Dr Ashok Ahuja, senior scientific officer and sports medicine expert, who is based at NIS Patiala, delivered lecture on specific injuries related to badminton. He also spoke on the prevention of injuries and rehabilitation.

Some of the common injuries to a badminton players in the upper limb are to the shoulder, elbow and wrist and hand. However, hip (abductor strain), knee and ankle sprain are injury prone areas in the lower limb.

Ahuja said that the most important aspect in the rehabilitation phase is to maintain a minimum level of cardiovascular capacity. And also to keep the joints mobile through cross training.

Dr AK Ghosh, who is a senior scientific officer of the Department of Physiology, NIS, Patiala, dealt with the physiology aspect of the Indian badminton players with the other countries during the seminar.

Ghosh said that during the physiological observations on the badminton players conducted from 1970 to 1999, the study revealed that badminton is a high intensity intermittent game. The study also said that the elite Indian male players have an average height of 179 cm and weigh 69 kg. And the female have a mean height of 160 cm and body weight 51.5 kg as compared to the Asian countries.

He said that the present game demands high energy, the players should have a basic aerobic capacity, which should delay the muscular fatigue.

Dr Ghosh was also confident that with scientific approach to the game, most of the players in the country will benefit in the next millennium.

Practical classes were also held in the evening to evaluate the importance of a heart rate monitor.

Earlier, Devinder Singh, vice-president of Badminton Association of India (BAI), who inaugurated the function, said that to make badminton popular in the northern region prize money tournament in all categories should be held.

More than 70 coaches from different parts of the country are participating in the seminar.