AS WE all try to maintain healthy active lifestyles, sports medicine is becoming an increasingly important care technique.

Sports medicine is the medical care of illness, utilising exercise programmes and also the medical care of problems, injuries and illnesses caused by exercise and sport.

Conditions managed by sports medicine include:

ankle, shoulder, wrist and knee injuries

back and neck pain resulting from the strain of sport or work

"runner's injuries" such as Achilles tendonitis, heel and foot pain, or shin splints

hip and groin pain

medical problems such as asthma and diabetes when suffered by athletes.

Nearly 95 per cent of musculoskeletal problems can be treated without surgery, placing sports medicine in high demand.

Sports physicians, in conjunction with other practitioners, guide patients through a personalised treatment plan and monitor their progress, ensuring patients have received the appropriate care and are fully recovered before returning to sport or work.

With the support of a variety of sports medicine professionals, sports physicians suggest rehabilitation with physiotherapists or assessment by podiatrists, advise on diet and nutrition regimes and supplements - which enable optimal physical performance - and offer exercise "prescriptions" tailored to a patient's individual fitness level and goals.

Sports physicians work very closely with other consultants and, where appropriate, will make referrals to orthopaedic surgeons should invasive surgery be required.

The Hampshire Clinic's Sports Medicine Complex

The Sports Medicine Complex at BMI Healthcare's Hampshire Clinic is run by two sports and exercise physicians and a team of chartered and extensively experienced physiotherapists.

Sports physicians Mark Wotherspoon and Mike Rossiter are experienced in working with a variety of athletes and levels of athletic talent, including the Great Britain Olympic hockey team, London Irish Rugby and the English Institute of Sport.

"There is a multi-disciplinary approach to an individual patient's care," explains Dr Wotherspoon. "At the first consultation, patients will be seen by a sports physician and, where needed, physiotherapist and/or podiatrist experts will be involved to help determine the most appropriate individual treatment and rehabilitation programme, giving the patient the best chance of recovering as quickly as possible."

Dr Rossiter says: "The Sports Medicine Complex offers excellent access to full investigative procedures, equipment and treatment facilities, including The Hampshire Clinic's gymnasium, a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool and Cybex isokinetic testing and training equipment.

"Podiatrists are on-hand for foot and biomechanics assessment and to fit insoles and corrective orthotic products should they be required, and we also benefit from our close association with The Hampshire Clinic and its orthopaedic team, providing patients with the most expert care and advice."

Appointments at The Hampshire Clinic Sports Medicine Complex can be made directly by patients, or via patient general practitioners, physiotherapists or other healthcare professionals by calling 01256 377720