Physiotherapy helps you move, and get back to what you were doing, when pain, injury or an operation has got in the way. Our physiotherapists assess and treat musculoskeletal pain, sports injuries and recovery after surgery, using hands-on techniques and exercise programmes written for you. Each session includes clear advice you can carry on with at home.
What physiotherapy treats
- Back and neck pain, including sciatica and pain from long hours at a desk
- Shoulder problems: frozen shoulder, rotator cuff pain, impingement
- Knee, hip and ankle pain, including arthritis
- Sprains, strains and tears from sport or a fall
- Tendon problems such as tennis elbow, Achilles pain and plantar fasciitis
- Recovery after surgery: joint replacement, ligament repair, spinal operations, fractures
- Stiffness, weakness or poor balance after illness or a period of inactivity
Your first appointment
The first session is mostly assessment. The physiotherapist asks how the problem started, what makes it better or worse and what it is stopping you from doing, then examines how you move: range of movement, strength, posture and the specific tests that point to one structure or another. You are told what they think is going on, in plain words, how long recovery is likely to take and what the plan is. Treatment starts at the same visit where there is time. Wear or bring clothes that let the area be seen and moved, such as shorts for a knee or a vest top for a shoulder.
What treatment involves
- Exercise, which does most of the work: specific movements to restore range, build strength and retrain the way you load the injured part
- Hands-on treatment: joint mobilisation, soft tissue work and stretching to ease pain and stiffness
- Advice: what to keep doing, what to change for now, how to pace your return to work or sport, and how to stop it coming back
- Taping, supports and other techniques where they help
Most of your recovery happens between sessions. A few minutes of the right exercise every day does more than an hour once a week.
How many sessions
It depends on the problem. A recent sprain may need two or three; a long-standing back problem or rehabilitation after an operation takes longer. Your physiotherapist gives you an estimate at the start and reviews it as you go.
When it is not a job for physiotherapy
Seek urgent medical help for back pain with numbness around the genitals or buttocks, new difficulty passing urine or controlling your bowels, or weakness in both legs; for a hot, swollen, painful calf; or for an injury where you cannot put weight on the limb or it looks deformed. If the assessment suggests you need a scan or a consultant's opinion, this can be arranged: see ultrasound scanning and referrals.
Common questions
Will my insurer pay? Many policies cover physiotherapy, and some ask for a GP referral first. Check before you book.
Will it hurt? Some techniques are uncomfortable, and muscles can ache the day after. Sharp or worsening pain is not the aim: tell your physiotherapist.
Should I rest or keep moving? For most problems, gentle movement beats rest. You will be told exactly what is safe.
