Dr Rick Seah is a Consultant in Sport, Exercise & Musculoskeletal Medicine.
He studied at Guy's, King’s & St Thomas' Hospitals Medical School, King’s College London, qualifying in 1999. He received a Master's degree with distinction in Sport & Exercise Medicine (SEM) from University College London in 2005.
Rick spent 12 years training in various NHS teaching hospitals and clinics in the UK. He completed the London Deanery inaugural 4-year Sport & Exercise Medicine Specialist Registrar (SpR) training rotation and subsequently worked an extra year as a senior registrar.
His SpR postings were across central and greater London. They include the Royal London, Whittington, University College, Homerton, St Mary’s and Charing Cross Hospitals; Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) Stanmore and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) Headley Court.
He was an honorary clinical research fellow at the Olympic Medical Institute and University of Southampton (2004-2005). During this time, he was privileged to work with the GH-2004 research group to determine levels of endogenous hGH-markers in injured athletes. This was part of a global anti-doping strategy, since trialled at recent Olympic Games, to combat Growth Hormone abuse.He is an honorary sports physician at the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health and University College Hospital. He is a trained Musculoskeletal Sonographer and a GMC-accredited specialist.
Rick is a Fellow and elected member of council of the UK Faculty of Sport & Exercise Medicine. He is interested in Medical Education and lectures or examines regularly in SEM for University College London, Queen Mary University London, the University of Bath and FSEM(UK).
Rick previously worked as a sports physician at the English Institute of Sport (EIS) from 2011-15 and London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games.
He was Chief Medical Officer for Wheelchair Tennis and Team Doctor for British Fencing and British Canoeing.
Education and Training
Guy's, King’s & St Thomas' Hospitals Medical School, King’s College London- 1999.
Master's degree in Sport & Exercise Medicine (with distinction), University College London- 2005.
Specialist Interests
- Sports & musculoskeletal injuries
- Work-related injuries
- Dance injuries
- Tendinopathies
- Exercise-induced leg pain (EILP)
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Myofascial pain syndromes
- Musculoskeletal rehabilitation
- Obesity-related lifestyle issues
- Physical activity and exercise prescription
Research Interests
- Sports injuries
- Injection Therapies
- Exercise-induced leg pain (EILP)
- Bone Stress Injuries
Achievements/ awards/publications
- UKADIS Malcolm Read Scholarship Award in Sport & Exercise Medicine (2009),
- London Deanery GP Registrar Roche Award (2004),
- Distinctions for Research Dissertation and Master's Degree, University College London (2005),
- London Deanery Faculty Development Clinical Teacher Bursary (2011),
- Headley Court Trustees Prize (as member of research team- 2013).
JOURNAL ARTICLES
- Roberts AJ, Seah R, Dickens JC, Ferry RG, Reece AJ, Jones TG. A comparison of pain levels after the Biering-Sorensen and the modified 20-metre shuttle test in patients with chronic low back pain. J Back Musculoskelet Rehab. 2014; 27(2): 173-9.
- Seah R, Mani-Babu S. Managing ankle sprains in primary care: What is best practice? A systematic review of the last 10 years of evidence. Br Med Bull.2011; 97(1):105-35.
- Seah R, Connell D, Villar RN, Bell P. A radiological pitfall- Large intra-articular ganglion cyst diagnosed in a runner who presented with chronic hip pain and previously reported normal radiological findings. International Musculoskeletal Medicine2009; 31(4): 155-157.
- Seah R, Lee CH. Integrated specialty training. BMJ Careers24th January 2009.
- Gregory PL, Seah R, Pollock N. What to tell the media- or not. Consensus guidelines for sports physicians. Br J Sports Med2008; 42(10): 785-788.
- Erotokritou-Mulligan I, Bassett EE, Bartlett C, Cowan D, McHugh C, Seah R, Curtis B, Wells V, Harrison K, Sönksen PH, Holt RI- The GH2004 group. The effect of sporting injury on insulin like growth factor-I and procollagen III peptide and the implication for the detection of GH abuse in athletes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab.2008; 93(7): 2760- 2763.
- Seah R, Bell P. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the forearm musculature with ulnar bone stress in an elite tennis player. Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine 2007; 29(2): 47-50.
- Seah R. Examining the physician-physiotherapist partnership in treating sports injuries in the United Kingdom. North & West London Journal of General Practice2006; 12(1): 12-13.
- George G, Ramsay K, Rochester M, Seah R, Spencer H, Vijayasankar D and Vasicuro L. Facilities for chemical decontamination in accident and emergency departments in the United Kingdom. Emergency Medicine Journal2002; 19(5):453-457.
BOOK CHAPTERS
- Seah R, Abrahams S. Chapter 16- Common medical problems in children and adolescent sport. Sports Injuries in Children & Adolescents: An Essential Guide for Diagnosis, Treatment & Management. Abrahams SD. 1st edition. Xlibris Publishing (2013)
- Seah R, Gregory PL, Pollock N. Chapter 20- Communication & Ethics in Sport I: The Patient. Emergencies in Sports Medicine. Redhead J & Gordon J. 1st edition. Oxford University Press (2012)
- Seah R, Pollock N, Gregory PL. Chapter 21- Communication & Ethics in Sport II: External Factors. Emergencies in Sports Medicine. Redhead J & Gordon J. 1st edition. Oxford University Press (2012)
Procedures undertaken
- Injection Therapies,
- Compartment Pressure Testing (CPT),
- Shockwave Therapy (ESWT),
- Acupuncture & Dryneedling,
- Diagnostic ultrasound scanning,
- Ultrasound-guided injections.