Sports Medicine Unit

At the Sulis Hospital Bath Sports Medicine Unit, we assess and treat sports injuries and help to prevent future injury.

Whether you’re:

• a footballer recovering from an ankle injury
• a tennis player struggling to recover from a long-term shoulder niggle
• a runner in need of gait assessment to prevent more injuries
• a keen amateur sportsperson who wants some expert advice about the nutritional side of things

we have a world-class team of experts who can help. Many of the Sulis Hospital Bath team worked with elite athletes in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, so bring a wealth expertise to support you in your sports goals and recovery from injury.

The team are supported by specialist physiotherapists, nutritionists, psychologists, strength and conditioning coaches, podiatrists and sports masseurs.

Our two priorities are always to:

• diagnose and treat you fast, so that any pain you have is quickly stopped
• help you recover, so that you can get back to your chosen sport as soon as possible

Your consultation and treatment will be carried out at the Sports Medicine Unit here at Sulis Hospital Bath, where all our staff are dedicated to getting you fully recovered quickly and safely.

When you book an appointment at Sulis Hospital Bath, you’ll be seen by one of our consultants who specialise in sports injury and rehabilitation.

All of them are recognised leaders in their field and have many years of experience treating elite athletes in every sports discipline.

They’ll have a very detailed chat with you about your symptoms, your concerns and your previous medical history to get a thorough understanding of things.

Depending on the symptoms you’re experiencing, they may want to carry out a physical examination of the affected area(s) as well as some specialised tests to help them assess things more accurately (they’ll explain any examination they need to do, so you’ll always know what’s being done and why it’s being done).

At Sulis Hospital Bath, we have a wide range of state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to ensure you’ll receive a fast and accurate diagnosis.

Some of the tests that your consultant may want you to have include:

• an X-ray of the affected area
• a CT (computerised tomography) scan: this can help the consultant visualise in 3D, giving them a clearer picture of what’s going on
• an MRI scan: this is particularly good when muscular or ligament and tendon issues are suspected

Not all of these tests will necessarily be required, and the consultant may want you to have additional tests that aren’t listed above. Again, these will all be thoroughly explained to you beforehand so that you know how the tests will be carried out and why they’re being done.

You’ll be pleased to know that we believe in giving you a quick, accurate diagnosis. After all, if you’re a competitive sportsperson you don’t want to be sat on the sidelines for a fortnight, waiting for your results to come back (a long wait for results means your recovery time just keeps getting pushed further and further back, something that you definitely don’t want).

It should be noted that after this initial meeting the consultant may decide that surgery isn’t needed and that treatment can be provided by some other means (for example medication, physiotherapy or nutritional help).

If it’s determined that surgery is required, the consultant will talk you through the process thoroughly and answer any questions or concerns you may have.

We have an incredible team of experts who are ready to help accelerate your recovery and performance.

If you do require treatment for a sports injury, we believe you’ll find no better place to come for expert help than Sulis Hospital Bath.

At Sulis Hospital Bath, we like to do things differently. We appreciate that your recovery is an absolute priority for you and that’s why, unlike many other hospitals, you’ll benefit from:

• receiving treatment quickly after your diagnosis: with no waiting lists, we can get your injury treated and recovery started quickly.
• treatment by a consultant in sports medicine: with decades of shared experience treating elite athletes, our consultants include internationally-renowned surgeons who have treated Olympic athletes.
• our multidisciplinary team: we’ve built an incredibly strong and diverse team of like-minded experts in sports medicine who all work together every day to achieve the best possible result for every athlete they see. As well as consultants, we also have sports physiotherapists, sports masseurs and nutritionists ready to help you.

We’ve invested in some of the best equipment and technologies, to help accelerate your recovery, including:

• an anti-gravity treadmill: driven by NASA technology, helps to shorten recovery time
• spinal strengthening technology: to help strengthen core muscles
• a continual passive motion device: helps you to regain your range of movement
• gait analysis: analyses biomechanics and helps to identify why pain is occurring
• premium gym and exercise equipment: ensuring you have only the highest quality equipment at your disposal.

We know that you’d prefer not to be injured, able to continue competing in your chosen sport fully and healthily. But if you do require treatment why not have it carried out by the very best specialists in sports medicine, in the very finest hospital and with the very best possible care and rehabilitation facilities available?