Lord Sebastian Coe opens Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health

The Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH) will provide a national and international hub for clinical and academic work in sport, exercise medicine and sports injury rehabilitation with the objective of becoming a world leader in its field.

The ISEH is a partnership between UCL, UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), HCA Hospitals, the English Institute of Sport and the British Olympic Association.

Its aim is to increase exercise in the community; develop strategies to prevent diseases related to inactivity; and prevent, diagnose and manage injuries for both professional and amateur athletes.

Part of the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, the new institute is London's long-term health legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Seb Coe, Chairman of the British Olympic Association, said: "This institute is a great example of the kind of thing we had in mind when we spoke about creating a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Games. Not only will it deliver excellence in injury prevention and management for elite athletes, it will offer the same level of care to amateur sportsmen and women who were inspired by what they saw last summer. This fabulous facility will also have a role in introducing exercise into the treatment regimes of NHS patients, spreading the word about the powerful impact sport and exercise can have on your quality of life."

It will have a key role in promoting exercise to NHS patients and introducing exercise into the treatment plans of those patients who would benefit. The Institute plans to continue research into these areas and to offer expert teaching and training in sport and exercise medicine and other related fields.

Based at 170 Tottenham Court Road in the heart of London, facilities at the ISEH include a suite of consulting facilities, ultrasound, X-ray and MRI scanning equipment, an outpatient area and research and education facilities.

Research findings and best practice will be shared with the entire NHS.

The ISEH has already developed strong relationships with leading sporting stakeholders including the European Golf Tour, Rugby Football Union (RFU); Football Association (FA) and National Football League (NFL). The ISEH will focus on building affiliations with other international sports clubs and organisations with the ambition of the Institute becoming the premier worldwide destination for sports injury treatment.

Professor Fares Haddad, UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science and Director of the ISEH, said: "Our new Institute brings together clinical, scientific and research experts in a state-of-the-art facility. By working closely together we will be able to create an international centre of excellence for sport and exercise medicine and surgery. The Institute will be the most impressive and sustained health legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"Our clinical and academic expertise will not only help our athletes win medals but help treat 'weekend warriors' who pick up sporting injuries," continued Professor Haddad. "We will also have a role in promoting the benefits of exercise to our patients. So regardless of whether you are a cancer patient, a respiratory patient, a cardiac patient or a diabetic patient, if we can introduce exercise into your treatment programme, you will benefit. People talk a great deal about obesity as a great problem affecting society but it's actually inactivity that is the biggest threat to our well-being."

Sir Robert Naylor, Chief Executive of University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We have assembled a team of experts in sports and exercise health which will form the backbone of a lasting Olympic legacy for professional and amateur sportsmen and women in London and beyond. However, this is not just about how we can support the development of elite athletes but how we can use the institute, and its close research links, as a vehicle to improve the health of the nation."

Dr Mike Loosemoore, a Lead Sports Physician in the English Institute of Sport, who will based at the ISEH, said: "It is great for our Olympic and Paralympic athletes to have access to such a fantastic facility that is able to provide them with a one-stop-shop service. It means they will be able to come to the clinic and receive a consultation and high-quality scan in the same place and leave that day with an agreed plan to manage their recovery and return to training.

"It certainly has the potential to reduce the number of days lost to injury, which is critically important to athletes and coaches and does have an impact on performance."

Charlotte Tempest, CEO, The Princess Grace Hospital (HCA Hospitals), said: "The Princess Grace Hospital is honoured to be a partner of the ISEH venture. The Institute is a huge step forward in coordinating research into sports exercise and medicine and using the outcomes to benefit patients."

-Ends-

Media contact: David Weston

Image caption: Katharine Evans (Saracens rugby player and patient at ISEH) is put through her paces in the ISEH gymnasium as (l-to-r) Professor Fares Haddad (Director of ISEH), Lord Sebastian Coe (Chairman, BOA) and The Right Honourable Dame Tessa Jowell (MP) look on.

Links:

• Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health