Thilina Vitharana, a physiotherapist from Australia, has been appointed as the consultant physiotherapist for the Sri Lankan Netball team which will take part in the Netball World Cup in Sydney, August.
Thilina, a sports columnist of The Island, penned a popular series of articles on physiotherapy and injury management recently.
Thilina is well known in sporting circles of Sri Lanka having worked with rugby, cricket and basketball. A cricketer himself, Thilina has been conducting clinics for injured athletes in Sri Lanka. He has also conducted several physiotherapy workshops in Sri Lanka on a voluntarily basis on the request of Colombo Basketball Club’s Head Coach Ajith Kuruppu.
Last year, Thilina delivered a lecture entitled “Sports physiotherapy, injury management and rehabilitation” at National Institute of Sports Science where Dr. Lal Ekanayake from the Sports Ministry made contacts with Thilina requesting him to continue contributing to develop sports in Sri Lanka.
Upon Dr. Ekanayake’s request, Thilina promptly agreed to help our national netball team during the World Cup. Dr. Ekanayake will be the team doctor on tour. He appreciated Thilina’s contribution to his parents’ country of birth and pointed out that his experience would be invaluable to the Sri Lankan team.
Born in New Zealand to Sri Lankan parents, Thilina is a registered physiotherapist of Australian Physiotherapist Association and Sri Lankan Medical Council and also a member of Sports Medicine Australia.A keen sportsman himself, he works at his practice in Sydney specialising in sports physiotherapy and hand therapy.
