The basic principal of Sport and Exercise Medicine is to restore the ill or injured athlete to full activity. In order to achieve this, the clinician must be able to make an accurate diagnosis, activate a treatment regime and supervise a coordinated rehabilitation programme.  The best outcome is that of a happy athlete and a professionally satisfied practitioner.

Leg pain in athletes has many causes and may produce a diagnostic dilemma.  A sports injury specialist will discuss your sporting and medical history, perform a thorough clinical examination and arrange any specialist investigations that may be required.  These investigation may include x-rays, pressure studies, bone scans, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).  In addition, assessment of your training methods, conditions and equipment will be undertaken as poor training techniques are a common underlying cause of the presenting problem and conservative management may allow the athlete to return to full activity.  Other conditions however may require surgery to correct an underlying problem before careful rehabilitation enables the individual to return to a full sporting programme.

In my practice I tend to see athletes who have failed a rehabilitation programme or in who a firm diagnosis has not been made.  I also operate on individuals who have specific problems that require surgery including inguinal hernias and compartment syndrome.