"PRESCRIPTION FOR PHYSICAL EXERCISE IS AS CRUCIAL AS PRESCRIPTION FOR ANY OTHER MEDICATION"


By Flynn Remedios – Futuristic Media Network

With the young and old alike making a beeline for gymnasiums, health-clubs and alternate means of rehabilitation and relaxation, the role of physiotherapists and physical therapists has increased manifold.

Speaking on the sidelines of the WCPT-AWP & IAP Congress 2009 scheduled to be held from 22nd to 25th January’09 at the Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai, Prof D H Dastoor -eminent physical therapist and Organising Secretary of the Event opined that many gyms that have sprouted in metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkatta are ill-equipped to cater to the needs of most of their clients. “Prescription for physical exercise is as crucial as prescription for any other medication,” she opined, adding that if one was told to do 25 pushups and had to do say 50 if would be the same as over-dosing on any other restricted medication. “Physical exercise when prescribed as a means of rehabilitation or as a cure for certain joint pains or spinal problems is as crucial as medication for any life-threatening ailments and should not be misused or taken lightly,” she advised.

Experts from 23 member countries of the Asia West Pacific (AWP) region of the World Confederation of Physical Therapists (WCPT) are expected to come together to share their experience, techniques and scientific knowledge in Clinical and Research areas in the field of Physical Therapy and to deliberate on professional issues at the symposiums, debates, workshops and panel discussions that are all part of the WCPT-AWP and IAP Congress. The Congress will also focus on Lifestyle-related diseases which are rampant not only in metros in India, but also in smaller towns.

Elaborating further on this issue, Dr Dastoor said, “Many gyms have trainers who may be good at supervising basic physical training, but they are not trained physios.” Physical Trainers cannot double up as physical therapists and give advice or counsel clients with respect to body aches, joint pains, or musclo-skeletal problems. Sadly many of them do so, Dr Dastoor lamented.

Given the growing problem of Lifestyle-related diseases that now plague about 70 to 80 per cent of the working population in a metro, thanks to the bad condition of roads, overcrowded public transport, odd-working hours, added commuting time due to residential locales shifting out of the city or away from commercial hubs many people tend to rush to gyms and health clubs. Coming down heavily on certain fly-by-night operators who lure the populace with flashy advertisements featuring male and female models with toned, chiseled bodies, Dr Dastoor said that one should be very careful before enrolling for a fitness program. “It is imperative to check the academic and experience credentials of the “expert” dishing out advice in health clubs and gymnasiums as some of them could be Rehabilitation Therapists or even mere Physical Trainers claiming to be experts in Physiotherapy.

Besides Indian experts like Dr Ali Irani – President of the IAP (and former Physiotherapist of the Indian Cricket Team), Dr D H Dastoor – Organising Secretary, Dr Savita Ravindra, chairperson - AWP Region, other international experts at the WCPT-AWP and IAP Congress will include Dr Margot Skinner, Dr Marilyn Moffat – President WCPT, Dr Michael Shacklock, Dr Sara Meeks and Dr Cathy Hazzard, besides many others.

This is the 4th Asia-West Pacific (AWP) Regional Conference of the World Confederation of Physical Therapists (WCPT) conducted with the Indian Association of Physiotherapists. This significant and path-breaking four-day event will be inaugurated by WCPT President Dr Marilyn Moffat, an eminent expert herself in the field of physical therapy. Many other leading luminaries from the realm of physiotherapy will be present and will conduct workshops and make presentations during this event, said Dr Dastoor.

WCPT-AWP & IAP International Physical Therapy Congress to give a major boost to physiotherapy in India

By Flynn Remedios in Mumbai

The WCPT-AWP & IAP Congress 2009 scheduled to be held from 22nd to 25th January’09 at the Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai, will give a major boost to physiotherapy practice in India, says Prof D H Dastoor, organizing secretary of the event. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, she said, “This international event will bring together experts from 23 member countries of the Asia West Pacific (AWP) region of the World Confederation of Physical Therapists (WCPT) on a common platform who will interact with their Indian counterparts for about six days and share their invaluable knowledge with them, giving a major fillip to this particular branch of medical practice in India.”

With the growing incidence of Lifestyle-related diseases in Metros and even in smaller towns in India – thanks to long working hours, incorrect diet, bad road and commuting conditions, performance anxiety both at the workplace and at home and the peer pressure to keep up with the neighbourhood in terms of standard of living, the practice of physiotherapy and the need for well-trained and experienced physios or PTs has become the need of the hour.

While the main event is from 22nd to 25th, there are two days of pre and post event workshops, which will include practical demonstration of technique and latest stage-of-the-art equipment by international experts. A Trade Exhibition open to members of the medical fraternity by invitation only will showcase the latest gadgetry and apparatus, says Dr Dastoor.

Besides Indian experts like Dr Ali Irani – President of the IAP (and former Physiotherapist of the Indian Cricket Team), Dr D H Dastoor – Organising Secretary, Dr Savita Ravindra, chairperson - AWP Region, other international experts will include Dr Margot Skinner, Dr Marilyn Moffat – President WCPT, Dr Michael Shacklock, Dr Sara Meeks and Dr Cathy Hazzard, besides many others.

This is the 4th Asia-West Pacific (AWP) Regional Conference of the World Confederation of Physical Therapists (WCPT) conducted with the Indian Association of Physiotherapists. This significant and path-breaking four-day event will be inaugurated by WCPT President Dr Marilyn Moffat, an eminent expert herself in the field of physical therapy. Many other leading luminaries from the realm of physiotherapy will be present and will conduct workshops and make presentations during this event, said Dr Dastoor.

About a thousand national and international experts and delegates from the Asia West Pacific region as well as from the United States of America will attend this Congress. Another thousand-plus Indian medical and physiotherapy students are expected to participate in the lectures and workshops – and will get a unique opportunity to interact with the best brains in the world on this subject.

“70-80 per cent of the working population in metros suffers from Lifestyle-related Diseases”


By Simone Mitchell – Futuristic Media Network


Life in a metro takes a heavy toll on its working populace. According to physiotherapist and organising secretary of the WCPT-AWP and IAP Congress 2009, Prof D H Dastoor about 70 to 80 per cent of the working population in a city could possibly suffer from some lifestyle-related diseases. Prof Dastoor said this while speaking on the sidelines of the World Confederation of Physical Therapy-Asia West Pacific and Indian Association of Physical Therapists Congress 2009.

Prolonged incorrect posture in the work environment coupled with high stress and improper diet are sure-fire silent killers, Dastoor added. According to other statistics about 70 per cent of the afflicted wouldn’t know that they suffer from a lifestyle-related disease. Most would opt for a short-term home remedy or hop across to the neighboring spa for a massage or turn to alternate medicine. Some would just pop a pain-killer as a short term symptomatic cure. None, if few of them would realize that the trouble lies much beneath.

Long and tedious hours of work take a toll on the physical state of a person leading to the by now very-common problems of neck and lower backaches. Other Lifestyle-related diseases like obesity also add to the overall problem.

Physiotherapy treatment helps retrain the body muscles and create a positive change in body awareness and movement behaviour, which helps overcome exhaustive hurdles in daily routine.

Not only is the problem of overcoming pain and further deterioration dealt with by physiotherapy but also it helps increase efficiency at work and saves companies the grief of medical coverage, employee ineffectiveness and chronic absence from work due to recurring work-aggravated conditions.

It really doesn’t matter which job you are in but what matters is the way its being done. Shorter working hours allow the body to adapt accordingly as there is enough time for rest, recreation and proper nutrition. Now, with ready-to-eat fast food and long hours of persistent or faulty posture coupled by stress, we are left a mere shadow of the potential we really could be. Continued fatigue results in further prolonged faulty posture causing pain and ensuing in a further distortion of posture. Aggravated pain results in a chronic, exhaustive, viscous cycle that completely saps the body, requiring complete bed rest and intensive physiotherapy treatment.

Computer and IT workers have a tendency to develop neck pains, carpel tunnel syndrome, etc due to the long hours spent before computers in a non-ergonomic ambience. Driving for long distances in congested traffic and particularly over potholed bad roads either as part of a job or even at the beginning or end of the day is grueling. Usually when a person is tired they slouch and tilt their body to one side. This usually results in a habitually awkward position which can lead to low backache, lumbago and sciatica. These are just a few of the common lesser evils that plague the city population.

We may not be able to cut down on the hours of work or travel, but we can rectify the way we do things. Physical therapy helps increase awareness of correct body posture as well as train related body muscles and help in maintaining a better posture.

The WCPT-AWP & IAP Congress 2009 will be held from 22nd to 25th January’09 at the Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai. This is the 4th Asia-West Pacific (AWP) Regional Conference of the World Confederation of Physical Therapists (WCPT) conducted with the Indian Association of Physiotherapists (IAP). This significant four-day event will be inaugurated by WCPT President Dr Marilyn Moffat an eminent expert herself in the field of physical therapy. Many other leading luminaries from the realm of physiotherapy will be present and will conduct workshops and make presentations during this event.

INDIAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSIOTHERAPISTS’ (IAP) CONGRESS 2009 TO BE HELD FROM 22ND TO 25TH JAN 2009 AT MUMBAI

The WCPT-AWP & IAP Congress 2009 will be held from 22nd to 25th January’09 at the Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai. This is the 4th Asia-West Pacific (AWP) Regional Conference of the World Confederation of Physical Therapists (WCPT) conducted with the Indian Association of Physiotherapists (IAP). This significant four-day event will be inaugurated by WCPT President Dr Marilyn Moffat an eminent expert herself in the field of physical therapy. Many other leading luminaries from the realm of physiotherapy will be present and will conduct workshops and make presentations during this event.


Physical therapy is an important part of health service delivery systems around the world. The aim of physical therapists is to identify and maximize human movement potential within the sphere of promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation in partnership with their clients. Keeping this in mind and the changing global health scenario the theme of the congress is “Physiotherapy in Service of Global Health and Disease Control”.


Experts from 23 member countries of the Asia West Pacific (AWP) region of the World Confederation of Physical Therapists (WCPT) will come together to share their experience, techniques and scientific knowledge in Clinical and Research areas in the field of Physical Therapy and to deliberate on professional issues at the symposiums, debates, workshops and panel discussions that are all part of this Congress.


About a thousand national and international experts and delegates from the Asia West Pacific region as well as from the United States of America will attend this Congress. Another thousand medical and physiotherapy students are expected to participate in the lectures and workshops. Four pre and post Congress technical workshops by eminent international faculty will be the salient features of the Congress. A Trade Exhibition is also part of the Congress to showcase products and equipment from India and all over the region and the entire medical community is expected to turn up for the exhibition.


Dr Ali Irani, President of IAP and Prof. D H Dastoor, Organising Secretary of the Joint Congress while welcoming this endeavor acknowledged that this is the first occasion when such a joint Congress on such a scale is being held in India. “Mumbai being the birthplace of physiotherapy in India, it is apt that Mumbai be the venue of this important joint Congress,” they added. Dr Ali Irani, Prof D H Dastoor and the entire Organising Committee extends a warm welcome to all the international delegates and experts and exhorts them to come together to foster friendship, harmony and share their professional experience, expertise and technique.


Dr Savita Ravindra, chairperson, AWP Region while welcoming the delegates says, “The primary objective of the Congress is to create a common platform wherein wisdom, knowledge and skills can be collectively put together to combat the fast growing diseases and disorders for a healthier world.”


According to Dr Marilyn Moffat, President, WCPT, “With the increasing impact of the diseases of civilization, as we see in obesity, smoking-related disorders, metabolic syndrome and the like upon our societies around the world, it becomes imperative that we not only treat and provide interventions for our patients and clients as we always have, but also we assume a major role in health promotion, wellness and fitness.”



For more information and Media Registration contact:

Flynn Remedios (Media Co-ordinator)
Tel: +919821889888
Email: remedios.flynn@gmail.com
Media updates on: http://iapcongress2009.blogspot.com and http://futuristicmedianetwork.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.awpiap2009.com

MEDIA INVITATION



On behalf of the WCPT-AWP & IAP Congress 2009



Dr Ali Irani (President-IAP), Dr Sanjiv Jha (Secretary-IAP), Dr D H Dastoor (Organising Secretary-IAP Congress) and Savita Ravindra (Scientific Chairperson)


cordially invites you to


the Press Conference to announce


the WCPT-AWP and IAP Congress 2009*



On 21st January 2009, 3.30 pm at the Nanavati Hospital Auditorium,
Vile Parle (West), S.V. Road, Mumbai



Your presence will be greatly appreciated.



For more information contact:

Flynn Remedios (Media Co-ordinator)
Tel: +919821889888 Email: remedios.flynn@gmail.com
Media updates on: http://iapcongress2009.blogspot.com and http://futuristicmedianetwork.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.awpiap2009.com



(WCPT – World Confederation of Physiotherapists; IAP – Indian Association of Physiotherapists; AWP – Asia West Pacific World Confederation of Physiotherapists)*

BOLLYWOOD TO MEET SCI-TECH AT NOBEL LAUREATES SCIENCE CONCLAVE AT IIIT-ALLAHABAD

By Frank Franklyn – FUTURISTIC MEDIA NETWORK

It can be called the marriage of glamour with sci-tech, the clash of glittering jewellery and stones with slithering protons. Photons of light bouncing off the shimmer and sheen of pancake embellished with glitter. For the first time in Asian scientific history, Bollywood will meet sci-tech and hi-tech at the Nobel Laureates Science Conclave at IIIT-Allahabad – the biggest scientific gathering on this continent. The week-long event will be flagged off on 15th December, 2008.


Bollywood stars, actors and performers like Hema Malini, Shradha Sharma, Anup Jalota, Mital Singh, Bhupinder Singh and Penaz Masani have already confirmed their presence. Many more are still expected to join. According to Flynn Remedios, National Media Co-ordinator, Science Conclave 2008, "The presence of Bollywood will lighten enlightened minds as they pontificate on the Origin of the Universe, Relativity, Particle Physics, Nuclear medicine, Nanotechnology, Wearable Computing and so on."

According to Dr M D Tiwari, Founding Director, IIIT-A, "For the first time in Indian and Asian history, 12 Nobel Laureates, leaders, policymakers, research scholars and students including the first batch of the "INSPIRE" program by the DST will participate in the conclave to discuss the emerging trends in the scientific research and technological innovations in world of science. This is a great opportunity for the Indian scientific community particularly young minds to interact with global veterans and stalwarts in the respective scientific disciplines. A few thousand scientists, post-grad students and others are expected to converge and interact with the Nobel Laureates at IIIT-A for the event."

Many Indian senior politicians, bureaucrats and ministerial heads are also expected to attend this event. The Governor of Harayana and others like Shri Arjun Singh, HRD Minister, Govt. of India, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Minister for Steel, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Charanjit Singh Atwal, Dy Speaker of the Lok Sabha have already confirmed their participation and attendance.


The Hon'ble Prime Minister has also been invited to inaugurate the event as well as other senior politicians from the IT and I&B Ministry are likely to attend.

The Nobel Laureates Science Conclave is part of the Science Conclave 2008 – a mega symposium, exhibition and lecture series on science and technology at the IIIT-A and is the outcome of the untiring efforts of Dr M D Tiwari and his team of dedicated scientists and faculty at IIIT, Allahabad.

WILL SHRADHA SHARMA GO NUDE?

Bollywood actress denies Tamil paper report.


By Sia Jaiswal – FUTURISTIC MEDIA NETWORK

Tollywood rumour mills were abuzz with gossip on Tuesday that the sexy and voluptuous Bollywood damsel Shradha Sharma will be seen in the buff for a forthcoming south film.

According to a newspaper report, the so-called film featuring Shradha is based on Vinod Pandey's Sins (which in turn was based on the 1960's Hollywood movie The Priest's Wife in which Italian director Carlo Ponti cast Sophia Loren as the seductress humorously hankering the priest Marcello Mastroianni) and is set in the picturesque locales of Kerala. It talks about a priest who has an affair with a local woman who is a TV news reporter – allegedly played by Shradha Sharma.

According to the article that appeared on Sunday and carried a photo of Shradha - ostensibly picked up from the internet - Shradha has some very revealing scenes in the film and is completely nude in one frame. The report went on to mention that Shradha had about 40 kissing scenes and about 5 love making scenes and was cast as a nymphomaniac, breaking all records of Mallika Sherawat.

Pandey's Sins which featured Shiney Ahuja as the priest had raised eyebrows and stirred protests in Mumbai and in the South. "At least I am not doing this film. I don't know why the paper printed my photograph," said an angry Shradha. Probably there must be some other actress by that name.

Shradha has already signed on two big banner south films – one in Tamil and the other in Telugu. The report first appeared on a blog which was picked up by some regional and vernacular newspapers in Punjab, Delhi and even a Tamil paper in the South published the snippet. While the northern papers only mentioned the name Shradha Sharma, the Tamil paper also published a photo. Then TV channels in the south began scrolling the news.

Shradha has become an overnight rage due to her sexy and revealing photo shoots. Both Shradha Sharma and her publicist Flynn Remedios have vehemently denied these news reports. "Yes I am doing two south films, but I never said I was going to pose nude in any of them," Shradha retorted. "It may be a case of mistaken identity and Shradha's photograph was wrongly associated with the report," said Flynn Remedios, adding that they were waiting for a copy of the newspaper to decide about defamatory action.