dyton mupawaenda
The new local football season is only a few weeks away and several players are getting geared for the coming season.
One of the biggest factors that hinder players’ performance is how ready they are physically and mentally to perform on the field.
In modern football, a player’s recovery has become important factor to his performance.
On the domestic scene, there is growing interest in specialist sports masseurs.
Zimpapers Sports’ Nyasha Kada (NK) caught up with Lenon Gwara (LG), one of the emerging specialist sports masseurs, to understand their role in football.
NK: How important is recovery of football players now that new season Is a few weeks away?
LG: Recovery is the most key thing now in modern football due to the physical demands the game has now. Most teams are playing what they call high press football which demands a lot of mental, physical strength thus if one is not able to do or work on a proper recovery program it might live the player with fatigue and also prone to injuries.
This means recovery has become the epitome of apex football level as it allows the player to perform at his highest level, due to good conditioning of muscles and good mental state.
The (Castle Lager Premier Soccer League) season is a few weeks away, good preseason work out and training specialised recovery programs will allow the player to be at his best performance come the beginning of the season.
NK: What methods are used for a player’s recovery?
LG: The methods we are using right now are:
(1) Electrical cupping therapy, which helps with injury treatment and also reduce fatigue in the body.
(2) Cryotherapy also known as iced bath or cold room therapy one of the best ways to recover for player and also helps with reducing high levels of muscle tears and ankle and knees injuries.
(3) Normatec compression recovery, this is one of the most modern ways of recovery through using compression on the muscles and the good thing about this treatment it can cover the whole body and allows good flow of blood thus speeding up the recovery process of a player.
(4) Sports specialised massage therapy. This one actually works better than most of the treatments as it allows a focused programme or procedure that focus on the player prior to game day and post-match.
(5) Red light therapy. This is the modern and latest treatment recovery programme for players it uses infrared light focused to stimulate both the nerve system to allow fast stimulating of body hormones that allow the body to recover fast.
NK: How important is it for local football clubs to invest in specialist sports masseurs?
LG: It is of the highest importance to invest in a specialist of that area as it allows players to have a specialist diagnosis when it comes to their recovery both pre-game and post-game, if you check most big clubs from Man United, Man City etc in that department they have over six people that handle the players before training and post training.
My experience with Real Betis when we went to South African clubs like SuperSport and Mamelodi Sundowns, they also invest in that area , and it was of high advantage to us when we played against Sundowns we performed at par with them also due to good recovery programme, our young players where able to go pound for pound with the African Champions Juniors, thus my advice to Zimbabwean clubs, its high time they invest in specialist sports masseurs if they want a good change in the performance of their players . And these professionals are mandatory to have even in all sporting fields including national teams.
NK: What is your specialty as a masseur?
LG: As a masseur, I have specialised in Figure diagnosis, Anatomy and physiology, body reflexology, body electrical therapy just to mention a few .
NK: Any teams that you work with locally?
LG: Currently I’m contracted to Simba Bhora FC and Real Betis Academy and going under a mentorship programme with sports specialist Dr Nick Munyonga and SA former national team sports specialist Dr Thulani. I am proud to have come under the hands of specialist rehab and sports Dr Musara.
Online Reporter