help returning to exercise after a baby
menopause training help training in the menopause
female injuries help with womens sports injuries

The Active Women’s Clinic

Helping women achieve their fitness potential

A specialist clinic designed to specifically address common sporting injuries and related women’s health issues in physically active women of all ages.

The Active Women’s Clinic was developed by Dr Kate Hutchings, a Sports and Exercise Medicine Consultant and Ms Ros Cooke, a Specialist Physiotherapist with the aim of supporting women to exercise, train and perform to their full potential. Elite-level support for active women of all ages, shapes and abilities.

To improve health and sporting performance, we consider all aspects of a woman’s physical activities and sports. This includes not only managing exercise and sport-related injuries, but planning bespoke rehabilitation programmes that consider all of a woman’s well-being with nutritional assessments, discussion around training plans and recovery strategies, and understanding an individual’s goals.

The Active Women’s Clinic works together to provide a comprehensive and integrated management plan that supports all women in their physical activities and sporting performance.

Our Clinicians have over 25 years of combined experience in working with Olympic female sportswomen, the FA, RFU and professional Ballet. We want to bring this gold-standard combined level of care to all active women, no matter their level of exercise or sport.

Our ethos is to support women in their physical activities so that they can remain engaged and able to perform in all levels of physical activities – from completing a parkrun on a Saturday morning to winning gold medals at an Olympic Games.

active womens clinic home 1

How can the team at The Active Women’s Clinic help?

Our specialists at the Active Women’s clinic focus on a team approach to provide the best multidisciplinary care to our patients so that they can return to their activities safely.

In our clinic, we will assess your symptoms to gain a further understanding of the issues you are having with sporting activities. A detailed assessment will be carried out by our Sports Medicine Consultant and Specialist Physiotherapist to ascertain your needs and treatment pathway.

This may include further investigations such as blood tests, imaging with X-rays, ultrasound, MRI, or a bone scan to provide a detailed diagnosis.

Our team will then discuss your diagnosis and treatment plan with you, which may include further reviews with our specialists in nutrition, gynaecology, psychology, physiology and biomechanics.

We aim to provide all our patients with a comprehensive integrated management plan to ensure that you can undertake your sporting activities safely and to the maximum of your ability.

Patient Conditions

active womens clinic home 2

Why choose the Active Women’s Clinic?

Every day, more women are discovering the benefits of an active lifestyle. While many of us may start some form of exercise initially to improve our fitness and health, and possibly to lose some unwanted excess weight, we often find ourselves appreciating some of the other (unexpected) benefits including:

  • More energy throughout the day
  • Improved sleep
  • Lower stress levels
  • Better concentration
  • Increased confidence

Whether you’re a high-level athlete, a keen runner, a recreational hockey player or somebody who is just getting started on their fitness journey with a Couch to 5k programme.

If you are a female, an increased knowledge of your health and training can help to improve your fitness and your sporting performance.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion and incorrect, (often out-dated) information about female health as it relates to sports and exercise. The Active Women’s Clinic at Circle Reading was set up specifically for this reason. We support, educate and tailor treatment for active women of all ages, no matter their current fitness level or health goals.

Our goal is to help every woman achieve their personal fitness goal. Whether that’s winning a gold medal at the Olympics or being able to keep up with your active child in the local park, we have the expertise to help you.

why choose the active women’s clinic

What to expect at your first visit

Your first consultation will run for 40 minutes and be with either Dr Kate Hutchings or Physiotherapist Ros Cooke. They will talk with you about any symptoms you’re experiencing and how they are affecting or limiting your sporting activities. They will also carry out a clinical examination.

Additional investigations may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis and to plan your management. Tests may include:

  • Blood tests – helpful for hormonal profile testing and to demonstrate and vitamin or mineral deficiency
  • X -ray
  • Ultrasound
  • MRI
  • Bone scan

Some of these tests, such as blood tests, ultrasound or X-rays, can often be done on the same day as your appointment. Other test will need to be booked for another date.

Once the results of any investigations are back, our experienced team will work closely together to plan the optimal treatment plan and will then discuss their recommendations with you. This may involve training and recovery strategies, a rehabilitation programme or additional investigations.

At Circle Reading, you’ll have access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology like Shockwave therapy, a Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer and an Alter G anti-gravity treadmill.

Depending on your specific symptoms and test results, you may be referred for additional review with specialists in other fields such as nutrition, gynaecology, rheumatology, orthopaedics and psychology. These can all be easily arranged for you if required.

Whatever your unique circumstances, we can provide you with a comprehensive integrated management plan to help you achieve peak performance safely and sustainably. We will closely monitor you throughout your treatment and can make adjustments as needed. Your treatment is tailored to your specific situation and requirements.

Elite-level support for active women of all ages, shapes and abilities

Why choose Circle Reading Hospital’s sports clinic?

With so many options available to choose from – from personal trainers to fitness apps and exercise equipment – why do so many women continue to trust us with their fitness and sporting health?

Women choose to visit us at the Active Women’s Clinic for a variety of reasons. Some will have been referred by another trusted specialist, such as a sports physiotherapist, rheumatologist or dietitian. Others will have heard about us from one of their friends who we’ve previously helped.

The overriding reason people trust us is due to the exceptional calibre of the people who run the clinic. Our Clinicians have more than 25 years’ combined experience in working with Olympic female sports women, the FA and professional Ballet.

Dr Kate Hutchings is a Sports and Exercise Medicine Consultant. Having worked with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, elite athletes and professional sports teams, she has vast experience in ensuring peak sporting performance and in assessing, diagnosing and treating sports injuries to ensure a speedy and full recovery.

Ros Cooke is a highly experienced physiotherapist. A few of her (many) career highlights include Lead Physiotherapist for England Netball, Senior physiotherapist providing support to British Equestrian Athletes and a Consultant Physiotherapist for Women at the Football Association.

Previously, access to this level of expertise in sports medicine was restricted to elite athletes. The Active Women’s Clinic at Circle Reading makes it readily available to every woman.

Both Kate and Ros are passionate about bringing the principles of elite sports performance and achievement to women of all fitness levels, helping them to achieve their personal fitness goals safely and free of injury.

The clinic is held at Circle Reading Hospital, a modern private hospital with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, a team of experienced healthcare professionals, and access (where required) to specialists in other fields.

For quick, easy access to elite level help, tailored to your personal fitness goals, please contact us to arrange your initial visit.

For more information contact us here.