Mirabai Chanu in three-week rehab phase after injury scare at Asian Games

After consulting well-known sports injury expert Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala in Mumbai and going through several tests, the Mirabai got to know that she had ‘tendonitis’.

India’s Mirabai Chanu Saikhom in action at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

World and Olympic silver medallist lifter Mirabai Chanu is going through a three-week rehabilitation phase in Patiala and will resume her training soon, according to chief coach Vijay Sharma.

Seeking her maiden Asian Games medal, 29-year-old Mirabai injured her right thigh during the event in Hangzhou and managed just two lifts out of six attempts to register a below par total of 191kg and finish fourth in women’s 49kg category.

After consulting well-known sports injury expert Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala in Mumbai and going through several tests, the ace lifter got to know that she had ‘tendonitis’ (when a tendon is inflamed).

“Thankfully, there is no muscle tear. There is tendonitis near the hip joint. It’s not a serious issue. Mirabai has been advised three weeks’ rest and some medication. One week is gone, two are left. She is just taking rest and doing her rehab, there’s no training,” said Sharma.

“After the rehab we will slowly increase the load and prepare for the Asian championships. We have a lot of time in hand.”

The Asian championships, an Olympic qualifying event, will be held in Tashkent from February 3 to 10 next year.

Mirabai won the silver medal in 49kg weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first woman weightlifter from India to do so. And the weightlifter will look for a similar performance in the Paris 2024 Olympics.