Sports injuries don't wait for an NHS appointment. Whether you've rolled your ankle mid-marathon training, developed a niggling knee pain that's disrupting your gym programme, or taken a knock on the pitch, getting the right assessment quickly makes a real difference to recovery time and long-term outcomes.
At Lambert Medical Practice in Surbiton, our GPs have experience in musculoskeletal medicine and sports injury assessment. We offer same-week private appointments for athletes, gym-goers, runners, cyclists, and weekend warriors across Surrey — with rapid imaging referrals when needed.
What We Treat
Our sports injury service covers a wide range of acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions:
Acute Injuries
- Ankle sprains and ligament injuries
- Muscle strains (hamstring, quadriceps, calf, rotator cuff)
- Knee injuries including suspected meniscal or ligament damage
- Shoulder dislocations and AC joint injuries
- Wrist, elbow, and hand injuries from contact sports or falls
- Rib injuries and chest wall trauma
Overuse & Chronic Conditions
- Tendinopathy (Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow)
- Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
- IT band syndrome (runner's knee)
- Stress fractures and bone stress reactions
- Back and hip pain related to sport or exercise
- Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome)
Sports Performance & Fitness Medicals
- Pre-participation sports medicals (including boxing, martial arts, cycling events)
- Return-to-sport assessments after injury or illness
- Pre-exercise ECG and cardiovascular screening for competitive athletes
- Sports blood panels: iron, ferritin, B12, Vitamin D, thyroid, testosterone
Why Private Sports Injury Assessment?
NHS urgent care appropriately prioritises fractures and severe injuries, but many soft tissue and overuse injuries — even those significantly impacting athletic performance — sit in a grey zone where NHS waiting times can stretch to weeks or months. A private sports medicine appointment typically means:
- Same-day or next-day availability — no weeks of waiting while your injury worsens or your fitness declines.
- 30-minute appointments — time to properly assess your injury, understand your training context, and discuss a realistic recovery plan.
- Immediate investigation referral — if X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI is needed, we can refer same-day rather than waiting for a GP referral to come through.
- Sport-aware clinical approach — our GPs understand training load, the demands of different sports, and the difference between pain that needs rest and pain that can be managed through modified training.
Sports Injury Assessment — What to Expect
Your appointment will last 30 minutes and covers:
- Full history: How the injury occurred, how long you've had it, what makes it better or worse, your training history and goals.
- Physical examination: Palpation, range of motion assessment, and relevant clinical tests specific to the injury type and location.
- Provisional diagnosis: Our GP will explain what they think is happening clinically and what structures are likely involved.
- Investigation plan: If imaging is needed — X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI — we arrange an urgent private referral. If blood tests are relevant (e.g. for bone stress or hormonal factors), we can take these at the same appointment.
- Treatment plan: Advice on load management, physiotherapy referral, bracing/strapping, medication if appropriate, and a clear return-to-sport timeline.
Sports Blood Panels — Are You Fuelling Your Performance?
Many athletes — particularly those doing high-volume endurance training — develop subclinical deficiencies that significantly impair recovery and performance. A sports blood panel at Lambert Medical covers:
| Marker | Why It Matters for Athletes |
|---|---|
| Ferritin & iron studies | Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in endurance athletes, directly impairing VO2 max and recovery |
| Vitamin D | Critical for muscle function, bone health, and immune function — frequently deficient in UK athletes training indoors or in winter |
| B12 | Essential for red blood cell production and neurological function — particularly important for plant-based athletes |
| Testosterone (men) | Overtrained athletes often show suppressed testosterone — a key marker of overtraining syndrome and recovery capacity |
| Thyroid (TSH, FT4) | Thyroid dysfunction can present as unexplained fatigue, weight changes, or performance decline |
| Full blood count | Haemoglobin, haematocrit — key oxygen-carrying capacity markers |
| Cortisol | Chronically elevated cortisol from overtraining or life stress impairs recovery and immune function |
Surbiton & Surrey's Sports Community
Lambert Medical Practice is located at 380 Ewell Road, Tolworth — conveniently positioned for athletes from across the KT6/KT5 postcode, Kingston upon Thames, New Malden, Chessington, Esher, and the wider A3 corridor. We're within 15 minutes of Bushy Park (one of the UK's busiest parkrun venues), Kingston town centre, and the major sports clubs and leisure facilities in the area.
Same-day appointments are available Monday to Saturday. Call 0208 133 5694 or book online to speak to a GP about your injury.