Our Sports and Exercise Medicine consultants can offer you support and medical advice in three main areas:
- Treat injuries acquired during sport or exercise
- Treat illness and chronic conditions with exercise
- Improve your health through exercise
One area seen by our specialists focuses on Musculoskeletal Medicine, and anything to do with your soft tissues (muscles, tendons, and ligaments). Although these issues often aren’t necessarily provoked by sport, using the tried and tested ways of getting sports people back to their activities works just as well in returning anyone to their daily routine. These musculoskeletal issues typically take one of two forms:
- Acute injuries – e.g. sprained ankle
- Chronic (long-term) issues – unrelated to specific injuries, such as groin pain where the underlying cause for the problem has not yet been diagnosed
Our consultant sports physicians are trained in the non-surgical treatments of soft tissue injuries, with a wide array of measures available to help in your recovery, whether it be reducing pain, strengthening a joint, or increasing your mobility. They are on the General Medical Council Specialist Register as fully trained specialists in this area of medicine. Beyond this, one of our primary aims is to understand how or why you may have sustained these injuries, advising you on what you can do to prevent them in future. It’s no wonder that patients travel from all over the South of England for this specialised, expert care.
Many of our patients will have already been seen by a GP or physiotherapist, while others come to us in the first instance seeking specialist care. Your initial consultation will involve your consultant asking for a detailed medical history. They will likely want to know:
- What symptoms have you been experiencing?
- How did the injury happen?
- How long have you had your symptoms?
- What level of activity are you aiming to return to? (e.g. London Marathon, 5-aside football on AstroTurf)
- Have your symptoms been getting progressively worse?
- Have you had any previous sporting injuries?
- Have you had any previous treatment? How effective was it?
- Are you currently on any medication?
This will be followed by a physical examination, where your consultant will examine the affected joints and assess your symptoms. This will include examining other areas where restrictions or laxity might be contributing to an injury elsewhere. Sometimes an informed diagnosis can be made with this alone, but your consultant will often refer you for a diagnostic imaging for confirmation.
Thorough diagnostic scans may involve X-ray, ultrasound, MRI scans, or CT scans and can be carried out in our on-site Imaging department, with results available promptly. Sometimes blood tests are required and these can usually be done on site on the day.
Your consultant can then discuss these findings with you, creating a personalised treatment plan based on your specific diagnosis. Certain therapies can be started within this initial consultation, or you will be signposted to the relevant specialist in order to begin treatment without delay.
A number of benefits can be found with appropriate physical exercise used during your rehabilitation, and your consultant can advise accordingly on the specific exercises that may help you and your condition. Benefits include:
- Reduced pain
- Stronger muscles
- Stronger joint support
- Increased range of motion
- Greater confidence when moving
- Better mental health
A variety of rehabilitation therapies can be undertaken at The Ridgeway Hospital, including:
- Physiotherapy
- Shockwave therapy for long term tendon problems.
- Injection therapy (corticosteroid injections delivered to the affected joint to ease inflammation)
Activity modification can be effective in addressing your symptoms, and as our consultants and physicians have worked with top level athletes from a wide range of sports, you can be assured that any advice is appropriate and reliable.
Sports massage can be of benefit to anyone either before or after exercise, promoting recovery, reducing risk of injury, and even enhancing mobility, flexibility, and performance. By reducing stress levels and aiding relaxation, you’ll see great results in terms of your general well-being too.
The Ridgeway Hospital offers a state-of-the-art purpose-built rehabilitation gym, used by our physiotherapy team for rehabilitation and post-operative recovery, featuring:
- Exercise Bike
- Treadmill
- Cross Trainer
- Balance Master
- Rowing Machine
- Free weights
- Leg press & leg curl
- Stepper
- Parallel bars
- Wall bars
- Gym balls
We also have a Hydrotherapy pool for physiotherapy conducted in a warm water pool (also known as aquatic therapy). This can be especially effective in reducing pain, providing added support during your rehabilitation.
All Circle Health Group physiotherapists are registered with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists ensuring exemplary care is offered throughout your treatment.
A key part of private treatment at The Ridgeway Hospital is the urgency of care on offer. When you’re working towards the timeline of a marathon or specific sporting event, having to wait for an NHS appointment could be detrimental to your ability to perform. Our consultants can offer you fast-tracked guidance, seeing you promptly and finding the most appropriate form of treatment to get you ready for competition in a timely but safe manner.
Choosing to have your Sports & Exercise Medicine at The Ridgeway Hospital comes with a host of benefits, such as:
Assessments ASAP – Certain conditions are best diagnosed at the earliest possible stage, especially when they involve the health of your joints. If you’ve been experiencing any of the associated symptoms, our sports and exercise medicine physicians can see you for an assessment without delay, getting you an accurate diagnosis rapidly (with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment) and the necessary treatment before your symptoms progress any further.
Patient Satisfaction – 96.4% of patients in 2020 said they would happily recommend The Ridgeway Hospital to friends and family in an independent report, and we’re confident that you’ll agree. 96.3% also said that the quality of care here at The Ridgeway Hospital was either ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’. We aim to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible, and these results highlight our continued efforts to ensure this is achieved.
Personalised Care – We believe in a bespoke approach to treatment, tailoring each experience to our patients’ needs and whatever may be best for you. This is regularly reviewed, ensuring you get the necessary treatment at every stage of your patient journey.
Purpose-built Gym – Your rehab needs are perfectly catered for in our bespoke rehabilitation gym, overseen by chartered physiotherapists to help facilitate your recovery in a safe environment. Backed up by state-of-the-art facilities, The Ridgeway Hospital is geared towards efficient rehabilitation, whatever your condition.
Consultant-led, Consultant-delivered – Once you have chosen your consultant, you will see them right the way through your journey at The Ridgeway Hospital. From the initial consultation to follow-ups, explaining any necessary procedures and carrying out the procedures themselves, you are assured the highest level of care and top-quality service from experienced specialists in the field.
A Multidisciplinary Approach – Our teams at The Ridgeway Hospital work in tandem with each other to provide you with the best possible care from start to finish. Working closely with colleagues in a range of specialties, alongside specialist radiographers, anaesthetists, and nurses, your consultants have access to a wide network for complex issues, ensuring you have expert support every step of the way during your treatment.
Convenient Appointments – With appointments available at dedicated clinics from Monday to Saturday, you are sure to find an appointment slot that suits your needs and availability.
Ease of Access - Situated just along from Swindon bus station, The Ridgeway Hospital is easily accessible by public transport, with ample parking should you visit us by car.
For peace of mind and expert care, please contact The Ridgeway Hospital to book an appointment now.
