From Japan, Judo therapy opens new direction for injury treatment in Vietnam

Judo therapy is a conservative, non-surgical injury treatment technique from Japan that is being transferred to Vietnamese doctors, with the expectation of helping improve public health and reduce the medical burden.

Japanese experts train and transfer Judo therapy techniques to doctors at the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Traditional Medicine on the afternoon of August 19 - Photo: Provided by JICA in Ho Chi Minh City

On the afternoon of August 19, at the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Traditional Medicine, Japanese experts had a sharing session on training and transferring trauma treatment techniques using a conservative, non-surgical method called “Judo Therapy” to Vietnamese medical staff.

Mr. Yuji Tazawa, international exchange coordinator of the Japan Judo Therapy Association (JIMTEF), said that before Typhoon Yagi (2024) made landfall, in the Judo therapy training program, Vietnamese doctors were instructed in first aid methods using familiar, easy-to-find materials such as plastic bags from convenience stores or cardboard boxes.

Sharing about Judo therapy techniques, Mr. Yuji Tazawa said that this is a medical method developed from Jujutsu - the predecessor of Judo in Japan.

This technique is safe and low cost because it is completely based on manual bone manipulation, not dependent on modern machinery; subsequent fixation only requires familiar, readily available materials.

In particular, Judo therapy is a conservative treatment method: no surgery, no drugs, minimally invasive, body-friendly, thereby helping to minimize the risk of side effects or infections.

In Japan, Judo therapy is covered by health insurance and is widely trusted and applied by patients. In 2022, the country had 78,827 specialists and 50,919 clinics, demonstrating the solid position of Judo therapy in the health system.

To practice therapeutic Judo techniques, the practitioner needs to have a solid understanding of anatomy and body mechanics, and must receive proper practical training.

In addition, because not all injuries are suitable for conservative treatment, differential diagnosis plays a key role in deciding between conservative treatment or surgical intervention.

The widespread application of Judo therapy in Vietnam is expected to contribute to increasing the healthy life expectancy of the people, improving the quality of life, especially in rural, mountainous and coastal areas. At the same time, it will create more resources for the country's sustainable socio -economic development.

Currently, Vietnamese doctors are trained in Judo therapy in two ways: receiving technical transfer from Japanese experts in Vietnam or going to Japan for clinical practice. In the future, they will become the core force, building a sustainable model for domestic doctors to proactively develop and spread this technique.

In Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Traditional Medicine is the first medical facility to be trained and transferred Judo therapy techniques since 2024 with 35 participating doctors. Previously, from October 2023, the core doctors of the project had 6 months of clinical internship in Japan, directly contacting and treating patients at Judo therapy clinics and hospitals.

Ms. Truong Thi Ngoc Lan, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Traditional Medicine, said that Judo therapy techniques are especially necessary at medical stations in remote areas where medical staff have not been trained in orthopedic trauma.

Applying this technique will help limit treatment abuse, while bringing benefits to people right from the beginning, avoiding unfortunate consequences due to lack of timely and proper intervention.

Will continue to evaluate and propose new directions after the project ends.

Mr. Karasawa Masayuki, Chief Representative of JICA Office in Ho Chi Minh City, shared that JIMTEF recognized the effectiveness of Judo therapy in Vietnam, so since 2015, it has proactively provided information to the Ministry of Health and the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Traditional Medicine.

With its relevance, clear social impact and strong commitment from the Ministry of Health and the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Traditional Medicine, JICA has decided to implement the project until July 2027.

The goal is to build a transfer model and a continuous training system, led by Vietnamese Judo therapists. After the project ends, JIMTEF and the Institute of Traditional Medicine will continue to evaluate and propose new directions if there is a need and potential for development.

Prior to this JICA project in Vietnam, Judo therapy techniques had been popularized in Mongolia through a non-governmental (NGO) aid cooperation program since 2006, and then implemented under a JICA project from 2009 to 2016.

Thanks to the achievements of JICA project activities, Judo therapy techniques have been widely applied in Mongolia.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tu-nhat-ban-lieu-phap-judo-mo-huong-dieu-tri-chan-thuong-moi-tai-viet-nam-20250819191707481.htm