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Robin Vanhoudt, club doctor at KV Mechelen: “As a medical staff, you are not allowed to let yourself be done” | KV Mechelen

KV MechelenCorona cases, trauma and muscle injuries. KV Mechelen had to deal with a lot of injuries this month. Therefore: an interview with club doctor Robin Vanhoudt. “That busy calendar is asking for injuries.”




In addition to being a club doctor at KV Mechelen, he is also an emergency doctor at the AZ Sint-Maarten and working in a general practice and sports doctor. “A spicy combination”, is how Robin Vanhoudt, who has been active at Achter de Kazerne since 2008, describes his work life. The past month has also been a challenge for him and the entire (medical) staff. Malinwa had to deal with an injury wave and corona cases.

“It is not easy to keep the virus under complete control, but this time it was all less tricky than last year. Vaccination – all players have been vaccinated – plays an important role in this,” explains Vanhoudt.

A look at the injuries this month shows that most of them were impact injuries. “As a medical staff, you are pretty powerless against that.” Marian Shved (against Eupen) and Hugo Cuypers (against Cercle Brugge) retired after heavy clashes. “When I walked onto the field for Marian on Wednesday, I was very worried. He was completely groggy. In the dressing room he brightened up again – luckily. Hugo’s injury was more complicated. His yoke was all the way down. He had almost the same injury as Red Devil Timothy Castagne. Through the federal doctor, Kristof Sas, we had the same carbon mask made.”

The fact that players also drop out with muscle injuries has a lot to do with the overcrowded calendar. He is regularly sued by players and trainers, including Wouter Vrancken. It is also a challenge from a medical point of view, says Vanhoudt. “I am the first to say that a professional football player has a good life, but every body has its limitations. If you can’t take rest periods, that’s asking for injuries.” To manage the physical preparedness of the players, the medical staff is crucial. “Good communication with the sporting staff is very important. As a medical staff you are not allowed to have yourself done. If we wouldn’t let certain players play, we have to substantiate that. Because a coach counts on his players, isn’t it? Without naming names, but there have been coaches who did not follow our advice. (winks) However, Wouter Vrancken manages it very well.”

Hugo Cuypers dropped out at the beginning of December. © BELGA

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