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Kinesiotherapist Virginijus Kairevičius knows the problems, illnesses and injuries of every FK "Tauras" player. Virginijus, who has been working at the club for several years, has already become a true member of the team. Kind-hearted, compassionate, empathetic, always helpful, perhaps not always appreciated, but always necessary and with a smile – that's how he was described by many footballers. Virginijus often heals not only players' bodies but also their souls. This time we talked about the daily routine of a kinesiotherapist.
"Virginijus, when did you become interested in football? Perhaps in your youth you played soccer yourself?"
"I didn't like football in my youth, didn't understand it, could even say I still find it hard to understand. What attracted me was not the game itself, but its participants: players, coaches, their characters. Football injuries are interesting: an ordinary person, not an athlete, doesn't experience them."
"How long have you been working as the club's kinesiotherapist? How did your paths cross with the club?"
"This is my third season. The past season was very hectic: people were tired, injured, and there was no massage therapist or doctor. Egidijus Katauskas (the director of "Tauras" – ed.) simply invited me to help the football team, and I didn't hesitate, came to try it and became interested. The people are very interesting – cheerful, lively. It's very enjoyable to work with athletes."
"Do you ever take a vacation? After all, there are no breaks in a footballer's life: preparation for the season, the busy competition period, post-season recovery."
"There are no breaks, but that's the beauty of this activity. Coaching is fascinating: you have to plan the player's entire season, i.e., properly distribute the workload, plan nutrition, prevent injuries. When you train on your own, you plan workouts for a month or two, but in this case, you have to look ahead for the whole year."
"What is your workday at 'Tauras' like?"
"I show up at the workplace an hour before the start of training, as that's when the athletes with specific problems gather: who needs a massage, who needs muscles warmed up, which warming or heating ointment to use. I rally assistants: I go to the pharmacy or doctors. I try out various herbs, ointments, to make everything better and cheaper."
"Perhaps there is a prescription for Virginijus Kairevičius's treatment?"
"(Laughs). I have a very effective prescription, but I certainly won't reveal it."
"How to raise a good athlete?"
"The most important thing is that young people have respect for themselves and others. Be humble, quiet – just work patiently. First, you must learn to overcome yourself, not overestimate yourself. Training the inside, not just the muscles, is a much longer and more complicated process."
"Do footballers complain of different problems, injuries before the season and during it?"
"At the beginning of the season, injuries are somewhat simpler, caused by muscle stiffness. The tendons are still 'asleep' after winter hibernation, unaccustomed, and the athletes themselves are tense and strained. In the middle of the season, more serious injuries occur. For example, during a collision with the ball, you can tear a quadriceps muscle. Knee ligaments can tear, as happened to Simon Babilius or Lukas Bielskis last year. In such cases, surgical intervention is required – a masseur is powerless."
"Do you cooperate with doctors? Where is the line beyond which only doctors can help?"
"Kinesiotherapists can only help relax muscles after heavy loads, after injuries, cool them down. We are like first aid for a player who has suffered an injury and like rehabilitation therapists after a doctor's intervention. The faster the first aid is provided, the quicker the athlete can return to professional sports."
"Do you, Virginijus, scold an athlete when you see that he is overdoing it or warming up incorrectly? Do you interfere with the coach's work if they incorrectly arrange the training plan and footballers complain of muscle pain or micro-injuries one after another? For example, after the first training sessions in January, many players complained of groin and muscle fiber strains."
"It is absolutely forbidden to interfere with the coach's work. The coach is the star of the club. Just as a conductor directs the orchestra, so should its coach conduct the team. A kinesiotherapist can only advise a player on how to warm up properly, stretch their muscles. Interfering with the team leader's work is taboo for me. When the coach arrived in Tauragė, perhaps he did not realize that our players were still waking up from their winter slumber and 'overloaded' them. The first step was not in the right direction, but now the atmosphere in the club is excellent, everything has been corrected, there are no more serious injuries."
"Do you advise footballers on nutrition issues? What should a true athlete's menu look like?"
"I have to work with professional footballers, and they themselves know what they can and cannot eat. Footballers should consume foods high in carbohydrates, i.e., energy-giving products. Since this year we have several Italians in our team, I think pasta dishes will be the most popular (laughs)."
"Do footballers use any supplements?"
"Last year we received energy drinks, vitamins from sponsors sent from abroad. I think this season will be no exception. Energy drinks – water-soluble tablets with vitamin C specially designed for athletes. They are not the poison that can be bought in stores, they contain too much chemistry, caffeine. If you drink it once, nothing bad will happen, but a footballer must drink energizing fluids daily. There is no talk about any more harmful substances – many players refuse basic medicines or medications."
"What would you recommend to avoid injuries?"
"First of all, the athlete must be smart, think on the field. The smarter the athlete, the fewer injuries they get – they simply work more with their head, less with their body, muscles. You don't have to run across the field like a deer in the forest."
"Do you communicate with colleagues from other A League clubs?"
"Of course. An excellent kinesiotherapist – Nerijus Stepanauskas from Marijampolė's 'Sūduva.' We also get along with Dainius Pavilonis from 'Žalgiris.' After all, we all work in the same football pot – we meet during matches, discuss the most relevant topics, learn from each other, improve."
"Best wishes to all the people of Tauragė, especially the football community."
"Let's smile, complain less, and be happy."
