Sport and exercise benefits far outweigh the risks, but sometimes accidents do occur. Sport injuries can result from accidents, not warming up prior to exercise, poor technique or exercising too hard.
Lower Back Pain
Back injuries are easy to pick up – at some point in our lifetime, one-in-seven of us are likely to experience a sore lower back and this is one of the leading causes of work-related absences in the UK.
The signs and severity of back pain can vary, and while it's an injury that's quickly picked up — just bending or turning in a slightly wrong way can be enough to do some damage — it's fully curable in most instances and there are steps you can take to mitigate the risk, including stretching and relaxing exercises.
To diagnose lower back pain, you may choose to have an MRI or Ultrasound scan on a self-referral basis. Or you may be referred for an X-Ray scan by your Physiotherapist or Osteopath to show bone alignment, bone breaks and any bone injuries. X-Rays can be used to evaluate any part of the spine (Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar) and use radiation to produce images of the body and its organs for diagnostic purposes.
You can refer yourself for an Ultrasound or an MRI scan, so no need for a GP referral. Self-referral is available at over 40 locations across the UK.
Prices for an Ultrasound are £150 within 7 days, and £125 for an appointment after 7 days. An MRI scan costs from £249. You can view your scans online and you will receive a full diagnostic report written by a consultant radiologist within 3 working days; this is included in the price.
You can even choose your appointment and pay online through our Book & Go facility.
Rotator Cuff
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles which stabilise the shoulder joint and support it. Injuries to this region can be found in all kinds of ways, but they are often triggered by activities that require a lot of shoulder mobility or repetitive movement. To diagnose your injury, you may require an Ultrasound scan which can be used to diagnose rotator cuff injuries and soft tissue shoulder injuries. Unlike X-Rays, an Ultrasound scan allows different soft tissues to be identified, with no radiation exposed to the patient. On the other hand, an MRI scan can be used to visualise rotator cuff injuries and offers a more detailed, cross-sectional view of the shoulder, something which an Ultrasound scan is unable to provide. Alternatively, an X-Ray may be used to evalate shoulder arthritis, bone impingement and calcific tendonitis, and may show previous shoulder injury and risk factors to degenerative tears.
You can refer yourself for an Ultrasound or an MRI scan, so no need for a GP referral. Self-referral is available at over 40 locations across the UK.
Prices for an Ultrasound are £150 within 7 days, and £125 for an appointment after 5 days. An MRI scan costs from £249. You can view your scans online and you will receive a full diagnostic report written by a consultant radiologist within 3 working days; this is included in the price.
You can even choose your appointment and pay online through our Book & Go facility.
Runner's Knee
Runner's knee injury - or knee patellofemoral syndrome - is characterised by kneecap pain or irritation, typically followed by scraping or crunching around the joint as it passes through a normal range of motion. Knee injuries can be diagnosed using an MRI scan, which can identify imflamed and thickened tissue, and can recognise torn internal structures of the knee. An X-Ray scan can be used to look for joint misalignment and broken bones.
You can refer yourself for an MRI scan, so no need for a GP referral. Self-referral is available at over 32 locations across the UK.
Prices for an MRI scan costs £249 for an off-peak appointment, £345 standard price, and £365 for an appointment within 7 days. You can view your scans online and you will receive a full diagnostic report written by a consultant radiologist within 3 working days; this is included in the price.
You can even choose your appointment and pay online through our Book & Go facility.
Shin Splints
Shin splints is simply pain in the shin area created by muscles overstressed in the lower leg. Shin Splints stress is caused by high impact sport and exercise that involve a great deal of ground pounding, such as basketball, football, CrossFit and pavement running. X-Rays and MRI scans can help distinguish stress factures from shin splits.
You can refer yourself for an Ultrasound or an MRI scan, so no need for a GP referral. Self-referral is available at over 40 locations across the UK.
Prices for an MRI scan costs £249 for an off-peak appointment, £365 standard price, and £345 for an appointment within 7 days. You can view your scans online and you will receive a full diagnostic report written by a consultant radiologist within 3 working days; this is included in the price.
You can even choose your appointment and pay online through our Book & Go facility.
IT Band Injury
IT band injuries are common amongst cyclists and runners are are caused by tightening of the ligament bands that leads to pain alongside the outer leg, outside of the knee to the top of the hip. This can be caused by running on uneven surfaces, or by a sudden increase in distance covered by runners. It can also be due to unsupportive footwear; It is recommended to replace worn out shoes and to invest in high quality ones. To maintain good balance and hip alignment, cyclists need to ensure their seat is placed correctly and at the right height. MRI scans can determine the extent of IT Band Injury inflammation by using magnets and radio waves to create images of the soft tisue. Alternatively, an Ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of your leg and joint structures.
You can refer yourself for an Ultrasound or an MRI scan, so no need for a GP referral. Self-referral is available at over 40 locations across the UK.
Prices for an Ultrasound start from £125, and £150 for an appointment within 7 days. An MRI scan costs from £249. You can view your scans online and you will receive a full diagnostic report written by a consultant radiologist within 3 working days; this is included in the price.
You can even choose your appointment and pay online through our Book & Go facility.
Wrist Strain
Wrist strains is extremely easy to develop, especially when doing exercises that put a lot of strain on the wrists, such as climbing, yoga and press ups. A persistent or sudden pain in one of both wrists is the main symptom of wrist strain but you may also feel tenderness and swelling. If the effect of the wrist injury unexpectedly occurs, use RICE treatment (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to minimise any swelling and take full rest from any activities that may irritate the condition. To gain an accurate diagnosis of your wrist injury, an MRI or X-Ray may be recommended which can evaluate fractures, ligament and tendon injury.
You can refer yourself for an MRI scan, so no need for a GP referral. Self-referral is available at over 32 locations across the UK.
Prices for an MRI scan costs £249 for an off-peak appointment, £345 standard price, and £365 for an appointment within 7 days. You can view your scans online and you will receive a full diagnostic report written by a consultant radiologist within 3 working days; this is included in the price.
You can even choose your own appointment time and pay online through our Book & Go facility.
Get the diagnosis you need at an affordable price
For sports injuries, we offer a variety of scans including MRI, Ultrasound and X-Rays. We offer same day and next day appointments with over 40 convenient and accessible locations across the UK. To find out more call us on 0333 200 2064 or make an online enquiry.
Alternatively, you can book an MRI or Ultrasound scan online using our online booking system, Book and Go.
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