How Do Sports Clubs Run Pre-Season Screening?
Pre-season screening gives the medical staff a structural baseline for every player before training gets harder. A standing whole-body EOS scan records alignment from head to ankle in one low-dose image. It highlights asymmetries and joint loading patterns that lying-down scans can miss. Clubs use this data to guide training loads and to support sports injury prevention plans.
Key takeaways
- Standing imaging shows how each player's skeleton carries load. Lying-down scans cannot copy this.
- One EOS scan captures the full body in about 20 seconds, with about 90% less radiation than a standard X-ray, around ten times less.
- Baseline data lets medical teams compare future scans after an injury or across seasons.
- ScanAlign offers group bookings with secure reports that can be shared with club medical staff.
What does a pre-season musculoskeletal screening include?
A pre-season musculoskeletal screening usually combines movement tests with structural imaging. The imaging part is where EOS adds something most screening plans lack: a full weight-bearing picture of the whole skeleton, taken while the athlete is standing.
| Component | What it shows | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Movement screening (e.g. FMS) | Functional range, motor control | Subjective scoring, no bone detail |
| Lying-down X-ray / CT | Bone structure, fractures | Gravity removed, alignment hidden |
| MRI | Soft tissue, discs, ligaments | Lying down, no weight-bearing alignment |
| Standing EOS scan | Full skeletal alignment under load | Bones and joints only, not soft tissue |
The best screening plan uses a mix of tools. EOS fills the structural gap that movement tests and lying-down imaging leave open.
Why does standing imaging matter for athlete screening?
Standing imaging matters because gravity changes everything. When an athlete lies down for a routine scan, the muscles relax, the joints decompress and the alignment shifts. The image may look normal even when the player has a meaningful asymmetry or tilt that only appears under load.
Your body is a connected chain from the feet to the head. A small leg-length difference or pelvic tilt changes how load travels up through the spine and down through the knees. In sport, these compensations grow under speed and fatigue. A standing EOS scan shows them, so the medical staff can plan around them instead of finding them after an injury.
For more on how the scan works and how safe it is, see EOS scan safety and radiation.
When MRI is the better choice: EOS shows bones, joints and alignment under load. For soft tissue detail, such as ligament tears, disc injuries or nerve compression, MRI is usually the better tool. Many clubs use both as part of a complete screening programme.
How do clubs book squad screening with ScanAlign?
Clubs book squad screening in four simple steps. We work directly with your medical team to schedule a session at ScanAlign, standing EOS imaging in London, at 19 Harley Street.
First enquiry
Your head physiotherapist or team doctor contacts us. We discuss squad size, scheduling and what the screening should cover.
Consent and planning
Each player gives their own consent. We arrange a dedicated session so the squad is scanned efficiently, usually in a single visit.
Scanning day
Each player stands in the EOS system for about 20 seconds. No special preparation is needed. The full body is captured in one exposure.
Reports and data sharing
Reports are shared securely with your medical staff. Baseline data is stored, so future scans can be compared season to season or after an injury.
Medical professionals can register as a referring practitioner for ongoing access.
Which sports clubs benefit most from pre-season screening?
Any club with a duty of care towards its athletes can benefit. Screening is most useful where training loads are high, injury rates are significant and there is a medical team in place to act on the findings.
- Professional and semi-professional squads
- Academy programmes with growing athletes
- Clubs with their own medical or physiotherapy staff
- Sports with high demands on the legs or spine (football, rugby, athletics, cricket)
- Suspected soft-tissue injuries (MRI is usually better)
- Acute injuries needing urgent assessment (go to your nearest emergency department)
- Clubs without medical staff to interpret and act on the results
When a player already has a problem, it is worth getting a detailed diagnosis before starting treatment or changing the current one. Knowing whether the cause sits in the pelvis, the legs or the spine changes what will actually help.
Planning a squad screening? We can talk your medical team through what is involved, what the reports look like and how to schedule a group session.
Enquire about club screeningFrequently asked questions about pre-season screening
Each scan takes about 20 seconds. With changeover time, most squads of 20 to 30 players can be scanned in a single dedicated session. We plan the schedule with your medical team in advance.
EOS uses about 90% less radiation than a standard X-ray, around ten times less. Whether the dose is justified for screening athletes without symptoms is assessed case by case by our clinical team, in line with IRMER regulations and current guidance. This wording is subject to clinical review.
No. Clubs can refer through their own medical staff. Team doctors and physiotherapists can register as a referring practitioner directly.
The scan shows full skeletal alignment under gravity. That means spinal curves, pelvic position, hip and knee angles, and leg length, all in one standing image. It does not show soft tissue, so ligament or disc injuries need MRI.
The price for patients travelling from abroad is confirmed during the free video consultation, so please enquire about club screening.
Yes. That is one of the main benefits. If a player is injured mid-season, a repeat scan can be compared directly to their pre-season baseline to see what has changed structurally.
Reports are shared securely with named, consented people on your medical staff. We agree the data-sharing process at the first planning stage.
No. EOS imaging adds a structural layer to movement screening. Functional tests show how a player moves. EOS shows the skeletal framework underneath. Together, the two give a more complete picture.
ScanAlign is an adult-only service. Academy player screening is available for players aged 18 and over. Younger athletes should be assessed through suitable paediatric services.
ScanAlign is at 19 Harley Street, London. We operate under The Harley Street Hospital's CQC licence. Clubs travelling from abroad can arrange a screening session with us here.
Ready to plan your squad's screening?
Talk to us about group bookings, data sharing and what your medical team can expect from the results.
Enquire about club screeningSources
- British Journal of Sports Medicine, "Consensus statement on injury prevention and health protection in sport," BJSM, 2016.
- EOS imaging clinical documentation, "Ultra-low dose full-body imaging for orthopaedic assessment," EOS imaging (now part of Alphatec), 2020.
- Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IR(ME)R), UK statutory guidance on dose justification for medical exposures.
Written by Abbas Dhami (Specialist Diagnostic Radiographer)
This page is general information and not a diagnosis.
ScanAlign is the trading name of CoreMed Solutions Ltd and operates under The Harley Street Hospital's CQC licence.