GRACIEMAG columnist Alvaro Romano met soccer star Ronaldo Nazário before the 2002 World Cup, at a time when the “Phenomenon” recovered from a knee injury at the physiotherapy clinic of Nilton “Filé” Petrone, who was responsible for his treatment at the time and familiar with Ginástica Natural.
Filé invited Romano to aply Ginástica Natural in the goal-scoring ace’s treatment to help him gain flexibility and mobility, whereupon Ronaldo became acquainted with the method.
Now at the Corinthians, Ronaldo met Shih Chan, one of the head teachers on Alvaro Romano’s team.
In a joint effort between Chan, physiotherapist Bruno Mazziotti, and doctor in physical education Antonio Carlos Gomes, Ronaldo again used Ginástica Natural to help in his return to the soccer pitch. When he was in Brazil, in November, Alvaro Romano watched a Corinthians game and paid a visit to the World Cup star at the team’s training center.
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“Ronaldo is an idol and a model of will power and determination,” Romano tells GRACIEMAG.com.
“I always use the example of his ability to overcome obstacles when I train other athletes and I’m happy to see him again. The work we do together is geared entirely towards physiotherapy and rehabilitation, as we have been working over the years with big names in physiotherapy. In the United States, the work we have been doing was recognized and we certified a team of physiotherapists at an important hospital in Chicago. Thus the Ginástica Natural method went through the whole approval process of the Illinois Physical Therapy Association (IPTA) and several top athletes like Neco Padaratz, Minotauro and others have used this Ginástica Natural specific training,” explained the teacher.
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