BY DR GAVIN CLAGUE, CONSULTANT RADIOLOGIST, DARCY HEALTHCARE
This article was first published in Sportin Magazine June 2024 edition
Having Gareth Anscombe as your first patient felt like somewhat of a coup for Darcy
Healthcare. Gareth had been referred to us for imaging with a chest wall injury and, as is commonplace in elite sport, diagnosis was required quickly. Gareth was suspected to have a rib problem, but radiographs (X-rays) are often unable to diagnose rib fractures.
We therefore carried out an ultrasound scan of the painful area which interestingly revealed that the ribs were intact, and he’d fractured the piece of cartilage that connects the rib to the breastbone or sternum. Cartilage cannot be seen clearly on X-rays, so ultrasound was the best mode of imaging for his injury. This allowed the Ospreys medical staff looking after him to provide Gareth and the coaches with a prognosis and treatment plan.
An elite athlete suffering from an injury or complaint requires a fast diagnosis to enable the correct next steps to be taken. The diagnosis is achieved with clinical assessment and usually an imaging test such as an MRI or ultrasound scan. If imaging is required, this would not normally be done on the same day but after at least 24-48 hours to
allow the immediate tissue response to settle.
So, when a coach says after the match that they don’t know the state of the injury, this is invariably true and they won’t until the diagnosis and importantly, the prognosis, is clear.
Neither MRI nor ultrasound use radiation like X-rays or CT scans do, which is
another advantage of these modalities, both available at Darcy Healthcare.
One of the benefits for Gareth, who was playing for Ospreys at the time, is that
we are based on the same site as their training ground, allowing for easy access to imaging with either technique.
In a collision sport such as rugby, injuries are commonplace, but the pain shouldn’t be ignored as simply ‘part of the game’, and continuing to play with undiagnosed pain may be hampering not only your performance but also your long-term health.
For any athlete, from amateur to elite, it is important that any injury is assessed and dealt with quickly, as training through it can make recovery even longer. Fast diagnosis will allow you to take the right course in your recovery, enabling you to train to your potential and return to the performance level you should be at as soon as possible.
This doesn’t just apply to people who enjoy an active lifestyle but to anyone struggling with symptoms impacting their mobility or health.
We work closely with physiotherapists and other practitioners who specialise in numerous areas of healthcare to ensure diagnosis, recovery, and return to activity
or normal life are achieved in the shortest time frame possible.
With the diagnostics and resources, we provide at Darcy Healthcare, this can potentially be achieved in one visit.
Gareth returned to play shortly after the scan knowing that the pain could be controlled by analgesia as required and no further action was needed. The same efficient pathway is the best way of keeping all athletes from grassroots through to elite level, up and running.
Sportin Wales Co-Founder Gareth Anscombe said of his assessment by Darcy Healthcare: “During the season I was involved in a big collision which led to what we suspected to be broken ribs.
After being seen at Darcy Healthcare, we were able to assess my injury very quickly
and adjust my rehab accordingly. Getting a quick diagnosis was crucial in allowing
me to make a return to the field as quickly as possible."
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