Mustafa Al Deeb (Abu Dhabi)
The Spanish doctor, Ramon Cugat, is one of the most important specialists in stadium injuries in the world, and he has previously treated many stars who suffered major injuries, such as Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o, former Barcelona star, Spaniard Carlos Piol, former Barca defender as well, and Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The current Milan, and many players whose injuries are numerous, and the degree of their difficulty varies, so he has extensive experience, especially since he has been in this field for nearly 50 years.
Al-Ittihad newspaper met Kojat, during a visit to Abu Dhabi a few days ago, to talk to him regarding the injuries that players are exposed to and the most difficult ones, and to learn regarding ways to prevent them.
In the beginning, the veteran Spanish doctor talked regarding the most difficult injuries that the football player is exposed to, and he said: There are many injuries, the most serious of which is knee dislocation with nerve paralysis, which is a very rare condition, and it may not be repeated often.
Cugat pointed out that the rupture of the “popliteal arteries” located behind the knee is the worst injury ever that can happen to a player, especially since its place is “very sensitive”, as well as it requires a long time for treatment, and specific methods are very difficult.
The veteran doctor spoke regarding the role of the psychological state in prompt treatment of injuries, and said: Certainly the psychological condition of the injured person plays a very important role in treatment, especially as it is like any disease, and in some cases the psychological factor may be more important than the muscular treatment.
Cugat stressed that the treatment of any injury is in parallel, both psychologically and organically, noting that most cases have some difficulty in returning to the stadiums, but the psychological condition may accelerate the return, and contribute to rapid treatment.
He added: For my part, I ask the player, upon returning to the “green rectangle”, whether he is ready to play, and does he have the desire to return and prefer to play? If his answer is not completely certain, I always advise him to wait a week or two, to make sure that he is mentally and physically ready to play, and he must also know and ascertain his conditions with his family, whether his wife and children, as well as his parents, and everyone around him!
And he said: Certainly, the club for which the injured player plays has a role in the matter, and for example whoever defends the colors of “City”, “Real” and “Barca”, and the top clubs in general, is not like any other player, because he participates in many and large tournaments, as well Being an international player in his country’s national team, the pressure on him is strong from all sides.
Cugat talked regarding the most important players he treated, and said: Many big stars came to me, and I succeeded in treating them and contributing to their return to the stadiums, such as Samuel Eto’o, Carlos Piol, Ibrahimovic and Pep Guardiola, the current City coach, and many players.
Cugat touched on the most difficult injury he faced, and said: There are many cases, but the most difficult thing I faced during my career was the injury of a Uruguayan player named Miguel, who suffered from a “dislocation” of the knee, his problem in the arteries, and also a “crack” in the bone below the knee, He cracked in the knee joints, and the matter was very complicated, especially since each injury requires a different treatment, but in the end we succeeded in returning him to the stadiums following a year and a half, and he played once morest Real Madrid with one of the Brazilian clubs in the Club World Cup.
