Kiran Challagundla did his Masters in orthopedic, sports and manual physiotherapy degree from the University of South Australia, Australia in 2005. He is specialized in Maitland treatment techniques and Neurodynamic treatment techniques. He is a certified instructor of both.  He has trained under experts in manual physiotherapy like G.D. Maitland, Michael Shacklock, David Butler, Mary Magarey, etc.

According to him, though manual therapy is a general term, there are specific treatment techniques for specific conditions. Thus exact assessment and specific treatment techniques have to be used for it to be effective. He adds that no manual therapy techniques contradict each other or with other physiotherapeutic techniques, instead a holistic approach is to be used for a patient condition to get the best results. He feels that things have changed a lot in the past 4-5 years regarding perception and awareness about manual therapy in India; patients have accepted it as a major part of physiotherapy treatment plan.

It was his interest in treating sports injuries after he graduated from Manipal Academy in 2001, which led him to try learning something which would help achieve better results. Thus he chose to go for higher education in Manual therapy, which he found to be very useful and effective.

Kiran suggests that the current PT curriculum of semester education be changed to yearly format as he feels semester format is more exam oriented. He also pressed the need of incorporating manual therapy as a separate and elaborate subject in the curriculum at the undergraduate level itself. He himself being taking various classes on manual therapy in different countries including India, feels that manual therapy has significant importance and needs to be learned along with the basic physiotherapy techniques. His classes are short ones, but are able to provide a comprehensive knowledge about the techniques and its application. He adds that he teaches the cream of ‘Neurodynamics  and Maitland’s’  techniques he gained from his experience, as well as is more focused on the patient’s point of view, and very much clinically oriented.

Currently serving as the physiotherapist for the Indian National badminton team, Kiran is very much in focus on getting the team fit and raring to go for the 2012 Olympics to be held in London, UK. He says he enjoy working as sports physiotherapist and had previously served the Hyderabad state cricket team, Hyderabad Heroes and Deccan chargers in cricket as well as the ‘Dolphins’ in Australian football.

Kiran adds that it was his successful treatment of few cricket players which led him to bag a job with the cricket teams like Hyderabad State team, IPL champions Deccan chargers etc. The good name he earned with the players ensured that he had more sports persons lining up for his treatment whom later suggested his name for the post of physiotherapist with few teams.

“The sports field in India expects a sports physio to have decent knowledge in fitness, diet & recovery in addition to the physiotherapy skills. However, in western countries all these aspects like diet, fitness etc. are managed by different healthcare professionals. However, in the past 2 years or so, things have improved a lot in India”, says Kiran. He also adds that “Sports physiotherapists needs to be more stricter with the players no matter how big the player is and have to give more importance to player recovery and active rehabilitation procedure rather than just passive treatment”. He also suggests that a PT interested in sports PT should find work with a non-elite team initially which would enable him to explore in the area. Once settling down with enough experience and making a name, greater opportunities will follow, says Kiran. He adds that one needs to be good in Exercise physiology and fitness training to be competent.

He also accepts that the public healthcare system needs to open up for physiotherapy and that would lead to absorption of a lot of professionals which will improve both public health as well as the profession in the country. He also feels that the current situation in the IAP is not the best thing to happen, but considers the physiotherapists out there to be very mature and experienced. He hopes that they will resolve any difference soon for the sake of the profession.

Kiran, whose contract with the National badminton team expires after the 2012 Olympics, plans to fulfill his dream of setting up something special for sports physiotherapists and students in our country.  He also wants to concentrate more into teaching after the contract expires. He feels that physiotherapists should continue learning by attending various CPE (Continuing Physiotherapy Education). He advises the students to choose the area which interests them when specializing, rather than go for an area considering only its job potential. He also wants everyone to get specialized in a certain area and concentrate on it.