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Bahrain’s medical sector has scored a significant coup with the appointment of world-renowned sports medicine specialist Professor Paolo Luca Vaglio, as revealed exclusively by GulfWeekly.
The big-signing Italian will be available at American Mission Hospital’s Riffa Medical and Dental Centre for 10 days every month, offering his expertise in the field of nutrition, fitness, mental training and injury prevention which he has cultivated over a 20-year career.
Dr George Cheriyan, CEO of AMH, said: “Professor Vaglio will be coming every month for a fixed number of days. His role will be to work with athletes from across the board, whether it is football, basketball, Formula One or any other sports.
“This is a huge benefit to Bahrain, and for our hospital, to have a high-profile expert in the field.”
The move was first highlighted in GulfWeekly back in October 2017 when we revealed AMH plans set to have a dedicated clinic to help sportsmen and women to avoid injuries, as well as quickly recover from niggling and debilitating disasters picked up on the pitch or track.
In addition to his consultancy, Professor Vaglio is a medical doctor and teacher at the Universities of Siena and Florence in his home nation. During his career, he has blazed his own trail in the field by researching and evaluating the biomechanical, biochemical and mental components of sports medicine using blood chemistry tests and specific instruments such as an impedance metre and a baropodometric platform.
He is also one of the first doctors to use growth factors in sports and in muscle, tendon and cartilage injuries, as highlighted when
Professor Vaglio’s experience began with triathlon as a doctor of the national team from 1992 to 2002. In cycling, he assisted World Cycling Champion Mario Cipollini and later football coaches Marcello Lippi and Maurizio Sarri.
He has recently gained international recognition for conducting specialised clinics for top athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and organisations including F1 teams Mercedes and McLaren.
The 3,000sqm Riffa clinic officially opened last March, offering state-of-the-art sports and rehabilitation facilities alongside its extensive range of medical services, including the kingdom’s first hydrotherapy pool.
Mental training, Professor Vaglio believes, is just as, if not more, important than physical training in the intense environment of professional sport.
“The most emphasis now is being given to mental training. It is that mental agility that often makes the biggest difference from a good athlete to an outstanding athlete,” he said.
