haji Ali bench because I didn’t have a place to stay. Fortunately, I got a job in Mumbai. At the same time my parents called me and told me that a hospital in Kashmir wanted a physio as a head of department. They were ready to pay Rs 10,000 per month. In Mumbai, I was getting Rs 2500 per month. But I told my parents that I’m getting Rs 25,000 a month so that I could stay here.

Coming to the Paris Olympics and the Vinesh Phogat episode where she was 100 gms overweight and had to be disqualified and missed out on a gold. Who should take the blame?

It’s a team and when we lose everyone should accept the blame. That’s how you learn. When I was with the Pro Kabaddi team, I used to take their weight one week before and again two days before. I used to make sure they are at least 1 or 1.5 kg less than what they should be. Then I used to train them in that weight, so that when they go there they should not be even .0001 kg higher than required. That’s what we need to learn as a physio, and I don’t blame players at all.