Medicals for Combat Sport Athletes in Manchester

At Prime Health Manchester we provide full annual medicals for combat sports athletes – professional boxers and professional mixed martial artists.

Required as part of their licensing process, medicals for combat sports athletes are completed by our highly experienced Private GP, Dr Chris Lam, who is approved by the British Boxing Board of Control.

Combat Sports Medicals, completed at Prime Health Manchester, include:

• Annual physical examination – fighters will be asked to complete and sign an annual medical questionnaire. The fighter will then have a full examination which consists of height, weight, blood pressure and pulse measurements. The doctor will examine the cardiorespiratory system by listening to the heart and chest for murmurs and other abnormal sounds. An abdominal examination is performed by listening to the bowel for abnormal sounds and pressing on the abdomen to assess any problems with the bowels, liver, spleen, kidneys and bladder. A full neurological examination consists of assessment of the cranial nerves, eyes and ear and reflexes of the arms and legs. Musculoskeletal examination includes assessment of the major joints of the arms and legs and spine assessment. Finally fighters are required to provide a urine sample for analysis – this is not for purposes of drug testing.
• Routine annual blood tests – a sample of blood is taken from a vein in the arm and sent off to the lab for analysis of Hepatitis B and C and HIV status. Our blood tests are analysed on the same day and the result is sent back to us usually within 4 hours. Boxers are required to show immunity to Hepatitis B before they are allowed to box. Our blood test will determine if you are immune to Hepatitis. Immunity is usually achieved through Hepatitis B injections. If you are not immune you will be required to have a course of Hepatitis B injections – a course consists of 3 injections, one at day 1, then at four weeks and 6 months. You must show evidence of having one injection before the board will allow you to box. We can arrange this for a fee should you need or you can ask your own GP to provide the service (normally free of charge).
• MRI brain scan – Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is a safe and painless test that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of the brain and the brain stem. The Boxing Board requires all fighters to undergo an annual MRI can of the brain. The first boxing board medical will be an MRI and MRA scan, this test looks at both the structure of the brain and also the major blood vessels in the brain. All our scans are then sent off to the Boxing Board for analysis, it usually takes 7 days for the Board to report them.
• Eye test – this is performed by a registered optician.

Please note: Boxers (not the mixed martial artists) need to be fully vaccinated against Hepatitis B and our experienced team can arrange the full Hepatitis B vaccination course (consisting of a series of 3 injections over 6 months) or a vaccination booster. The blood tests we undertake as part of the medical will determine if the boxer requires a course or just the booster.

An appointment for a Combat Sports Medical will last approximately 1 hour.

Dr Chris Lam will complete the required paperwork and send it off to the relevant governing bodies either the British Boxing Board of Control for boxers or Safe MMA for mixed martial artists.

To book a Medical at Prime Health Manchester – click here.

About Prime Health Manchester

Located in Dialstone Lane, Stockport, a short distance from Stepping Hill Hospital, Prime Health Manchester provides a convenient, first-class diagnostic, wellbeing and rehabilitation service. Our centre features the latest 3T MRI technology to efficiently investigate and identify potential bone and soft tissue injuries or conditions.