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	British indoor 3,000-metre record holder Mohammed ‘Mo’ Farah being put through his paces during a Bupa Run Check at the Barbican Wellness Centre

Front runner

How Bupa is taking its place at the leading edge of sports medicine

As the demand for sports medicine continues to increase, our businesses around the world are committed to securing Bupa’s place at the leading edge of this specialised but rapidly growing healthcare field. In Spain, the partnership between Sanitas and some of the country’s biggest sporting names – including football clubs Real Madrid, Valencia CF and Villareal CF – sees the business providing some of the world’s top athletes and their families with up-to-the-minute medical expertise and access to the most advanced healthcare equipment and treatment facilities available.

A similar partnership exists between Bupa Australia and a number of sporting organisations in the country, and the business also provides medical assistance for the Santos Tour Down Under – the first race on the world road cycling calendar. Although not yet as extensive as the sports medicine offering seen in Spain, there are plans to expand it throughout 2011, by working with existing or new partners to build a greater awareness of Bupa’s health expertise.

Participants in the City to Bay Fun Run – the second largest event of its kind in Australia with close to 30,000 runners – also benefit from Bupa’s expertise, thanks to Mutual Community Workshops, which give runners the chance to hear from sports experts about how best to prepare for the event.

In the UK, London’s Barbican Wellness Centre – one of 45 such centres throughout the country – has opened its doors to one of Britain’s premier track and field athletes to demonstrate its credentials in the field, and to reveal how this expertise is helping athletes of all levels.

Mohammed ‘Mo’ Farah, the British indoor 3,000-metre record holder, visited the London centre in December to participate in a Bupa Run Check – an hour-long assessment, designed to give runners of all abilities an indication of their flexibility, mobility and strength. The results of the check can then be used to develop a tailored programme to help them condition their body and prevent injury.

“As an athlete it is important for me to have these kinds of check-ups,” explained Mo. “I have been running since I was 13 and normally run up 12 to 15 miles every day, followed by a gym session. I put my body through a lot of stress so it’s great to know that, even though I am not a Bupa member, centres like this are still there for me should I need them.

“They are also very important, not just for professionals, but for anybody who wants to learn more about their body. The facilities here are excellent and the knowledge and expertise of the people who work here can play a vital role in helping them to stay in general good health.”

Originally launched in support of the Bupa Great Run events, the £110 Run Check – also available at the Bupa Wellness centre in Solihull – is just one of the programmes helping reinforce Bupa’s credentials in the sports medicine arena.

The Barbican facility is already recognised as a centre of excellence in the treatment of musculoskeletal problems – the most common cause of injuries in athletes.

Bupa Wellness Head of Specialist Services Martyn Anthony says: “Sports medicine is a very specialised market, but a growing one. Wellness centres were originally intended as a way for us to deliver our health assessments – what used to be called a ‘company medical’ – and a large part of our work is still centred around our occupational health.

“However, we are finding that people are increasingly visiting our Barbican and Solihull centres to take up the Run Check option. Many of them are amateur athletes who are interested in avoiding injury and improving their performance but, as you can see from our work with Mo, we also cater for elite runners.

“Our consultants are highly regarded, particularly in sporting circles, and we do a lot of work for a number of major sporting clubs.

“Run Check builds on this excellent reputation, enabling us to stretch and broaden our brand. Now we have a good platform to move into areas where our products are not well represented or seen as readily available.

“And, of course, Run Check will help us to keep ahead of the game in the elite field, as it helps us to understand new techniques and approaches that then benefit all our customers.”