From this month, Canberra residents will have access to specialised sports medicine services usually reserved for high-performance athletes, simply by visiting a medical centre in Bruce.
Dr Stephan Praet, a sport and exercise physician who has been working at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and the University of Canberra’s Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE) joins Ochre Medical Centre Bruce to bring what he calls “Formula One services” in sports medicine to the general public.
At the AIS, Dr Praet managed the injuries and illnesses of high-performance athletes for nearly three years. At UCRISE and across prestigious European research centres and hospitals, he spent more than 10 years researching the impact of chronic and metabolic stress on cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems.
At Ochre Medical Centre Bruce, he will be offering those same sports medicine services and tests, and applying the results of his research, to Canberra residents with musculoskeletal injuries, those who are intolerant to exercise due to chronic disease or cancer treatment, those seeking a pre-participation screening before starting high-intensity or competitive sport activities, and high-performance athletes.
Some of Dr Praet’s services include body composition measurements; tests for heart function, fitness levels and the training ability of patients; and medical imaging for injuries to joints, muscles, tendons and bones. He says, “I offer stress-ECGs, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and, if required, even a CT-scan of the coronary arteries to assess risk for cardiovascular problems. Novel research indicates, for example, that a comprehensive exercise stress test for certain cancer or pre-operative patients is a useful adjunct to tailor an exercise intervention to their needs and improve long-term outcome and quality of life.
“Examples of patients who will benefit from these tests are those who have deconditioning issues that prevent them from getting back to an active lifestyle or sport; or competitive or middle-aged endurance runners or cyclists who seek an extensive health-check-up or sports specific training advice.”
Dr Praet is excited about using his knowledge and experience to benefit the quality of life of all Canberra residents. “I will seek to collaborate with the University of Canberra to offer tests usually given to athletes to those who can’t exercise due to chronic disease or cancer treatment. I call these Formula One services, as they are very specialised medical services that most sport and exercise physicians in Australia don’t offer.”
Dr Praet says he decided to join Ochre Medical Centre Bruce because the new University of Canberra Public Hospital, which will be completed next year, is just 500m away. “I will also be partnering with the hospital and its specialist doctors to offer the most comprehensive sport and exercise medicine services to patients in Canberra and its surrounding areas.”
Ochre Medical Centre Bruce is located at Cnr Allawoona Street & Ginninderra Drive, Bruce.
To make a booking, call (02) 6180 8500 or click here to book online.
The post Looking for a sports physician to help take your A-game to the next level? appeared first on Ochre Health.