The Pure Pod — Sports & Exercise Medicine

The Pure Pod S2 E6: How Exercise Supports Cancer Treatment and Recovery

It is expected that 50% of people in the UK born after 1960 will get cancer. With so many of us likely to be afflicted by the disease, Pure Sports Medicine are on a mission to inform patients how they can return to a higher quality of life both during and after acute treatment.  A cancer diagnosis brings a range of side effects and experiences. Some survivors experience complications for years after their diagnosis and treatment; fatigue and loss of independence can result in declining physical function and quality of life.  Research shows that survivors, and patients currently undertaking treatment for cancer, can safely engage in exercise, improving their physical fitness, function and quality of life. Not only can that mitigate symptoms, but it can also reduce recurrence. Some studies show that exercise reduces risk of recurrence by an average of 30% when comparing active survivors to inactive ones.  How much exercise should cancer patients be undertaking? Are there specific types of exercise that can help with recovery, and lower recurrence risk? How can exercise help with a patient's mental wellbeing, as they take on arduous treatment programs? To discuss these topics in more detail, I’ll be joined by Dean Sutton, a strength and conditioning coach; and physiotherapist Jessica Patel, who are both specialists in cancer rehab. Here’s what we covered:  * Whether patients are reluctant to exercise following a diagnosis (02:45) * The benefits of exercise for patients during their treatment (03:45)  * The benefits of resistance training and aerobic exercise (11:30)  * Why exercise can help patients with their mental wellbeing (17:30)  * How an MDT might work alongside an oncologist to build an exercise plan (21:00)  * Pure Sports Medicine’s cancer rehabilitation programme (26:45)  * How medical professionals help patients manage their expectations around exercise during their treatment and rehabilitation (30:15)  * How exercise can reduce the risk of recurrence (34:00)   Speaker Bios  *  Dean Sutton https://puresportsmed.com/team/dean-sutton/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/dean-sutton/]  *  Jessica Patel https://puresportsmed.com/team/jessica-patel/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/jessica-patel/]  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best.  For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com [http://www.puresportsmed.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

The Pure Pod - S2 E5: Sustainable weight loss, supplements & GLP-1 drugs

Debates over sustainable and safe weight loss have renewed in recent years, following the widespread use of weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy. A University College London survey found that roughly one-point–six million adults in the UK took weight loss drugs between January twenty-twenty-four and twenty-twenty-five — around ninety percent of patients accessed these products through a private healthcare provider. The research found that almost one-in-ten British adults would consider using weight loss drugs in the future.  GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic can have profound side effects. Nausea, and dehydration are common, while serious but rare risks include pancreatitis or disease of the gallbladder. Many patients who stop taking the drugs report a rapid increase in weight in the following months.  The popularity of these drugs reveals a truth. Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to our long-term wellbeing, and longevity — obese patients are at a greater risk of chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart diseases and cancer. However, there are other important health markers that can also help with longevity, including retention of muscle mass, which people who undertake rapid weight loss can often overlook.  When can weight loss drugs prove helpful in healthy weight loss? Which supplements should people looking to lose weight prioritise? How can we retain muscle mass, and promote a holistic outlook on our health as we age?  To answer these questions, we were joined by Clemence Cleave and Tom Williams. Clem is an award-winning nutritionist with expertise in weight management, women’s health and cardio-metabolic health. Tom is Pure Sports Medicine’s Head of Performance, and a strength and conditioning coach. He’s passionate about building solid health foundations for his clients that will last for a lifetime.  Here’s what we covered:   * The proliferation of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist drugs for weight loss (03:45)  * How these drugs help patients lose weight (07:15)  * When it is advisable for a patient to use GLP-1 drugs to help with sustainable weight loss (12:45)  * The side effects of taking GLP-1 drugs (16:45)  * The risks of carrying excess weight, and visceral fat, as we age (23:30)  * The role of diet and exercise alongside the prescription of GLP-1 drugs (30:30)  * How supplementation can help in sustainable weight loss (40:00) * How we can live healthier lives, as life expectancy increases (44:30)   Speaker Bios  * Clemence Cleave: https://puresportsmed.com/team/clemence-cleave/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/clemence-cleave/]  * Tom Williams: https://puresportsmed.com/team/tom-williams/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/tom-williams/]  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best.  For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com [http://www.puresportsmed.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

The Pure Pod — S2 E4: Training for a Hyrox

HYROX has exploded in popularity over the past few years. According to the sport’s official website, there were more than 40 global races in 2023, attracting over 90,000 athletes to test themselves in a gruelling exercise race. Each race is held over eight kilometres, with participants running between eight different exercises including a fifty metre sled pull and push, burpees and standing rowing machines.  The health benefits of mixing these explosive movements with endurance is pretty obvious, but it does create injury risk, especially if new competitors jump into their new regime without some planning.   In this podcast, we’ll look at the ideal training mix, recovery and injury prevention methods, how to nail your nutrition for the race itself and how to bounce back to your training routine after the big day.  To help us understand the process of preparing for, and recovering from a HYROX event, we draw on the expertise of two Pure Sport Medicine physios. Yasmin Milne has represented Scotland at the HYROX World Championships in Nice, while Brad Casey has also participated in multiple HYROX events.  Here’s what we covered:  * The format of HYROX races, and how it differs from other fitness challenges (02:45)  * Brad and Yas’ respective experiences in HYROX events (06:00)  * Why HYROX has exploded in popularity (08:45)  * The benefits of hybrid training (09:45)  * How you should tailor your training towards peak performance on race day (13:45)  * Training specificity for HYROX (19:00)  * The dangers of overtraining (21:15)  * The injury risks associated with HYROX (24:45)  * How a physio will work with other members of the MDT to help athletes prepare (29:45)  * Specific consideration for female athletes preparing for HYROX (33:15)  * On the day preparations (35:45)  * Recovery strategies (40:45)  * How an MDT can help athletes with their recovery process (44:45) Speaker Bios  Yasmin Milne: https://puresportsmed.com/team/yasmin-milne/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/yasmin-milne/]  Brad Casey: https://puresportsmed.com/team/bradley-casey/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/bradley-casey/]  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best.  For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com [http://www.puresportsmed.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

The Pure Pod — S2 E3: ACL injuries in female athletes

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are one of the most dreaded injuries for athletes across all sports and disciplines. Crucial in stabilising the knee and facilitating explosive movement and quick changes of direction, a tear to the ligament often requires surgery and lengthy rehab to return the patient to their previous level of mobility and to stave off long-term pain and instability.   Recent medical research shows that women are three to eight times more likely to experience an injury to their ACL than men. One study estimated a multisport female athlete aged between thirteen and eighteen has a 10% risk of injuring the ligament. In 2023, nearly 30 female footballers missed out on the World Cup due to ACL injuries, drawing media attention to the prevalence of the injury. Earlier this year, FIFA announced a fund to research the trend in more detail.   Why are rates of ACL injuries continuing to climb for female athletes? What are the causes of these injuries? And how can female athletes return to their best after experiencing a lengthy layoff?   We put those questions to two of Pure Sports Medicine’s physiotherapists, Amy Todd and Natasha Doyle, on the latest episode of the Pure Pod.   Here’s what we covered:  * The role of the ACL in the knee (03:00)  * The sports that carry greater risk of ACL injury (04:00)  * Why research suggesting hormonal changes could be the reason behind greater injury risk for women is incomplete (04:45)   * How women can tailor training around their menstrual cycle (12:15)  * The societal factors in increasing injury risk for female athletes (14:30)  * Biomechanical differences between male and female athletes (20:45)   * Whether men and women are treated differently following a significant ACL injury (28:30)   * How an MDT might  approach ACL rehabilitation programmes (33:00)  * The need for research into female athletes and their injury risks (39:30)    Speaker Bios:   Amy Todd: https://puresportsmed.com/team/amy-todd/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/amy-todd/]   Natasha Doyle: https://puresportsmed.com/team/natasha-doyle/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/natasha-doyle/]   Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best.  For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com [http://www.puresportsmed.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

The Pure Pod — S2 E2 Topical Health & Access to Care

The ever-increasing waitlists for treatment within the NHS are constantly in the news. Long-term conditions including musculoskeletal ailments, rheumatological conditions, the treatment of overweight patients and those with diabetes, as well as patients recovering from cancer have some of the longest waiting periods. That lack of access to care is creating worsening health outcomes for millions of Britons.  It is imperative for individuals to take more control of their health. Retaining muscle as we age, improving cardiovascular health and maintaining a level of fitness reduces risk of chronic pain and reduces risk of ‘lifestyle diseases’. The government has announced a future focus on prioritising prevention over treatment, which is a welcome development. However, many patients still are either unable to access the insights of medical professionals or are unsure of their options. Self-referring to a physio, a strength & conditioning coach or a nutritionist can help people suffering from existing health conditions improve their quality of life.  To talk about these topics in more detail, we’re joined by Pure Sports Medicine’s Chief Clinical Officer, Claire Small, and its Medical Director, Dr. John Etherington.  Here are the topics we covered off:  * The barriers to care for patients with long-term health conditions (2:45) * The risk factors when patients experience long waiting times for treatment (5:30) * How inadequate access to care can affect our mental wellbeing (9:30) * Options for care outside of the NHS (15:15)  * Why empowering patients to take control of their health leads to positive outcomes (25:00) * Some of the markers that patients should look for in their general health (30:00) * How a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach can help patients achieve better health outcomes (37:00)  Speaker Bios  Claire Small: https://puresportsmed.com/team/claire-small/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/claire-small/]  Dr. John Etherington: https://puresportsmed.com/team/dr-john-etherington-cbe/ [https://puresportsmed.com/team/dr-john-etherington-cbe/]  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best.  For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com [http://www.puresportsmed.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine