Careers

Dr John MacLean has announced he will retire at the end of the month, bringing the curtain down on a 40-year career as one of the most influential medical professionals in Scottish sport.

Treat yourself or someone you love to a special seasonal offer at Hampden Sports Clinic this winter. Entering a new year is often a time to set new goals and challenges which often relate to being healthier and fitter. Here at Hampden Sports Clinic we have put together a range of offerings to help you kickstart your 2024.

As October highlights National Back Care week and World Spine Day, we thought it may be a good time to highlight some very useful information on Sciatica.

The 18th of October marks World Menopause Day and the International Menopause Society this year will focus on cardiovascular disease and heart health. The menopause conversation is really opening up, but The British Menopause Society have identified there’s still a lot of mis information out there. I thought I would look at the silent symptoms of menopause that you don't really see but really need to be addressed, and how exercise and physical activity can be part of the magic we all need.

The 18th October is World Menopause Day and I wanted to increase awareness of this particular group of women who not only are dealing with a cancer diagnosis and treatment but also enter the menopause, often earlier than they would have naturally.

If you are enjoying this very rare long and largely roasting Scottish Summer or are planning a holiday in the sun or watching our top tennis players competing at Wimbledon next month you may be aware of some of the effects of exercising at extreme temperatures.

Hampden Sports Clinic are delighted to announce a fantastic new Health & Fitness offer which includes a detailed clinical assessment of your cardiovascular risk & function. A valuable saving of almost £500 & perfect for those looking to improve their overall health & wellbeing...

With the summer weather encouraging us all to spend more time outdoors and in line with Men’s Health Month there has never been a better time for men to think about their health and how to improve our overall wellbeing.

The month of May is Women’s Health month, and the ideal opportunity to focus on the peri menopause and menopause chapters of a woman’s life. Around a third of the average woman’s life will be lived beyond the menopause. Having a regular exercise regime both before and during perimenopause can really help and enhance how these years will be lived. Exercise can really help to reduce peri and menopausal symptoms.   With some women having babies later in life the transition from post-natal to peri menopause is getting narrower. In addition the so called ‘sandwich years’ whereby we are looking after children but also maybe caring for elderly parents. This can all add to an already busy life. Everyone has different support structures in place but sometimes this can be too much to cope with. This combined with the hormone rollercoaster that is going on in the body can in some women, create the perfect storm! So, what is actually happening to the body during peri menopause?

No matter if you are an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, injuries happen in sport. Injuries can often be managed with little to no disruption in sport participation and other activities of daily living. However, we can often forget the potential that some injuries impose a substantial physical and mental burden. Research shows that suffering injury and time away from sport can be a significant risk factor for mental health issues in both elite sport and recreational athletes.

The Masters Tournament is one of the most prestigious golf events in the world. It's a time when golf enthusiasts gather to witness the best of the best compete for the coveted green jacket. This year's tournament at Augusta National Golf Course is set to start on April 6-9th, 2023, with the winner bagging a purse of around $3.24 million.   Golf is a great way to stay active and get some exercise. It can improve your cardiovascular health, strengthen your core, and improve your balance.

We’re delighted to announce our exciting new 2023 Race Offer. If you’re taking part in an organised event, race or challenge - Hampden Sports Clinic are here to help, before & after. Discounted partner rate is now available for Physiotherapy, Sports Massage, Podiatry and Health & Fitness.

As a female footballer you are 2.8 x more likely to rupture your ACL than if you were a male, and 32% of female football players who suffer an ACL rupture never return to their sport.

This week is all about raising awareness of the importance of good hydration and proper nutrition for optimal health and well-being. Adequate hydration and balanced nutrition are essential components of a healthy lifestyle and can have a positive impact on everything from physical performance to mental health.

The theme for this year’s World Sleep Day is: ‘Sleep is Essential for Health’(1). “People should think about sleep like they do other important healthy behaviours such as exercise – as something to reflect upon and, when appropriate, improve so that one can feel better and remain healthier over time.” [ Lourdes DelRosso, MD, PhD, Co-Chair of World Sleep Day 2023 ]

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths worldwide. Despite this, millions of people continue to smoke. The negative health implications of smoking are numerous, but the good news is that there are various methods to help you quit. Let's take a look at some of the biggest health implications surrounding smoking as well as some of the ways that may be able to help you quit.

We are delighted to announce our new 2023 Health & Fitness Kickstarter Offer. Spring into the new year and make your health and fitness a priority. Whatever you want to achieve, we have the equipment, the facilities, and the expertise to help you reach your goals. Our fantastic winter offer is priced at £125 which is half the price of a standard Baseline Package.

Happy New Year. We hope you enjoyed the festive season! Hampden Sports Clinic are delighted to announce some exciting new services for 2023 – these include our Health & Fitness Kickstarter Offer, an innovative Women’s Health service with physio Louise Mitchell and the launch of our exciting new Focused Shockwave Treatment Service.... All our clinic services are available at our Hampden Park clinic, with physiotherapy and sports massage available at our clinics at Strathclyde University and the University of Glasgow. and can be booked via the website at www.hampdensportsclinic.com or by phone on 0141-616-6161.

So how many resolutions have you left unbroken? Have you had that first cigarette? Has the new healthier eating programme been replaced by the same old unhealthy foods? Hopefully for those of you who were keen to get a bit fitter the appeal has not worn off yet. Last week we looked at the why and the how. This week we are going to try and overcome the barriers we all put up to make old habits seem ok after all, look at some simple tips to help you chose (and stick to) the best type of activity and help you to minimise any risks that being more active may bring.

With the Christmas Bailey's bottles in the recycle bin and all turkey eaten, and with the preparations for Hogmanay under way there is nothing else to do but enjoy the last of the festivities before the harsh reality of returning to work. So now with a New Year about to begin there is only one thing left to do – make our New Year resolutions! Is 2023 going to be the year when you quit smoking, lose weight and get fit?

Have you had your flu jag yet? It is that time of the year when your GP surgery will be contacting you to get your Influenza vaccination if you are in one of the most at risk groups. In recent years the groups of patients eligible for flu vaccination has expanded with all older patients and those with chronic disease such as asthma and diabetes invited to get the jag. Remember it offers protection only against the influenza virus – not every snuffle and cough which are so prevalent over the winter months, and the jag does not give you the flu as the virus contained in the jag is inactive.

When we talk about the female athlete or women in sport, or in fact women generally, she could be any age or ability. It is important for women to be active for many health benefits but especially through their journey into womanhood. If they are active in adolescence, there is a greater chance they will be active during pregnancy which will help mother and baby and follow though the post-natal phase into menopause. It is important to highlight that each woman will experience phases within a female lifespan that could impact performance, from adolescence where their menstrual cycle begins, to possibly motherhood, then perimenopause, and later menopause. Within the sporting world we are starting to delve deeper into the understanding of the sporting female. We are finding that women are more active at all levels which is fantastic, and more women are returning to all levels of sport after motherhood, even elite athletes, such as Jessica Ennis-Hill, and Laura Kenny. It has been recognised that females don’t just ‘bounce back’ into shape after having a baby and it takes time, guidance and the right advice to nurture their bodies back to the new ‘normal’. It has been identified by Donnelly et al, 2021, that there is a lack of support and research in helping females return to sport following motherhood. which is where we can help?  

If you have been as hooked on the Commonwealth Games as us, you may have noticed some of the swimmers with strange circles on their bodies. Kyle Chalmers the Australian who dominated the 100m freestyle seems a fan of ‘cupping therapy’. Here, our Massage Therapist Marianne tells us a little bit about the science and benefits of the ancient art of Cupping Therapy which we carry out here at the Clinic.

Following on from a previous blog looking at how we can all improve our brain health and to mark National Stress Awareness Month, Senior Physiotherapist Eilidh explores the new ‘Green Space’ phenomenon and how plants and being around nature is good for our mental and physical wellbeing. Maybe it’s time for us to bring the outside inside the clinic?

Brain health is something we should all be aware of. Staff within the Clinic are heavily involved in working with sporting bodies to improve and protect the brain health of our athletes. In addition, there are simple lifestyle adaptations we can all carry out which will benefit our own brain health. This short blog aims to present some of these areas and provide links to tools you can yourself for more information.

We're delighted to welcome Neil Pomfret to the team here at Hampden Sports Clinic. Neil is our new Senior Podiatrist and is now available for immediate Podiatry assessments and follow up appointments. Ahead of the spring/summer season of fresh air and new keep-fit habits, sunshine holidays, trips and other outdoor adventures, Neil has kindly shortlisted some top tips to keep your ankles, feet and toes in tip-top condition...

As the Clinic’s Chief Executive, Dr John MacLean is responsible for the overall running of the Clinic as well as seeing clients for sports medicine related consultations, including steroid injections. 
 Until a few weeks ago, John was also Team Doctor for Men's National squad and had been for the best part of three decades. On Monday November 15th John decided to hang up his football medical kit bag, and the victory over Denmark really was a special night to end on. A result, a team and a lifetime of memories that he will never, ever forget.

WINTER HEALTH SERVICE OFFER IS AVAILABLE TO BUY FROM 1PM FRIDAY 27/11/21 - MONDAY 28/2/22

Duncan Cowles is a BAFTA Scotland Award-winning documentary filmmaker whose short films have been selected for various film festivals internationally winning a selection of awards, and gaining significant online exposure . No longer in his twenties, and feeling the aches and pains begin to get slightly more prevalent, Duncan looks around and sees that everyone his age seems to be obsessed with fitness. He wonders is he fit enough and, if he was fitter, whether he would be happier. With conflicting statistics not making it easy to figure out if millennials are fit or not, and what being fit even really means, Duncan decides to get a professional ‘V02 max’ test at Hampden Sports Clinic to assess his physical fitness. After discovering he is fitter than expected, Duncan figures there must be more to fitness than just simply ‘being fit’. After his time in our Health & Fitness lab, we caught up with Duncan to let him ramble on about Fitness, Hillwalking, Chicken Wings, Millennials, and Staying Alive...

At Hampden Sports Clinic our fabulous Senior Physiotherapist Louise has come in contact with many pregnant ladies. One of the most common themes is that they are often unsure of what exercise is deemed safe to do during pregnancy.

Sport, like life, is sometimes just not fair. It can appear that when we analyse the pattern and frequency of injury in sport that some sportsmen and women get more than their “fair share”. In practice there are many understandable reasons for this. Traumatic sports such as football and rugby have an increased risk of injury due to the physical nature of the contact, seen by those who play as just part of the game. Similarly snowsports with the combination of speed and dangerous manoeuvres lead to some horrific injuries. However even within a particular sport there do appear to be certain individuals who are “injury prone”. Does such a thing really exist?

I often hear and see golfers commenting on swing techniques causing injury. It is a subject that is really interesting and the more I read about it the more complicated it seems to get. Which of the swings above are most likely to cause injury?

To mark what is usually the annual ‘Nutrition and Hydration Week’, Hampden Sports Clinic have pulled together a focus on nutrition to help raise awareness of what we can do to improve our overall health and wellbeing...

You've had enough of FaceTime and you're zapped with Zoom. You've watched every episode of Friends eighteen times, you've finished Tiger King (again). And now you're looking for something new to keep you busy for the rest of the current lockdown.

Knee injuries are a commonly seen in our clinic – with them being either a long-standing issue, something that has gradually come on or something that has just happened recently (trip, fall or with sport). Unfortunately, I have experienced a knee injury and if I am honest I am probably a better Physiotherapist by going through the process myself. 

How Well Do You Sleep? This is a good question to ask ourselves and can vary depending what stage of life we are in, never mind being in the middle of a pandemic. Most people can identify periods in their lives when they slept poorly, whether from having a young family, financial or personal worries, a painful injury, noisy neighbours to mention a few.

Good sleep hygiene is all about putting yourself in the best position to sleep well each and every night. Looking at your own bedtime routine and getting into good habits, creating a comfortable, safe place to sleep. Be flexible but aim to get your own checklist that works for you to get your best possible sleep.

Lowering the incidence of heart disease remains one of the most important health challenges, both in Scotland and increasingly in the developing world. While the incidence in the UK is thankfully decreasing it remains the leading cause of death in males and disproportionately affects those in lower socio-economic groups. Each February, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) actively promotes National Heart Month by encouraging people to raise awareness of the dangers of heart disease to their employees, friends and family. While our recent focus may have be on the Covid pandemic, ensuring we remain active and healthy in 2022 is still important. 
 Hampden Sports Clinic offers a range of Health & Fitness screening packages which include assessments of blood pressure, heart and lung function. Since the current restrictions have been lifted we were able to reopen our full range of health and fitness services...

Today is Time to Talk Day 2021. With so many of us suffering mentally due to the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, today’s annual ‘Time to Talk Day’ is perhaps even more significant in the current climate.

Working from home? Try building the following exercises into your working day to help avoid aches and pains associated with being sedentary.

Our first lockdown was an unsettling time for all. Yet, the two things that kept me focused and organised was my fitness routine and developing new skills in my daily life. My fitness routine and being organised during lockdown has been crucial to the physical and mental wellbeing of my family and myself.

Here are The Reinvention tips for coping with stress during the lockdown. We have created infographics so you can share, download and print to help your family and friends during these uncertain times.  Covid 19 can stir up all sorts of feelings, like fear, anxiety or stress. A little stress can be helpful. It can be the motivator that keeps us self-isolating or washing our hands. But constant or high levels of stress can negatively affect our mental and physical health. Taking care of the mind and body is always important, but doing so amid a pandemic can be tricky. So here are some tips to help get you through your day. 

5 WARM-UP EXERCISES TO LAUNCH INTO YOUR WORKOUT...

What if I couldn't walk freely again? I was scared that the physiotherapy would not work. And, scared that the haunting words the doctors told me would be true. What if I couldn't walk freely again?

Today is World Mental Health Day, Saturday 10th of October. The World Health Organisation, in collaboration with United for Global Mental Health and the World Federation for Mental Health, is encouraging people from all countries to support a global movement calling for greater investment in mental health.

For the latest edition in our 'Real Life - Reach & Recover' Blog Series. Triumph Over Injury champion Angela Mc Shane chats about courage and how she got the through the difficulties in the early days...

Here we launch our 'Real Life - Reach & Recover' blog series with our dear friend, clinic champion and true survivor - Angela McShane (Triumph Over Injury)...

In line with government guidance and recovery from Lockdown, we're delighted to announce that we're able to offer Sports Massage, along with physiotherapy and podiatry once again. Gradually the clinic is returning to a "new normal", and we look forward to welcoming you back soon...

With the continued progress in the easing of the Scottish Government restrictions we are delighted to announce that Hampden Sports Clinic will reopen for physiotherapy, sports medicine, and podiatry on Tuesday the 21st of July.

With the Scottish Government looking at further positive changes to emerging from Lockdown this week, it appears that we are moving in a positive direction.

What does Hampden Sports Clinic's video physiotherapy consultation consist of and how can it help you?

Never has there been a more hotly debated topic in the world of rehabilitation than stretching. The art of stretching can be traced back over 5,000 years to the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India where yoga was first developed. But was this really stretching, or was it a series of symbolic movements that happened to enhance joint ranges of movement?

With the First Minister revealing that Scotland is now moving on to the first phase of a four-part plan for easing the Lockdown restrictions which were put in place more than nine weeks ago on March 23, people can now take part in some non-contact sports such as golf, angling and outdoor swimming. Earlier this year ahead of the new golf season we spoke to our Senior Physiotherapist Lindsay Smart about his career involvement and the 4th love of his life. Lockdown put all of this on hold but with his imminent return to the course now is a great time to hear his thoughts....

We all know Exercise is essential for your Health and wellbeing. During the first Lockdown we caught up with our Senior Physiotherapist and exercise enthusiast Allan Kershaw about what sport means to him...

In support of Mental Health Awareness Week, we continue our mini blog series with clinic supporter and our close pal Angela McShane.  Here she has provided some practical advice on how to cope with isolation during the lockdown.

In support of Mental Health Awareness Week, we caught up with our good pal and clinic champion Angela McShane. Angela is the founder of The Reinvention, A Survivor, Off the back of a tragic accident, Angela is now an ambassador for road safety and an inspirational educational speaker specialising in Post Crash-Care, Physiotherapy Experience & Wellness to Raising Confidence. 

With the world entering into Mental Health Awareness Week after a year-long global pandemic, it’s been harder than ever to keep to the routine that some of us crave. Whether it is early morning gym sessions, long runs/walks/cycles in the hills or team sport, we have all had to adapt, and as lockdown lifts - gyms and team sport etc are almost back to normal.

We are here if you need us. Stay Home, Save Lives...

With the various restrictions in place and with all but essential workers confined to our homes we are now offering online video physiotherapy consultations.

With all but essential workers confined to our homes we are launching a FREE online LIVE CHAT offering physiotherapy advice.

Hampden Sports Clinic's Senior Physiotherapist and golf fanatic Lindsay Smart was providing physiotherapy cover for the Italian senior Golf open in San Daniele just North of Venice last year. We caught up with Lindsay about his sporting experience and what might have been once of his best work trips on record, down to his love of the sport...

In line with the recent celebrations around International Women's Day, our Physiotherapist, keen runner and mummy extraordinaire Louise has pulled together this feature with some advice on how and when to begin exercise after giving birth...

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and we've decided to celebrate, and catch up with one of our own - Angela McShane, the Founder and Director of The Reinvention: Triumph over Injury.

We're delighted to announce that in July this year, the popular Running Physio is running a day course aiming to provide clinicians with the skills and knowledge required to assess and treat all common running injuries...

I used to hobble up the stairs at the front of Hampden to get to the clinic and dance down them after using the hydro pool.

We all know exercise is good for us, but why is it particularly important when you have Parkinson’s Disease?