The Confucius Institute at the University of São Tomé and Príncipe and the 20th Chinese medical team dispatched to the country recently launched a training programme on the prevention and treatment of martial arts injuries at the institute. The programme will run for five weeks, with two sessions each week, and bring together around 20 local coaches and practitioners.

The training covers injury prevention, rehabilitation and first aid. Chinese instructors and doctors address common sports injuries, such as muscle strains, ligament injuries and joint problems caused by overexertion. The programme also introduces traditional Chinese therapies, including acupuncture, massage and physiotherapy, as well as Baduanjin, a traditional exercise also known as the Eight Brocades.

Hao Ganghua, a martial arts instructor at the Confucius Institute, said that this was the first specialised and systematic training programme of its kind in the country to cover several disciplines. Pan Hui, a doctor on the Chinese medical team, explained that the initiative combines prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, with classes and practical exercises designed to improve training techniques and the ability to respond to injuries.

Jilmey da Costa Neto da Costa, an official with the São Tomé and Príncipe Martial Arts Association, said that the initiative would help make the practice of different disciplines safer and more scientifically grounded.

(Source: Xinhua Português, 14 August)