In the field of health and fitness, sports medicine plays a crucial role.
Redefining the Pace of Victory: Sports Medicine in Kazakhstan
Meet Dr. Olzhas BOLTAEV, a sports medicine heavyweight. A man who sprints alongside athletes through pain, recoveries, and victories, ensuring they're at their best when it matters most.
After surgery's dull halls, Dr. Boltaev chose the thrilling course of sports medicine. Why surgery, a knife, and healing bones, when he could dabble in sweat, tears, and the chase for gold?
"I wanted something not typical. Between radiology and sports medicine. I chose the latter. It's not just about treating, but understanding how to help athletes achieve their goal, maintain their form, and prevent breakdowns. In a way, we're side by side with them, striding towards victory," explains the doctor.
He's logged over two and a half years on the track with the national short track speed skating team. A journey that molded more than just medical prowess, but a deep insight into prevention and rehabilitation's weight in high-stakes sports.
Being a sports doctor, Dr. Boltaev's duties are split into two key laps: team accompaniment and sports medicine activities. During the first, he becomes an integral part of the training process, strategizing recoveries, prescribing sports nutrition, and preventing overexertion. In the latter, he works at the selection, prevention, and analysis levels.
The life of a sports doctor is a dance between overloads and injuries. In speed skating, athletes scrape blades, twist joints, and occasionally fracture bones in unpredictable falls.
"COVID made those times tough. We isolated infected athletes, monitored their condition, and found gentle but effective recovery methods to keep their form intact," reminisces Dr. Boltaev, painting a vivid picture of the delicate balance between sports medicine and epidemiology.
If an athlete gets injured, the game plan is swift: immediate first aid followed by rehab. In Astana and Almaty, sports medicine centers equipped with physical therapy, LFK, and other procedures stand ready. During this recovery phase, the athlete takes a temporary rest from training, and physical exertion is minimized.
"Our goal is to make the recovery process speedy but thorough. We monitor the athlete's health and adapt the plan, from vitamin intake to exercises, ensuring they return to competition mentally prepared as well," says the doctor.
As for injury-prone sports, Dr. Boltaev is unequivocal:
"MMA - injuries are almost inevitable. Fractures, concussions, tears, even hemorrhagic strokes can happen. Chess, however, seems injury-free," he jokes, reflecting the dichotomy between rough and smooth athletic landscapes.
Dr. Boltaev sees potential for Kazakhstan's sports medicine to sprint ahead, particularly in developing specialized clinics for specific sports and integrating medical data into athlete training strategies. Yet, he acknowledges challenges rooted in infrastructure, lack of trained specialists, awareness, funding, and research gaps.
Understanding these hurdles, Dr. Boltaev advocates for dedicated sports medicine courses in medical universities, modernizing infrastructure, raising awareness, enhancing collaboration, and generating policy support. With a strategic response, he hopes to boost not only athlete health and performance but the entire sports and fitness culture in Kazakhstan.
Dr. Boltaev's chosen career path in sports medicine allows him to work closely with athletes, aiming to help them achieve their goals and prevent breakdowns – a world away from the routine of surgery. He commented, "It's not just about treating, but understanding how to help athletes maintain their form and prevent injuries."
In his role as a sports doctor, Dr. Boltaev faces a constant dance between overloads and injuries, especially in sports like speed skating. However, he believes that Kazakhstan's sports medicine sector has the potential to advance, with the development of specialized clinics for specific sports and the integration of medical data into training strategies.
