The County Government of Uasin Gishu has supported the introduction of specialized sports science care, for, among others, managing injuries and professional medication.
United States Life University has collaborated with the University of Eldoret for the introduction of a Chiropractic Sports Science Program.
The program is billed to be an advantage to athletes at the athletics rich – North Rift.
Further, the program comes as a prop to sportspersons who have had to agonizingly stay out of active competition due to injury layoffs.
World 800-metre record holder, David Rudisha, is among athletes forced to retire early due to persistent injuries.
Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor, Eng John Barorot, on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, hosted officials from the United States Life University, led by its Vice President for Global Initiatives, Dr John Downes.
Speaking at the meeting, Eng Barorot said the program will be very helpful for athletes who have had to retire early due to a lack of specialized care in cases of injuries.
Specialized know-how
“Generally, most of our athletes who do not have managers and usually when they pick injuries, they access attention from general physicians who may not be having specialized know-how,” said Barorot.
“With the introduction of this program, we are hopeful that this will inject a new impetus in sports.”
The DG also added that the program will work to control cases of the use of banned drugs and performance-boosting substances.
“Some of our athletes have in the past been introduced to some drugs ostensibly to cure some infections, for example, drugs that may have elements which are blacklisted in sports,” he said.
Dr Downes proposed the need to introduce chiropractic care in a sportsperson’s training routine, just like diet and nutrition, to help identify and arrest problems early, should they arise, and most importantly, introduce treatment and management at early stages.
County Executive for Sports, Eng Lucy Ng’endo, and Deputy Director for Sports, Wilson Koros, were among the county staff who attended the meeting.
Chiropractor care is specialized attention to ensure the body functions as optimally as possible by using spinal manipulations to relieve pain in joints and muscles.
The manipulations will increase blood flow and nerve conductivity to the joints and muscles experiencing pain.
