Our panel of experts tell how sports can be continued safely these days, how to overcome sports related phobias, and how to heal injuries

Q: I am a football player and I practice thrice a week with my team. We don’t have enough awareness about the corona virus. Please guide us about this disease. Is it safe to play in the ground, especially the physical contact with teammates, shaking hands, hugging, etc. Please advise us whether to stop playing the game temporarily. Can we continue to play with some precautions? Thank you. –Aftab Manghi

A: This virus spread through coughing, sneezing and touching. You can continue to play if it’s very important and none of your teammates has fever, cough and difficulty in breathing along with international travel history in last 14 days. Or they are not in contact with someone who has above mentioned conditions.

And since you are playing in the open there is least risk. However, try to finish your play soon and don’t hang around till late. Tell your team members if they have fever, cough or runny nose, to stay at home for 14 days.

Dr. Sadia Amir

Assistant Professor and Consultant

Infectious Diseases,

Department of Internal Medicine,

Liaquat National Hospital & Medical College

Q: I am 22 years old and play cricket as a fast bowler. Can you please give me some information about shin injury, and how to avoid it? – Mohammad Atef Khan

A: Shin splint (Shin injury) is the inflammation of muscles and tendons (soft tissues) around the tibia (leg bone). It is due to overuse or repetitive load over the shin area. The usual complaint is diffuse pain in the leg, more severe at the beginning of exercise. X-ray of the leg is normal in this case.

The predisposing factors are running without enough shock absorption (running on uneven surfaces or with improper shoes), aggressive exercise without warm up and other training errors (hill exercise early in the exercise, sudden increase in intensity of exercise). To avoid it, keep your exercise pattern in a gradual incremental way, use proper comfortable shoes, even ground surface during exercise and have adequate water intake.

Prof. Dr. Zaki Idrees

FRCS, A.O. Fellow

Professor|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Liaquat National Hospital & Medical College

Q: I am a cyclist, 19 years old, and always eager to participate in mega events. Last year, while practising on a weekend, I hit a stone thrown on the road. I fell down from the bicycle and suffered a few bruises and minor injuries. Since then I have developed a fear of speed. Whether I am sitting in the car or riding the motor bike, I get nervous with an average speed. My heart beats increase and I sweat a lot. Please help me to come out of this speed fear. I will be grateful. –Waheed Butt

A: The main treatment of your problem is psychotherapy or counseling. However, in the initial stages of your treatment, you may require medications.

I advise that you get an initial evaluation by a psychiatrist, who can make a management plan for you. The management will consist of medication prescribed by the psychiatrist and psychotherapy given by the psychiatrist themself or you may be referred to a therapist for therapy while the psychiatrist will continue to manage the medications.

It is important that you follow closely with the psychiatrist for the management as the medications if taken without adequate supervision of a trained specialist can cause serious side effects and are potentially habit-forming.

Dr. Ayesha Quraishy

Diplomate American Board of Psychiatry

Head of Department, Assistant Professor | Department of Mental Health

Liaquat National Hospital & Medical College

Q: I am a badminton player. I am 33 years old. Every evening I play this game for at least two hours. As a right handed player I hold the racket in my right hand. For the last two weeks I have had pain at the joint of my right arm and shoulder. Sometimes the pain aggravates to such a level that I call off the game. Please advise what to do. Thanks. –Qamar ul Hassan

A: Dear Mr Qamar ul Hassan, thank you for sending a query. From the description of your symptom it appears that the small muscles around your shoulder have become inflamed.

These symptoms should resolve with physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory medications, local ice therapy. If your symptoms persist then please visit our sports injury consultant at LNH.

Prof. Dr. Syed Shahid Noor

FRCS (Tr&Orth), FRCS (Eng), FRCS (Edin), MS Trauma (University of Birmingham), A.O. Fellow

Head of the Department | Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Liaquat National Hospital & Medical College