Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal has revealed she has been combating arthritis and associated knee degeneration.
The world of sports activities glorifies power, vitality and vigour, however years of being on the sports activities discipline can take a bodily toll on athletes. India’s star shuttler Saina Nehwal, who turned the primary badminton participant from the nation to clinch an Olympic medal in 2012, has revealed she is combating arthritis. She says the stress on her knees has impacted her coaching, and it could change into the rationale she retires from the sport quickly.
Saina Nehwal started enjoying badminton on the tender of age of 9. She is at the moment 34, and has confronted her fair proportion of accidents throughout her wonderful profession, which additionally noticed her changing into a World No.1 participant.
My knee is just not excellent… I’ve arthritis: Saina Nehwal
The Haryana lady made the revelation about her well being in a podcast with taking pictures legend Gagan Narang. She stated, “The knee is just not excellent. I’ve arthritis. My cartilage has gone to a nasty state. It is vitally tough to push for 8-9 hours. How will you problem the very best gamers on the earth in such a state? I believe I must settle for it someplace. As a result of 2 hours of coaching is just not adequate to play with the very best degree of gamers and get the specified outcomes.”
As a matter of reality, Saina Nehwal has not participated in aggressive badminton since enjoying on the Singapore Open in 2023. Whereas she didn’t instantly speak about her retirement plans, Saina took a second to mull over the “quick profession” of a sportsperson.
“I’m additionally interested by it (retirement). It will likely be unhappy as a result of it is sort of a job {that a} regular particular person does. Clearly, a sportsperson’s profession is at all times a brief one. I began on the age of 9. I shall be 35 subsequent 12 months. So, I’ve additionally had an extended profession. And I’m very happy with that. I’ve damaged my physique to an incredible extent. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved and given all of it. Will assess how I really feel by the top of this 12 months,” she stated through the podcast.
Saina Nehwal’s unparalleled achievements in badminton additionally led her to be honoured by India’s civilian honour, the Padma Shree. She has beforehand gained two medals in Commonwealth Video games in 2010 and 2018, in addition to a bronze medal in Olympics 2012. Saina has competed in 3 Olympics, however given her well being situation, she has acknowledged that you simply’ve acquired to surrender when your “physique is telling that you’re not doing nicely and you’ve got accidents”.
Are athletes extra liable to arthritis?
Athletes undergo a number of put on and tear throughout their coaching and enjoying years. Among the world’s prime sportspersons have been by means of career-threatening accidents. Some may combat them and make a comeback, whereas others selected to place their profession on the backburner.
Notably these athletes concerned in high-impact sports activities are sometimes at an elevated threat of growing arthritis sooner than the overall inhabitants.
Dr Rajat Chauhan, a Sports activities-Train Medication and Musculoskeletal Medication Doctor, tells Well being Pictures, “When there’s extra load on a joint, individuals are going to be extra liable to the chance of osteoarthritis. However with correct muscle alignment courtesy stretching, power coaching and conditioning, in addition to rehab, extreme loading might be prevented. If there may be not sufficient relaxation and restoration, there can at all times be greater possibilities of osteoarthritis – whether or not it’s for somebody who’s operating, enjoying a sport at a elite degree or perhaps a one that doesn’t transfer sufficient.”
Having stated that, all sportspersons wouldn’t have osteoarthritis, asserts the skilled. Plenty of it boils all the way down to their train and damage administration packages. In terms of athletes, “quick positive aspects of profitable a match may very well be messing round with long-term losses”, says Dr Chauhan, including that sportspersons ought to spare a considered their high quality of life as soon as their profession ends.
Sports activities accidents are frequent in athletes
Accidents to shoulders, elbows, knees, legs and ankles are quite common amongst athletes throughout disciplines. These are sometimes known as the hidden prices of excessive efficiency on the sports activities discipline.
Exposing joints to repetitive stress, particularly in high-impact sports activities reminiscent of soccer, basketball, and operating, can speed up the wear and tear and tear of cartilage, the tissue that cushions the joints. Over time, this could result in osteoarthritis, the most typical type of arthritis, characterised by the breakdown of cartilage and the next rubbing of bones towards one another.
In accordance with a research revealed within the British Journal of Sports activities Medication, one in 4 retired Olympians confronted physician-diagnosed osteoarthritis (OA). Harm was related to an elevated threat of osteoarthritis and ache on the knee, hip and ankle. Additionally, the chance of knee and hip osteoarthritis after damage, was discovered to be larger for Olympians in contrast with the overall inhabitants.
Ligament tears itself are typically answerable for the onset of osteoarthritis. Analysis from the American Journal of Sports activities Medication that people with a historical past of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) accidents are at the next threat of growing knee osteoarthritis.
