FITNESS IN SPORT
Prehab services are increasingly popular in the City, where cash-rich, time-poor clients want to maximise every workout
We’re also getting feedback that, in some cases, members are specifically choosing our clubs because we provide a more supportive membership option.”
THIRD PARTY EXPERTISE But if you’re not in the market for to provide such a service, the other option is to find a partner who is. Six Physio is a London-based chain of 10
physiotherapy clinics that offers a range of assessment services. “These reflect Six Physio’s company mantra ‘to cure, not treat’ and differentiate us from many other physiotherapists by identifying problem areas even before symptoms present themselves,” says Robert Crowfoot, director of Six Physio. “From a business perspective, assessments have proved a big pull for many new clients. We’ve also seen increased demand from existing clients who, following treatment by Six Physio’s rehab specialists, have signed up for assessment services for injury prevention.” Take-up of running assessments
has grown more than threefold since November 2012, and cycling assessments almost twofold. While there are no official partnerships,
individual clinics within the chain have built strong links with the gyms and PTs that they rate highly in their area, so that they can work together to meet a client’s needs. Six physio movement assessments
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use an iPad set-up to video clients performing their chosen activity. “We can identify areas that may need a little more work, either because they’re not moving well or not stabilising well,” explains Carla Lodweijks, clinic director at the company's Fleet Street branch. Real-time ultrasound is also used to monitor different muscles during movement. “Our aim is to provide a comprehensive assessment and ensure that the client goes away with a clear idea of the exercises they need to do to prevent injury,” she adds. Meanwhile, Run 3D is a specialist within the running arena and claims to be the UK’s first company to offer a three- dimensional motion analysis service. “We assess running technique from above, to the side and behind, comparing the results to our database of thousands of runners to advise on what injuries a runner may be vulnerable to and how to prevent them,” explains director Dr Jessica Leitch. Run 3D’s flagship clinic is in Oxford, but it also franchises the Run 3D service to sports injury clinics, podiatrists and physiotherapists. “Clinics lease the equipment from us and we train them in how to use it,” says Leitch. “They then make revenue by selling the service to their clients.” Due to the specialist nature of the
analysis, a healthcare professional (such as a physio, biomechanist, sports therapist or
sports massage therapist) is needed on-site to interpret the data in a meaningful way. “Thus far, we’ve been approached by healthcare professionals who want to make their clinics stand out from the crowd,” says Leitch. “But that’s not to say we wouldn’t be open to gyms and health clubs taking on the system, as many now have such specialists on-board anyway.” Bedford agrees that forging links with external experts could be a good way of offering specialist services to club members. But he has a caveat: choose carefully. “Complex terminology that might be acceptable within a specialist clinic won’t put your members at ease,” he says. “And you don’t want people to leave an assessment with the feeling that they are ‘broken’ and need to be ‘fixed’.”
PERCEIVED VALUE There’s no doubt that there’s a growing demand for prehab services – particularly in areas like the City of London, where hardcore exercisers are cash-rich but time-poor and want to maximise every workout. But can prehab earn its keep? While Bedford says it’s difficult to quantify the impact such services have on member retention and exercise adherence without data, Nuffield’s experience suggests investing in pre-exercise assessment and early-days support adds value when it’s included within a membership cost. l
sportsmanagement.co.uk issue 3 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
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