Q&A with Dr Robin Chatterjee - Common winter sports and exercise injuries

At The Lister Hospital in Chelsea, we’re incredibly fortunate to play host to a wide range of exceptional nurses, doctors and other medical professionals who are able to offer our patients expert advice on a range of specialist areas and topics.

As many of us revisit or begin our fitness journeys we caught up with Dr. Robin Chatterjee, one of our consultants specialising in musculoskeletal Sport and Exercise medicine at The Lister Hospital to find out more about common winter sport and exercise injuries that you should look out for. As well as his use of innovative cutting-edge regenerative techniques in his practice Which conditions do you usually treat?

At this particular time of year, we tend to treat sporting injuries that occur as a result of specific winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding or sledding and also common Winter sports such as football and rugby. Injuries sustained due to gym work also tend to be common at this time of year, as more people are inclined to exercise indoors due to the cold weather.?

Are there other seasonal issues that you help patients with?

Common issues that we would generally encounter at this time of year include serious knee problems such as ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injuries, which may occur in skiing accidents (for example); shoulder dislocations from people trying to break a fall whilst skiing;?Knee pain due to meniscal damage from twisting injuries from getting studs stuck in muddy fields whilst playing rugby or football

However, we can also see other issues that aren't as serious such as strains or muscle stretches, or just general pain and difficulty in moving in the knees, shoulders and other joints. Those who go to the gym (either regularly or periodically) or play football/rugby often have these kinds of lesser issues as well, which, although you may not require an operation, however, do need treatment nonetheless.

How can people prevent sporting injuries??

To prevent sporting injuries, the best thing to do would be firstly, to follow the sporting guidelines for your particular event. It's wise to warm up cold muscles with some light exercise or stretching prior to playing your sport.

If it's a winter activity, such as skiing, then wear multiple breathable layers that can insulate your body and be removed as needed. Whatever the activity, try and stay hydrated by taking frequent water breaks.?

Finally, don't push yourself doing one last run or one final session if you're already tired and in pain, because this is when accidents can easily happen.?

Can you treat a sports injury straight away?

Yes, you can treat sports injuries as soon as they occur. There's an acronym that we use called PRICE that stands for Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate to help manage an injury in the first 24-48 hours following an acute soft tissue injury. Minimising bleeding and swelling at the injury site is important because the application of more aggressive interventions,, such as massage, will cause further tissue damage. When used appropriately, the PRICE protocol can improve recovery time and reduce discomfort.

What conditions can be treated with innovative cutting-edge regenerative techniques?

There are many conditions that I see, which may can be managed with innovative cutting-edge regenerative techniques. For example, Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) or ‘Shockwave’ as we call it, is used to treat tendinopathies. Tendinopathy is the swelling of a tendon, which is a thick cord attaching a muscle to a bone. It can cause joint pain and stiffness and occurs often due to overuse or overload of a joint.?

Alternatively, we can provide ultrasound guided injections:

Hyaluronic acid, which is a lubricating substance given to those with wear and tear arthritis (Osteoarthritis). This can help with pain and ease of moving a joint.?

Hydrodistension (injection of?a high volume of salt water) into the shoulder is used to treat Frozen Shoulders.?

PRP or platelet rich plasma injections, where the platelets in one's own blood are injected into a joint that has undergone wear and tear. The platelets can help to repair injuries and encourage healing.

Find out more about Dr Robin Chatterjee: https://bit.ly/3In4j2B