I BELIEVE not in treating the patient, but in reducing his susceptibility to injuries. A sportsperson may require three days of rest but wants to be on the field the next day. I guide him in knowing which muscles and joints to maintain to get the best performance.

My strict exercise regimen includes an hour's warming up before the day's play, since most sports injuries result from sudden activity. I control diet, emphasising the carbohydrate content. Offseason I give each player a list of muscles to be strengthen and worked upon. Cricketers need weight-training.

I feel that the level of haemoglobin in those in peak form is quite high. I conducted a test on 10 sportsmen recently to find the efficacy of a high carbohydrate diet .One day at 4 pm I made them jog on a treadmill with fixed inclination and speed, and noted the time when they started to tire. I called them in at 12 noon and fed them carbohydrate-rich food and tested them again at 4 pm. This time they lasted about 12 minutes each, almost 2 minute more thanthe earlier time, a difference of 15-20 per cent.