Assessment
A full hour on your history and how your body actually moves. You leave with a working diagnosis you understand and a clear plan you can actually follow.
Concern
Sports Injury Treatment in London
Running, racket-sport, gym, and team-sport injuries assessed and treated by clinicians who train themselves. Stop at the point the pain eases and you carry the weakness that caused it straight into the next session, and a previous injury is the strongest predictor of the next one. Progressive loading rehab across six central London clinics gets you back to your sport with the strength to stay there.
Overview
Understanding sports injuries
Most sports injuries are not freak accidents: they are training-load problems, where the demand on a tissue has outrun what it can currently tolerate. The ones we see most in central London training groups are ITB friction syndrome, patellar and Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, hamstring strains, and shin splints.
Treatment combines hands-on therapy with progressive loading and intelligent training-load management, so we get you back to running, lifting, or playing rather than simply away from pain. A previous injury is the strongest predictor of the next, so we close the gap that caused it, often strength or control at the hip, before you return.
Care is led by our physiotherapy team. For recurring lower-limb problems a running assessment screens the mechanics behind them, a stubborn tendon may benefit from shockwave therapy as an adjunct, and sports massage supports you through a heavy training block.
Excellent
From 4 five-star Google reviews
Source: Google
I had a fantastic experience working with Katrina as my physiotherapist. From the start, she was incredibly friendly and genuinely listened to my concerns. She adapted my rehab plan specifically to suit my individual needs and time frame, as I was preparing for a move and had a clear goal to be back playing football. Katrina not only helped me reach that goal right on time, but she also used a variety of techniques, including dry needling and massage, to relieve tightness in the surrounding muscles and support my overall recovery. Her attention to detail, encouragement, and tailored approach made a real difference in my progress. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a physio!
Katrina is outstanding. After struggling with a stubborn Achilles injury, she not only got me pain-free but back to running and sport. Her expertise in acupuncture, massage, and tailored rehab planning is second to none. On top of that, she brings great energy and conversation that make each session genuinely enjoyable. If you need a physio who combines real skill with a personal touch, Katrina is the one to see.
Great experience with Katrina. She helped me with a sprained ankle with a very doable and effective treatment plan. The exercises were not overcomplicated and easy to incorporate into my day to day life which meant that I actually did them and was able to recover within 5 weeks in time to do a tough mudder. Really easy to chat to! Would recommend.
Katrina was great with me! I had a hip injury and expected it to take ages to fix but with the exercises she gave me to do and acupuncture, it all went away quite quickly. I now have exercises I can do regularly in the future and knowledge on how to prevent. Great experience!
Physiotherapy for sports injuries can help to:
Find the training-load problem behind it
Most sports injuries are capacity problems, not freak accidents. We look at the spike in volume or intensity that tipped you over, so we address the cause as well as the symptom.
Rehabilitate the tendon or muscle properly
ITB pain, patellar and Achilles tendinopathy, hamstring strains and shin pain all respond to progressive loading. We rebuild the tissue to the demands of your sport rather than resting it into weakness.
Close the gap that caused it
A previous injury is the strongest predictor of the next. We find the strength, control or mobility deficit upstream, often at the hip, and address it so the same problem does not return.
Keep training while you recover
Stopping entirely usually costs you fitness and momentum. We manage your load intelligently so you keep doing what you safely can while the injured tissue catches up.
Back to your sport with the strength to stay there
We rebuild running, lifting or change-of-direction capacity and test it before you go back, so you return ready to perform rather than one session away from re-injury.
Why it happens
What causes sports injuries?
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A jump in training: more miles, harder sessions, or more often
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An old injury that was never fully rehabbed, leaving weakness or a changed movement pattern
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A one-off injury: a sprain, a strain, or a knock
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New shoes or a new surface, without easing into it
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Weakness or stiffness further up the chain, such as weak hips causing knee or ankle pain
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Returning to sport after illness, time off, or post-surgical recovery
What happens at your first appointment
We work out what is really holding you back, then agree the plan with you before you leave.
Your first appointment runs a full 60 minutes: a detailed history, then a thorough examination of how you move, your strength, and the affected area. We explain what we find in plain English and agree a working diagnosis with you.
Treatment starts the same day, and you leave with the first exercises of a plan built around your goal.
Move well, move freely. That has been the idea since 1997. We settle the symptoms first, then rebuild the strength that stops them coming back, so you finish stronger than when you started.
- One clinical team across six central London clinics, from Soho to Canary Wharf, with same-week appointments.
- Treating central London since 1997: 28 years and roughly 160,000 patients.
- Recognised by seven major UK insurers, including Bupa, AXA and Vitality, with self-pay welcome.
Physiotherapy fees and insurance in London
You can book online directly, with no GP referral needed and same-week appointments across all six clinics. If you are using private health insurance, check your policy first: some insurers ask for a GP referral before your first session.
- Initial assessment: a full 60 minutes covering your history, examination and a working diagnosis
- Follow-up treatment: 45 minutes, with your plan progressed at each visit
- Extended 60-minute treatments for complex or multi-area problems
- Recognised by Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, Aviva, Cigna, Nuffield Health and WPA
Your journey
with Soho Physiotherapy
Everything is built around you. Whether the goal is a marathon or a comfortable commute, we find what is driving the problem, treat it, and build the strength that keeps the fix in place. Our aim is to get you better and give you the tools to stay better for the long term.
Treatment
Hands-on care to settle symptoms and restore movement: joint mobilisation, soft-tissue work and dry needling where they genuinely help, in line with national guidance.
Rebuild
Progressive exercise that returns the strength, control and load tolerance your body needs for work, sport and everything in between. This is the part that makes recovery last.
Perform
A short home programme, sensible loads, and the habits that keep problems rare. Then we discharge you: we don't sell sessions you don't need.
What we treat across our six London clinics
- Musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy
- Manual therapy and progressive exercise rehabilitation
- Dry needling and Western medical acupuncture
- Sports massage and soft-tissue therapy
- Shockwave therapy for stubborn tendon problems
- Post-operative rehabilitation
- Women's and pelvic health physiotherapy
- Workplace and desk setup assessments
- Running and gait analysis
Treatment approach
How do we treat sports injuries?
Physiotherapy
Price on enquiryClinical assessment, manual therapy, and progressive loading rehab is the core treatment for almost every sports injury. Most injuries resolve in 4–10 sessions with appropriate load management.
See treatment detail →Running Assessment
Price on enquiryFor running-related injuries (ITB, knee, shin, Achilles), gait analysis and biomechanical screening identify the upstream factors driving the injury, and inform footwear and rehab decisions.
See treatment detail →Sports Massage
Price on enquiryAdjunctive support during rehab and during heavy training blocks. Especially useful in the recovery phase between rehab sessions and as injury risk drops with returning load.
See treatment detail →Shockwave Therapy
Price on enquiryFor stubborn lower-limb tendinopathies: Achilles, patellar, plantar fasciitis, that have not responded to loading, focused shockwave is a NICE-supported adjunct alongside the rehab programme.
See treatment detail →Dry Needling & Acupuncture
Price on enquiryTrigger-point needling can be a useful adjunct for muscular tension during a rehab block: used alongside progressive loading rather than on its own.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Common questions about
sports injuries in London
Should I rest, or train through, a sports injury?
Almost never complete rest. Modified training: reducing intensity, swapping high-impact for low-impact, training around the injured area, preserves fitness and supports recovery better than total rest. Complete rest causes deconditioning and often delays return to sport. Your physiotherapist will tell you what to keep doing, what to modify, and what to pause briefly.
How long until I can run / play / lift again?
Depends on the injury. Mild strains and overuse injuries often allow modified training within a week and full return in 3–6 weeks. Tendinopathies typically need 8–16 weeks of progressive loading. We give you a return-to-sport timeline at the first session and update it at every reassessment: based on objective markers (pain, strength, movement, training tolerance), not guesswork.
Do I need a scan before starting physio?
For most sports injuries, no. Clinical assessment is more reliable than imaging for guiding management of soft-tissue injuries, and routine MRI often shows incidental findings that complicate decisions without changing treatment. Imaging is appropriate after significant trauma, with red-flag symptoms, or when symptoms persist beyond a proper rehab trial.
I have a marathon or event in 4 weeks: can I still race?
Possibly, depending on the injury and how it responds in the first 1–2 sessions. For overuse injuries, modified training plus targeted rehab often allows the event to go ahead with a sensible pacing strategy. For acute injuries we will be honest about the risk-benefit. The decision is always yours; our job is to give you the clinical picture.
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Soho Physiotherapy • 111 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DT
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