Even at a football club like 1. FC Union Berlin, the medical department is made up of more than just team doctors and physiotherapists. Physical ailments and injuries of players sometimes require complex measures, and in order to control these precisely, a radiological examination is often necessary. This is the responsibility of professor doctor Markus Lerchbaumer.
The radiology specialist with a focus on musculoskeletal imaging plays an important role in the cooperation with the two team doctors Dr. Clemens Gwinner and Dr. Marvin Minkus. On the advice of the two doctors, Lerchbaumer produces images of potential acute injuries in the musculoskeletal system using various procedures. X-rays, computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound examinations; the range is as wide as it is important and ultimately guarantees that even the smallest injury will be detected.
Since promotion to the Bundesliga, the 33-year-old has been active as a supervising radiologist for 1. FC Union Berlin in addition to his routine clinical work at the Charité Berlin and has always been one of the most important contacts for the evaluation and coordination of injury images and their treatment.
After an increasing number of cases of testicular cancer became known among professional footballers last year including 1. FC Union Berlin’s own Timo Baumgartl, the club decided in August 2022 to carry out a screening examination for all players. Lerchbaumer was also part of the medical team for this examination.