PBA taps med experts in player injury prevention

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Basketball Association is to gather team physicians, physical therapists and team skippers to sit down together in consultation with renowned sports medicine expert Dr. Raul Canlas on better ways to avoid injuries.

“We’re holding this of course with the welfare of our players in mind. We’re consulting with the expert as there may be programs that could lessen injuries to our players,” said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.

The league was severely hit by injuries in the just concluded Philippine Cup with Marc Pingris, Kevin Alas, James Yap, Terrence Romeo, Greg Slaughter, Justin Melton and Chris Tiu among the casualties.

Pingris and Alas are both out of the season due to a complete ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear.

Yap and Slaughter were helpless on the bench due to their own health woes as their teams were booted out in the playoffs. Tiu and Melton were in and out of the tourney while Romeo was able to play only towards the end of the tourney.

“We’re sad for our players and we’re looking for ways to help,” said Marcial.

“Dr. Canlas is also sharing with us a new cardio checkup,” the PBA chieftain also said.

Canlas is a member of the 12-strong FIBA Medical Commission. He’s the only Asian in the group, appointed in 2014 and will serve until 2019. Aside from the Philippines, the other countries represented in the commission are Australia, Switzerland, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Guinea, Nigeria, Canada, Serbia, Spain and Turkey.

Canlas was in the last two Olympics as head of the FIBA medical team. Overall, he has attended six Olympics since 1996.

The PBA group meets Canlas before the opening of the import-laced Commissioner’s Cup on April 22.

Romeo faces his former team right away as TNT KaTropa and GlobalPort clash in the opener which also features a face-off between Blackwater and Columbian Dyip (formerly Kia Picanto).

The Beermen and the Magnolia Hotshots, the Philippine Cup title protagonists, are not scheduled to play at least in the first two weeks of the Commissioner’s Cup.

Columbian Dyip and Blackwater play two straight games at the start of the tourney as they’re pitted against separate opponents on April 25. The former takes on the Meralco Bolts while the latter tackles the Phoenix Fuel Masters on Day Two, also at the Big Dome.

It’s Meralco versus GlobalPort then Alaska Milk opposite Rain or Shine on April 27, and NLEX against Columbian Dyip then TNT KaTropa versus Phoenix on April 28 to complete the first week of Commissioner’s Cup action.