Surgery is certainly on the cards if an injury is severe enough. “In rare cases, injuries may require surgical intervention to either achieve reduction of displaced injuries, or allow golfers to return to pre-injury level of performance,” Dr Tan elaborates. “These may be things like displaced fractures, for example in the wrist or ankle, or complete tendon or ligament ruptures that affect mobility and stability.”

The surgeon admits that most injuries recover naturally with the aid of anti-inflammatories like Arcoxia, or with the implementation of specific physiotherapeutic treatments. “Should there be limited structural damage, platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment has been shown to be effective in recovery,” Dr Tan adds.

Dr Tan’s area of specialty is in Sports and Reconstructive Surgery, and aid in the treatment of injuries sustained by both recreational and professional athletes.

With a strong interest in Sports and Reconstructive surgery, he has travelled extensively to various countries around Asia- Pacific to perform surgeries.

From knee ligament reconstructions of national athletes in Papua New Guinea to joint replacement surgeries in China, he has aided patients in returning to their level of competitive sports and quality of life.

But not all patients with injuries need to go under the knife. “Apart from PRP injection, supplementary treatment options include Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Chiropractic treatment and even yoga or pilates, which can help in building core strength and flexibility,” he explains.

“Apart from traditional orthopaedic surgery, a large part of our practice is on injury prevention, return to sports and non-surgical management of conditions, Additionally, for professional athletesthat require pre-competition medical assessments or pre-employment tests, these can be performed by Dr Dinesh Sirisena, our consultant sports physician.”

Golf is a sport that Auspicium has a particular interest and specialty in. The practice is the Official Doctor of the DP World Tour when it holds its event in Singapore, the most recent being the Porsche Classic held at Laguna National Golf Resort Club in March this year.

As comprehensive as Auspicium’s coverage provides for sports ailments, Dr Tan believes that the best cure is prevention. “As most of us play recreationally, especially golfers who tee off early in the morning, or hit the range after a long day at work, spending five to 10 minutes pre and post activity doing adequate stretching goes a long way in preventing soft tissue injuries. Additionally, trusting your body – resting when exhausted or in pain – can help in avoiding the development of serious injuries. The old adage of ‘no pain, no gain’ may often lead to aggravation and worsening of potential injuries.”