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Getting you back to your winning ways

Nuffield Health’s fitness and wellbeing gym in Stoke Gifford can support your recovery following hospital treatment

In recent years, more and more people of all ages have come to realise that the key to a long and healthy life is, quite simply, exercise. While this can offer considerable benefits to our health, for some there may be a price to pay; an injury related to their chosen sporting activity.

There are two kinds of sports injuries: acute and chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly when playing or exercising. Sprained ankles, twisted knees, and various fractures are acute injuries. Chronic injuries tend to happen after you exercise over a longer period of time, and include most painful tendon conditions, but also stress fractures.

What’s so special about sports injuries?

While there are injuries that are very specific to certain sports, in general there is nothing particularly special about sports injuries compared to those that occur outside the sporting environment. In the vast majority of cases, the damage that occurs is exactly the same, and quite often the treatment will also be the same. There may be circumstances where treatment would be different in high level athletes, but your consultant at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital will apply the same principles when considering what type of treatment would be most appropriate.

Is there anything people can do to prevent sports injuries?

•Choose a sport that is right for you. Be realistic about your body shape, your strength, and how flexible you are.

•Always warm up before you play any sport.

•Learn how to do your sport the correct way, get some lessons, especially in the more technically challenging sports, such as swimming and tennis. If you have a sports-related injury, Nuffield Health can oversee your complete recovery, from treatment through rehabilitation

your sport. For example, the wrong racket can contribute to you developing tennis elbow. Inappropriate shoes can contribute to painful conditions such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and other overuse tendon problems.

If you are participating in sports that involve a lot of landing from a jump or a lot of pivoting movements, like netball and hockey, it may be worthwhile seeing a physiotherapist who can teach you the correct landing techniques. This will minimise the risk of serious knee injuries, such as patellar dislocations, and anterior cruciate ligament ruptures.

Also, avoid excessive hill running (both up AND down) as this tends to significantly overload the front of the knee.

Know your limits

Build up your exercise tolerance levels gradually. This will not only decrease your chances of getting injured, but also make it much more enjoyable. There is not much joy in exhausting yourself in your first ever session, only to find that you have to take two weeks off to recover.

If you have a medical condition that may interfere with certain sporting activities, talk to your GP, your physiotherapist, or your consultant.

Why choose Nuffield Health?

Nuffield Health is the UK’s largest not-forprofit healthcare provider, and we’re committed to our purpose of building a healthier nation. The consultant team at our Bristol Hospital not only includes a number of orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in the treatment of sports-related injuries, but also two specialist physicians in Sport and Exercise Medicine: Dr Stuart Miller and Dr Guy Evans. A pioneer in the field of sports medicine, Dr Miller has worked with the GB Olympic and Paralympic teams, while Dr Evans is currently the team doctor for Bath Rugby.

Our physiotherapists have an excellent track record in the rehabilitation of upper and lower limb sports injuries, and as well as the hospital, you can also book an appointment to see a physiotherapist at a Nuffield Health fitness and wellbeing gym. Our family of gyms includes two Bristol sites – in Clifton, just a short walk from the hospital, and Stoke Gifford, near Bristol Parkway station. In addition to physiotherapy, our Bristol gyms have personal trainers whose specialist knowledge in strength and conditioning can aid members in overcoming pain and discomfort post-injury, and return to training freely, while Pilates classes with instructors qualified in clinical Pilates are also available.

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital

For more information about the full range of services available at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, including physiotherapy and treatments for sports-related injuries, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol or call 0117 911 5339 to book an appointment.

Quality care in Bath you can trust

When a family is thinking about care for a loved one, they want the best - they want to know that the care home they choose will put their loved one’s safety, happiness and wellbeing first.

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Rush Hill Mews care home

Clarks Way, Bath, Somerset, BA2 2TR 01225 685678 Careuk.com/rush-hill-mews