BMC inaugurates sports rehabilitation centre at KEM hospital

Mumbai's BMC opened a Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Centre at KEM Hospital, offering advanced treatment for athletes, bridging a public healthcare gap.

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday inaugurated a Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Centre at the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, making it the first civic-run hospital in the city to offer specialised treatment for injured athletes under one roof.

Mumbai, India - March 22, 2017: Patients and their relatives wait outside outside KEM Hospital on the third day of the protest by the resident doctor in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.(Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

The newly opened centre is equipped with advanced rehabilitation facilities, including an underwater treadmill and a zero-gravity treadmill, which reduce stress on joints while allowing early movement; digital systems such as D-Wall and Walker View that analyse posture, balance and walking patterns to guide personalised physiotherapy, as well equipment to strengthen muscles. It also offers a range of therapies such as Tecar, ultrasonic, interferential, shockwave, ice and heat therapy. To support athletes who require extended recovery, a dedicated 20-bed inpatient ward has been set up as part of the facility.

Municipal commissioner and administrator Bhushan Gagrani said the centre addresses a long-standing gap in public healthcare for sportspersons. “As India prepares for global sporting events, cities like Mumbai need accessible, specialised centres for injury treatment and recovery. This initiative will help athletes return to sport safely and strengthen KEM Hospital’s role at the national level,” he said.

An official from the BMC’s public health department said the centre will function as a multidisciplinary sports medicine unit, bringing together specialists like arthroscopic surgeons (an orthopedic specialist who performs a minimally invasive surgery using a tiny camera), physiotherapists, occupational therapists, biophysicists, psychiatrists and dieticians. “Earlier, such comprehensive care was largely available only in private hospitals. This centre brings international-standard sports injury management into a public hospital setting,” the official said.

Officials said the facility will cater to athletes across age groups and sporting disciplines, ranging from amateur players to professional sportspersons. The BMC also plans to formally establish a dedicated Sports Medicine Department at KEM Hospital and gradually expand the range of services based on patient load and demand.