Hawke's Bay Sports Medicine

18/09/2025

Best of luck to the Black Ferns as they take on the semi-final!

We’re especially proud to be cheering on our very own Dr Alyse Cameron 🖤🤍

📸: Black Ferns

25/08/2025

HBSM on the world stage! 🏉 Here’s our Sport & Exercise Physician, Alyse, hard at work at the Rugby World Cup. While doctors usually prefer to stay behind the scenes, it’s great to see Kaipo Olsen-Baker in safe hands! Wishing her a smooth recovery and sending our best to the Black Ferns!

📸: Sky Sport NZ

06/06/2025

We support the health and well-being of our athletes and local community.

Supporting the health and well-being of all athletes, SMNZ released the following statement on Friday, 30 May:

29/05/2025

Our Dr Alyse Cameron talked all things Women’s Health at the Accelerate Women in Rugby Conference last week in Auckland.
At HBSM we have a special interest in women’s health ensuring both elite athletes and the general population have the education and resources they need to excel! Come chat with us to learn more.

26/02/2025

Good luck to our friends and patients competing in the Ironman this weekend.

16/09/2024

A day in the life of a Sport and Exercise Physician. https://www.allblacks.com/news/the-king-needed-it-ayesha-leti-iigas-viral-hug-and-comeback

12/06/2024

The countdown is on: 43 days until the Olympic Games open in Paris. Dr Mel Parnell is one of the Doctors to be travelling with the NZ health team to support our athletes. Along with a good handful of local athletes, and local Nigel Avery leading the team as chef de mission, she is gearing up and in countdown mode.

https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/06/04/keeping-our-olympians-cool-calm-and-bug-free/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1t9jrpStieAMO3U4N6Db94egs5CrYqNe4PL-xLWVpIjl2LG9XrS1XprzU_aem_AV0htQy5tWJAjTpQjPtZljaIvTWXmi9CM90XLwL4PLTJzFSvJOTXoMwUP5xh-9MBqzLE6wtq7MIGEvgllzqBWN94

It takes a village to raise an athlete to a medal-winning performance, so NZ is taking a 20-strong performance support team to the Paris Olympics

18/05/2024

May has welcomed the start of winter sports. It is very motivating seeing various levels of sports teams form along with club rituals and the traditions that follow. Goodluck all for the season!

Alyse has been away with the NZ Black Ferns Rugby team over the month as they compete in the Pacific Four Series against Canada, USA, and Australia. A fantastic competition to be held in our backyard in New Zealand inspiring the next generation of Rugby players.

Mel has been busy preparing to head away with the NZ Olympic team to Paris later in the year. It certainly is a year of sports!

Did you know?

At HBSM we can receive referrals directly from allied health care professionals. This includes Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Chiropractors and Podiatrists.

Therefore, if you feel your patient would benefit from our service, please refer them directly to us rather than back to their GP to arrange a referral to us.

This will result in a faster service for the patient and saves our GP’s precious time.

14/03/2024

What a fantastic summer we had in the Hawke's Bay this year! It truly has been one to make the most of, through getting outside for fresh air, exercise, and a safe dose of Vitamin D. Long may the warm days last.

At HBSM, we like to practice what we preach with ‘exercise is medicine’. Mel can be found at most local tennis courts throughout the year, and Alyse enjoys running the many trails and pavements around the region.

Exercise has many known benefits including and not limited to:
• Reducing blood pressure
• Optimising body weight
• Reducing cholesterol levels
• Managing/treating T2DM
• Improving function and pain in arthritis
• Supporting/improving bone density
• Cardiorespiratory benefits
• Cancer prevention
• Mental health and wellbeing

These are all great reasons to ensure we are meeting the WHO recommendation of at least 150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week for all adults.

So, you want to run?

Running is a very accessible form of exercise, and in the Hawke's Bay region we have many running events to spark that motivation.
However, starting a running program needs correct guidance and support to ensure that no injuries develop, and correct loading is achieved.

Tips for starting running:

1. Ensure you have the correct shoes for your foot and the terrain you want to run on.
2. An ankle lock to your laces can add extra support for the foot and ankle when on uneven terrain.
3. Gradually load into a running program. We recommend a walk to run program over 5 weeks, increasing at no more than 10% per week.
4. Aim to run no more than 2 days in a row and have no more than 2 days rest.
5. Cross training with a gym or Pilates-based program ensures strength and conditioning, which transitions straight to stronger/faster running on the road.
6. Ensure you run with an appropriate running gait. Aim to land under your head alignment with a high cadence of steps. This is to ensure no over-striding, which can lead to lower limb injuries.
7. Good nutrition and hydration are essential. The tank needs to be filled for the motor to run. This needs to be considered before, during and post running.
8. There is no best time of day to run, it is just when it suits you, and you are most likely to get it done.
9. Motivation can be achieved through tracking runs with GPS for time/distance and/or running with a buddy (human or animal!)
10. ENJOY!!

At HBSM, we love seeing individuals that want further guidance around being active, whatever your age or stage. And if unfortunate injuries happen along the way, we are here to support you to get back on track with an appropriate management plan.

21/02/2024

Last week Alyse attended the FIFA Medical conference in Boston as a representative for the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). The conference brought together over 400 delegates from 200 nations to discuss Football Medicine. Alyse presented on how the OFC are working towards increasing awareness and first responders for athletes that suffer a sudden cardiac on the field.

01/02/2024

What's new in concussion management? We have a new post explaining the changes. We see athletes with sports related concussion promptly in our concussion clinic, to help with the management of symptoms and to guide them safely back to competition.

Welcome to the first post of 2024. We hope you've had a great summer and have found time to be physically active in the sunshine. Did you know our clinic offers management of sport related concussion, in particular with guidance on management of concussion symptoms and the return to competition foll...

04/01/2024

Is tendon pain affecting your ability to be active this summer? We have many treatment options available, including shock wave therapy (SWT).

Dr Mel Parnell has been successfully using shock wave therapy for over a decade now, and due to increased demand, is pleased to offer a dedicated SWT clinic in 2024.

Dr Parnell accepts direct referral for SWT treatment from specialists and other practitioners who have diagnosed tendinopathy and discussed SWT as a treatment option. She also accepts referrals to discuss and diagnose tendinopathy, to work out if SWT is right for you.

While SWT treatment is not funded by ACC or your private health insurer, the initial consultation may be funded with an appropriate referral.

There is currently no wait list for these appointments. For more information please click on the link below.

https://www.hbsportsmed.co.nz/post/treatment-for-persistent-tendon-pain

SHOCK WAVE THERAPY (SWT) Radial shock wave therapy (SWT) is an effective and safe, non-invasive option for the treatment of painful tendons. This form of treatment was developed from other medical indications (treating kidney stones) and is widely used in many countries for treatment of tendon and o...