Services
The Combo Clinic offers world class expertise and treatment to all patients.
Mission Statement
The Combo Clinic strives to deliver an anatomy-driven, fully integrated one-stop service that combines orthopaedic sports medicine and radiology expertise.
This collaboration aids in achieving the most accurate diagnosis, helping patients receive precise and appropriate treatments, whether non-surgical, image-guided, or minimally invasive.
Following treatment the Combo Clinic closely manages and monitors the complete recovery pathway through to return to play for high-level sports injuries.
Professor Rowena Johnson and Professor Ernest Schilders achieve their high standards and results through close collaboration of imaging, decades of surgical experience and listening to patients. They are true leaders in anatomical and clinical research, driving innovation in both diagnosis and treatment, resulting in better patient outcomes and a faster return to play.
Conditions Treated
The Combo Clinic provides integrated assessment and management for:
- Groin pain and athletic pubalgia
- Hip injuries
- Hamstring, quadriceps, adductor, PLAC, and calf injuries
The Combo Clinic works across multiple different professional sports including football (Premier League and international), Formula 1, Tennis, NBA, Cricket, Rugby, Track and Field amongst others.
Diagnostic Approach
Our service is anatomy-driven and fully tailored to the individual athlete. We help determine the most appropriate imaging modality based on your symptoms and clinical presentation.
Diagnostic techniques include:
- MRI (Small Field of View): Tailored protocols for specific injuries. For example, our custom groin MRI protocol for adductor injuries is now used internationally.
- Dynamic Diagnostic Ultrasound: Used for detecting conditions such as sports hernias.
- Ultrasound-Guided Diagnostic Nerve Blocks: For lower abdominal and adductor-related neural pain.
- Fusion Imaging: Combines MRI and ultrasound for complex cases requiring precision diagnostics.
- CT Scanning
- DEXA Small Field View Scanning: Developed by Prof. Johnson for site-specific bone density assessment (e.g. stress fractures).
Treatment Options
Following integrated assessment and imaging, a collaborative discussion determines the most appropriate treatment plan.
Non-Surgical Treatments
- Clinical and imaging follow-up (MRI, dynamic ultrasound, or combined)
- Ultrasound- or CT-guided injections (steroids, hyaluronic acid)
- Targeted PRP Injections for tendon injuries
- Ultrasound-Guided Neurolysis for lower abdominal, thigh, or calf nerve-related issues
- Fusion-Guided Scar Removal for complex intramuscular scar tissue
Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatments (Prof. Schilders)
- Complex hip arthroscopy, including FAI surgery and labral repair
- PLAC repairs
- Nerve-preserving hamstring and rectus femoris repairs
- Integrated surgical procedures: ultrasound assisted nerve-preserving hamstring repairs. Ultrasound assisted intramuscular tendon repairs
- Groin repair using a modified minimal repair technique
- Adductor lengthening procedures
- Obturator nerve neurolysis
Postoperative Follow-Up
Our integrated approach is informed by ongoing imaging interpretation, clinical assessment, and rehabilitation input, improve the accuracy of return-to-sport predictions and optimise recovery trajectories.
On-Court or On-Field Assessment
In selected cases involving complex diagnostic challenges, on-court or on-field assessment may be undertaken to facilitate a more detailed evaluation of performance-limiting issues within the athlete’s functional environment.
Additional Services Provided by Professor Johnson
- Signing scans for professional/high-performance athletes
- Second-opinion imaging reviews for elite athletes
- Broad musculoskeletal diagnostic imaging: covering trauma, spine abnormalities, bone and soft tissue tumours, bone infection, rheumatological conditions, in addition to sports injury assessments.
- Comprehensive imaging modalities: Standard MRI, CT, X‑ray imaging of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders.
- DEXA / DXA scanning for site‑specific and general bone density analysis and body composition.
- Image‑guided interventional treatments: including precision injections (steroid, hyaluronic acid, PRP), ultrasound‑guided neurolysis, and diagnostic/local anaesthetic blocks.