Enhancing Your Healthcare: Introducing Sports Medicine at Carter & George

How a Holistic Approach can Benefit Patients

Comprehensive healthcare is pivotal in the realm of physiotherapy, offering a holistic approach to client recovery and health maintenance. This concept involves the collaboration of various healthcare professionals, including sports and exercise medicine doctors, to deliver well-rounded, integrated care.

This multidisciplinary approach ensures that all aspects of care are addressed, from rehabilitation to lifestyle modifications and preventative measures. With such comprehensive patient care, clients receive individualized treatment plans tailored to their specific needs, leading to more effective and sustainable outcomes.

This is particularly relevant in the field of sports physiotherapy, where managing injuries, promoting recovery, and preventing future harm are all key considerations that benefit significantly from a comprehensive health care approach.

What Exercise Medicine Sport Consultants can do to Aid Physiotherapy

Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) doctors are senior doctors who are integral members of the comprehensive healthcare team, particularly within the realm of physiotherapy. Their expertise lies in the comprehensive management of sports and exercise injuries and illness, often working in collaboration with other healthcare professionals to deliver well-rounded, integrated care.

Services Sports Medicine Consultants Can Offer

Their scope of practice extends beyond injury rehabilitation, encompassing preventative healthcare through lifestyle modifications and exercise prescriptions. They are trained to address physical fitness issues, prescribe appropriate exercises, and promote overall wellness, making them invaluable in the field of sports physiotherapy.

Their medical profession often involves not only assisting in the recovery of active individuals but also helping them enhance their performance and prevent future injuries.

While there is considerable overlap in the roles of Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) consultants and physiotherapists, SEM consultants are specialty doctors who bring distinct capabilities to the table due to their medical training. Firstly, they are authorized to diagnose medical conditions, enabling early intervention and prompt treatment, a function that physiotherapists can’t perform.

Secondly, SEM consultants can administer medical treatments such as prescribing medication or conducting minor surgical procedures, another capacity beyond a physiotherapist’s scope. Lastly, SEM consultants can oversee the entire recovery process, including rehabilitation, return to activity, and prevention of future injuries, ensuring holistic care for patients.

Their broader expertise in systematic disease management and comprehensive medical knowledge complements the specialized, hands-on support physiotherapists provide, creating a more encompassing approach to patient care.

The Role of a Sports and Exercise Medicine Doctor in Physiotherapy

A Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) doctor is a specialist who focuses on the medical and therapeutic aspects of sports and exercise participation. They treat conditions and injuries that typically occur in sports, such as ligament tears, muscle strains, concussion, and bone fractures. SEM doctors also help manage chronic illnesses that can affect physical performance, such as asthma and diabetes.

Injury Prevention

Beyond treatment, SEM doctors play a significant role in injury prevention. They conduct pre-participation physical examinations to ensure athletes are fit to compete and provide advice on safe training practices and proper equipment use. They also guide athletes on proper nutrition and hydration to optimize their performance and recovery.

SEM Alongside Physiotherapy

In a physiotherapy setting, SEM doctors collaborate closely with physical therapists to coordinate care. They can provide diagnoses, prescribe medications, and oversee rehabilitation programs. Together with physiotherapists, they work to ensure that patients can safely return to their desired level of physical activity as quickly as possible.

The Connection between Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy

Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) and physiotherapy may seem like distinct fields, but they are interconnected, particularly within a sports context. SEM doctors and physiotherapists often work together as part of a multidisciplinary team aimed at providing well-rounded, comprehensive care for athletes and other individuals engaged in physical activity.

From a clinical perspective, SEM doctors diagnose and manage conditions, prescribe medications, and implement treatment plans, including exercise protocols. Physiotherapists, on the other hand, provide hands-on care, advise patients on therapeutic exercises, and oversee the execution of rehabilitation programs designed by SEM doctors. They also provide vital feedback to SEM doctors about a patient’s progress, which can influence the ongoing management plan.

Prevention of Reinjury

In the preventative domain, both professionals play a crucial role, armed with the understanding that prevention is better than cure. SEM doctors focus on injury prevention by conducting pre-participation examinations and providing advice on safe training practices and appropriate nutrition. Physiotherapists, meanwhile, educate patients about correct movement techniques and body mechanics to avoid potential injuries and ensure optimal performance.

The intersection of these two fields allows for a more holistic approach to healthcare, combining the strengths of both professions to maximize patient outcomes. This synergy is particularly beneficial in sports physiotherapy, where the goal is not only to treat injuries but also to enhance an athlete’s performance and prevent future harm.

Physical Benefits of a Sport and Exercise Medicine approach

Adhering to a Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) approach has numerous physical benefits, largely due to its comprehensive, preventative, and rehabilitative nature.

From an injury prevention standpoint, SEM doctors provide essential guidance on safe exercise practices, body mechanics, and use of appropriate equipment, all of which help reduce the risk of sports-related injuries. These plans not only facilitate recovery from injuries, but they also aim to enhance physical performance and minimize the risk of future injuries.

Moreover, the incorporation of exercise prescriptions can assist in the management and prevention of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Consequently, the SEM approach contributes significantly to improving overall physical health and fitness, optimizing sports performance, and enhancing the quality of life.

How our Physiotherapy Service will Improve with a Sports and Exercise Medicine Doctor

Incorporating a Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) doctor into our physiotherapy service will markedly enhance our level of care. A SEM doctor will provide in-depth diagnosis and treatment plans, complementing the work of our physiotherapists. This integration allows for seamless communication between professionals, leading to more efficient and effective care for our patients.

Dr Daniel Broman

Dr. Daniel Broman is a lead Consultant in Musculoskeletal, Sport and Exercise Medicine. He is the current Head of Sports Medicine for City Football Group and Head of Medical Governance at the Football Association.

Background

In addition to NHS and private clinical practice, Dr. Broman has previously acted as club doctor for West Ham United Football Club where he worked with the team both domestically in the Premier League and internationally for UEFA competitions.

He is a consultant for the UK Sports Institute and previously acted as Chief Medical Officer for British Canoeing. He has also previously held roles at Chelsea Football Club, Reading Football Club and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Dr. Broman has special interest in the use of physical activity as a therapeutic intervention for many medical conditions. He is a strong advocate for a non-surgical approach to sports medicine and musculoskeletal health, believing that exercise is medicine and central to recovery from injury.

Education

Dr. Broman graduated in Medicine in 2010 and underwent specialist training in Acute Medicine in London becoming a Member of the Royal College of Physicians in 2014. He was awarded a Master’s degree in Sports Medicine, Exercise and Health from University College London in 2015 and subsequently completed Higher Specialist Training in Sport and Exercise Medicine in London.

Specialist Training

During his specialist training, he also gained a PGCert in Medical Ultrasound with distinction from AECC University College. In 2019, Dr. Broman was appointed as a Consultant and became a Fellow of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine with inclusion on to the GMC’s Specialist Register.

Carter & George Physiotherapy

We highly encourage all our patients to take advantage of our newly improved service with Dr Daniel Broman. By doing so, you’re not just treating an injury, you’re investing in your future health and performance.

Learn more about our sports injury specialists here.