Dr Mark Ridgewell is a Consultant Sport and Exercise Medicine/Musculoskeletal Physician. His main field is the management of musculoskeletal (bone, muscle and other soft tissue) and overuse injuries across the whole spectrum from elite performers to those who are wanting to start a low-level exercise. He specialises in the prevention and management and rehabilitation of overuse injuries. Examples of what he sees include shoulder, elbow and wrist pain, back and neck pain, hip, groin and knee pain, muscle injuries, ankle sprains, and foot pain. Dr Ridgewell has great experience in managing adolescent and female sports people, particularly the developing sportsperson. He uses diagnostic ultrasound scans in clinics and offers a wide variety of interventions such as injections with steroid, hyaluronic acid and platelet-rich plasma, as well as shockwave (ESWT) therapy for tendon injuries.
Dr Ridgewell was appointed to the GMC Specialist Register in Sport and Exercise Medicine in 2010. He was Clinical Lead of the Clinical Musculoskeletal Assessment Service (CMATS) at Swansea Bay University Health Board between 2000 and 2022.
His current roles in elite sport are currently in tennis, where he worked as Players’ Doctor at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, and the WTA Birmingham Classic (2013 to present). He is the Lead Doctor at the National Tennis Academy, based in Loughborough University.
Dr Ridgewell has worked at international level across a wide variety of sports including rugby (1991-2016). He was Lead Doctor with the England and Wales Cricket Board between 1999 and 2003 and toured with the England Team. He also worked as Chief Medical Officer at the Football Association of Wales from 2005-2013 and Lead Sports Physician at the Welsh Institute of Sport from 2003-2020 where he worked with high levels sports people in athletics, swimming, hockey, netball, cycling, and gymnastics. He has attended 3 Commonwealth Games as Doctor to Team Wales.
Dr Ridgewell was instrumental in the setting-up and design of the internationally regarded Masters in Sport and Exercise Medicine course at Cardiff Metropolitan University between 1999 and 2019. He is still Principal Lecturer at the University and has acted as a mentor for many Junior Doctors and Physiotherapists who have risen to prominent roles over the years.
Over the last 20 years he has gained considerable experience on the management of sporting injuries, specialising in the non-surgical treatment of soft tissue injuries affecting muscles, tendons and ligaments, particularly in the exercising population. He continues to work with world, Olympic, and Paralympic champions across several sports.
Dr Ridgewell works closely with Physiotherapists, Osteopaths/Chiropractors and Orthopaedic Surgeons to determine the best management plan to bring good outcomes for my patients. He understands the significant effects that injury and pain can have on normal day to day life and very much encourages physical activity in his treatment plans.
past and current appointments:
- LTA National Tennis Academy Lead Doctor, Loughborough University
- Player Doctor for the WTA Premier Tournament Birmingham Classic 2013-present
- Lead Sports Physician, High Performance Unit, Welsh Institute of Sport 2003-2020
- Consultant Team Physician to JLT Condor and Team Storey Cycling Racing Teams (2015-2021)
- 2005-2012 1st Team Doctor and Chief Medical Officer Doctor Football Association of Wales
- 2010-2016 Lead Sports Physician Scarlets Rugby
- 1991-2003 Team Doctor to Ospreys, Swansea RFC, Wales Under-18 and Under-21 Rugby
- 2000-2003 National Team Doctor and lead doctor England and Wales Cricket Board
