Private Sports Medicine in Sutton Coldfield

Sports injuries don't respect NHS waiting lists. At The Vesey, a sports medicine assessment provides a detailed clinical examination, access to musculoskeletal ultrasound, athlete ECG, MRI referral, and injection therapy — all co-ordinated in one place. Whether you've just twisted your knee on the pitch or have a tendon injury that has been stopping you training for months, we give you a clear diagnosis and a structured plan.

Conditions we assess and treat

Our clinician assesses the full range of sports and musculoskeletal presentations. The conditions below represent the most common referral reasons.

Procedures & transparent pricing

Every price below is the fee charged at The Vesey. You will always receive a clear quote before any procedure begins.

Prices accurate as of July 2026. Complex cases and multi-element assessments quoted individually. MRI cost varies by body region and imaging centre.

What to expect at your appointment

Deep-dive: ACL injury assessment and return to sport

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most significant sports injuries in pivoting-sport athletes. A correct early assessment sets the entire trajectory of recovery.

Clinical assessment

We apply the Ottawa Knee Rules to identify patients requiring X-ray to exclude fracture. ACL integrity is then assessed with the Lachman test (most sensitive clinical test, sensitivity ~87%) and the anterior drawer test. Pivot shift testing assesses rotational instability. Medial and lateral ligament stability, posterior sag and McMurray's test for meniscal involvement are also assessed.

MRI and imaging

A positive or uncertain clinical examination triggers MRI referral. MRI has over 90% sensitivity for complete ACL rupture and will characterise meniscal involvement, bone bruising, and associated ligament damage — information critical to surgical planning. Results are typically available within 3–5 working days.

Conservative versus surgical management

Not all ACL tears require surgery. Conservative management (structured rehabilitation without reconstruction) is a legitimate pathway for lower-demand patients, those with sufficient neuromuscular control, and partial tears. Surgical ACL reconstruction (ACLR) is typically recommended for competitive athletes in pivoting sports and patients with functional instability despite rehabilitation. We discuss both options and refer to orthopaedic surgery where reconstruction is indicated.

Return-to-sport timeline

The evidence consistently supports a 9–12 month minimum before return to unrestricted pivoting sport after ACLR. Patients returning at 9 months have a substantially lower re-injury risk than those returning at 6 months. Our return-to-sport assessment uses criteria-based milestones — limb symmetry index on strength testing, single-leg hop tests, and psychological readiness (ACL-RSI) — rather than time alone.

Immediate management after acute ACL injury follows the POLICE principle (Protection, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compression, Elevation) — superseding the older RICE protocol, as early optimal loading is now known to promote healing rather than impair it.

Deep-dive: tendinopathy management

Tendinopathy — pain and reduced function in a tendon — is one of the most common reasons athletes present to sports medicine. The underlying pathology is degenerative (tendinosis), not inflammatory — which is why anti-inflammatories alone rarely resolve it.

Load management — the foundation of treatment

The reactive–degenerative–failed healing continuum model (Cook & Purdam) informs treatment. The key principle is that tendons respond to load — but must be loaded progressively and in the right volume. We assess your training load and identify the load threshold at which symptoms occur, then build a graduated return.

Eccentric exercise protocols

Eccentric loading programmes (e.g. Alfredson protocol for Achilles; heavy slow resistance for patellar tendinopathy) have the strongest evidence base. We provide a tailored protocol based on your tendon, sport, and current load capacity — with progression guided by pain response (the Visual Analogue Scale during and 24 hours after exercise).

Shockwave therapy

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is recommended for chronic tendinopathy unresponsive to 3 months of loading. It is effective for Achilles, patellar, plantar fascia and calcific rotator cuff pathology. We refer to accredited shockwave providers in the West Midlands, typically 3–5 sessions.

PRP (platelet-rich plasma)

Leukocyte-rich PRP injection under ultrasound guidance is an option for tendinopathy that has not responded to a structured 3-month loading programme and shockwave. Evidence is strongest for lateral epicondylar tendinopathy (tennis elbow) and Achilles tendinopathy. Available from £320 at The Vesey.

Frequently asked questions