As a teenager, Benediktus Adi Prianto never imagined he would have a career as a physiotherapist. The man who graduated from Ogan Komering Ulu 1 State High School in South Sumatra stumbled upon the Physiotherapy program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS).
Working as a physiotherapist was unfamiliar to Beni. He recalled the profession not being talked about enough in his neighborhood. “What is physiotherapy anyway? What do they do?” Beni wondered at the time. He was introduced to the field when his grandmother, who worked in a hospital, recommended him to study physiotherapy.
“My grandmother said, ‘The future of physiotherapy looks promising,’” Beni recalled during a virtual interview on Tuesday (7/16/2024). Following her advice, he decided to enroll in the Physiotherapy program. Little did he know that this recommendation would lead him to a successful career as a sports physiotherapist.
After a year of working as a junior physiotherapist at a clinic in Surabaya, Beni joined the Persib Bandung football club in 2016. The head of the clinic informed him about a vacancy for a physiotherapist at the club known as Maung Bandung. Seizing this golden opportunity, Beni packed his belongings and headed to Bandung in mid-April 2016, ready to pursue his dream career.
Indeed, Beni has been a fan of Persib Bandung since childhood. The offer to join his favorite football club ignited his enthusiasm to contribute to the team. “I’m not a fanatic, but being offered a job at Persib gave me a unique excitement,” he said.
Beni (second from left) handles an injured player during one of Persib Bandung's matches. Photo: Persib Bandung
The Bandung-born man is now working as a sports physiotherapist. His job is to treat injured players and assist in their recovery process. Beni is responsible for instructing players about proper rest and nutrition intake.
He has handled various cases, ranging from ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries to bone fractures. Each case has a different recovery period. For instance, a bone fracture requires at least twelve months depending on the severity, while an ACL injury typically needs around six to nine months for full recovery.
These cases require consistency in treatment from both physiotherapists and players. The 30-year-old therapist faces challenges in terms of consistency along the recovery process. “Sometimes we are consistent, but the players are inconsistent, and vice versa, which prolongs the healing process,” he explained.
Balancing consistency with quick adaptation is essential for Beni in his role at Persib. According to Bola.net, the club, founded on January 5, 1919, has a significant number of foreign players and coaches from countries like the Philippines, Brazil, Croatia, the Netherlands, and Spain.
One memorable moment for Beni occurred in 2021. Persib was playing at the Maguwoharjo Stadium in Yogyakarta. During the 85th minute, an opposing player lost consciousness. Upon hearing this, Beni and the Persib medical team immediately leapt into action. “We have to help too,” Beni recalled.
After eight years in his career, Beni finally experienced the joy of a triumph. His club won the Championship Series Liga 1 of the 2023/2024 season. Persib triumphed over Madura United FC with a 3-1 victory in the second leg of the competition at Gelora Bangkalan Stadium, Madura, East Java, on Sunday (5/31/2024). “When you win, everyone is happy. Even the sweat smells sweeter,” joked Beni.
LEFT: Beni holding the Championship Series Liga 1 trophy for the 2023/2024 season. RIGHT: Celebration of Persib Bandung's victory in the Championship Series Liga 1 season 2023/2024, Friday (5/31/2024). Photo: Persib Bandung
Born in Bandung, West Java, on April 16, 1994, Benidektus Adi Prianto has been fond of running and playing football since childhood. When Beni was six, he moved to South Sumatra with his parents.
While living on the island of Sumatra, Beni’s love for football grew. He became a fan of the Sriwijaya Football Club, nicknamed Laskar Wong Kito. The oldest of three siblings, also remained a loyal supporter of Persib Bandung, his hometown team. “I've always followed those two clubs,” he said.
After graduating from highschool Beni, also a Juventus FC fan, decided to move to Java to continue his studies in physiotherapy.
Initially, Beni wanted to enroll in a Physiotherapy program at the Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Surakarta. “I stumbled into UMS. My brother told me that a good Physiotherapy program was near Dokter Soeharso Hospital. But after I searched, the one near the hospital was UMS Physiotherapy.” he recalled. With his report card in hand, Beni finally began his studies at the UMS Physiotherapy Diploma III program in 2012.
As a Catholic, Beni admitted that he had concerns about his religious identity when registering at UMS. He felt uneasy thinking about how the people at the university would behave. However, Beni refused to get caught up in his negative thoughts. “Feelings like that are normal. I think it's just labeling. Praise God I was able to complete my studies at UMS successfully,” said Beni.
Studying at UMS became a turning point in Beni’s life. The chaos in his mind soon disappeared as his lecturers and friends warmly accepted him. Beni was active in socializing during his college years, even being a member of his department student association.
One of Beni's closest friends at UMS was Agus, a member of the Muhammadiyah Student Association (IMM). Beni enjoyed engaging in discussions with campus activists, including those in the Student Executive Board (BEM). “When Agus introduces me to his friends, he jokingly calls me ‘IMM Korkom Vatikan’," Beni said with a laugh.
During his study at UMS, Beni fell in love with Biomechanics and Kinesiology. These courses provide an understanding of various kinds of human movements based on mechanics and analyze human motion. It's no surprise that Beni earned an A in the course.
Beni is also interested in topics related to the musculoskeletal system, which encompasses the body’s bones, joints, muscles, nerves, and connective tissues. His scientific interests and his love for sports have shaped his career path in sports physiotherapy. “The courses on musculoskeletal and biomechanics are fascinating to me, and I actually use this knowledge in my work,” he said.
Beni's thirst for knowledge led him to continue his education to UMS Bachelor of Physiotherapy through a transfer program and successfully earned his bachelor's degree in September 2016. His academic journey did not stop there; in 2021, Beni pursued a master’s degree in Sports Sciences at the institut Teknologi Bandung, which he completed in 2023.
Beni conveyed that his study at UMS taught him a lot, making him more adaptable to different environments. This adaptability extends to his professional life, especially when collaborating with coaches, staff, and players, both local and foreign. “We can collaborate with them in terms of working models. Moreover, after the collaboration process, we can achieve something, like championships,” he added.
Beni treating a patient at the Bintang Physio, a clinic that he built.
Beni did not stop at being a physiotherapist at Persib. He established a sports physiotherapy clinic in Bandung in 2017 called Bintang Physio. “The goal is to handle more complex cases in the society and to encourage us to continually upgrade our skills,” said Beni.
With the tagline “Your Moving Mates” and equipped with modern facilities and professional therapists, Bintang Physio specializes in sports physiotherapy. Their treatment focuses on a range of issues including sports injuries, therapy for children and adults, postoperative recovery, back pain, sports massage, and shoulder pain.
Next November, Bintang Physio will celebrate its eighth anniversary. The sports physiotherapy clinic is registered as a member of the Indonesian Physiotherapy Association and the Indonesian Sports Physiotherapy Association. Beni aims to reach a wider audience with his business.
Beni observes that the physiotherapy field in Indonesia faces several challenges. Firstly, physiotherapy support facilities are relatively expensive, such as shockwave therapy and laser therapy for healing body tissues. However, Beni does not see the lack of equipment as a hindrance. Instead, he views it as an opportunity for physiotherapists to be creative in treating patients.
Another challenge Beni faces is the general lack of awareness about physiotherapy among Indonesians. He notes that many people still don’t fully understand the role of physiotherapists, which means part of his job involves educating the public. “It is our duty to educate,” he explained.
Beni’s commitment to helping others reflects his life motto, ora et labora, which means “pray and work." He believes balancing work and prayer is crucial because both sustain each other. This philosophy is further inspired by a Hadith, which he often discussed during his studies. “As my lecturers and friends at UMS used to say, khairunnas anfa'uhum linnas, the best person is the one who is most beneficial to others,” he concluded.
Writer: Gede Arga Adrian
Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva
Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid
Designer: Salsabila Kamila Wardah
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