By Godwin Eki – EMTV Sports, Port Moresby
Team PNG for the 2019 Pacific Games will for the first time have a Chief Physiotherapist traveling with them to the games. Mathew Natusch who arrived in Port Moresby last Thursday, March 14, started assisting the national physiotherapist to carry out rehabilitation sessions with athletes that are training and preparing for the Pacific Games, as they are expected to leave for Samoa in June.
Having worked in PNG for three decades, Mathew Natusch is now in the country and will be taking the role of Chief Physiotherapist for Team PNG to the Pacific Games. Natusch who started his therapy sessions on Friday, with athletes from various sporting codes, says it’s a great opportunity to meet Team PNG staff and to work together.
“We are here through the PNG Olympics Committee and the PNG Sports Foundation…Just screening some of our athletes and preparation for the Pacific Games so we need to ensure that our athletes are in the best possible condition, so that’s the idea of the screening and we’re also looking at treating some of the chronic injuries that they have,” the Chief Physiotherapist said.
He says when performing at an elite level there always little things that could be done better and so identifying and correcting them are necessary, and with a good knowledge base in place it is really important that the team works together.
Natusch also added that athletes’ responsibility should also be taken into account, in terms of looking after their health and wellbeing.
