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
Tennis Injury Treatment in London
Tennis elbow, shoulder pain, wrist strain, and knee or back trouble are overload problems as much as technique problems: the tendon or joint asked for more than it could give. Rest alone tends to leave it weaker, so it flares the moment you pick up a racket again. We rebuild the capacity behind the pain across six central London clinics.
Overview
Understanding tennis injuries
Tennis loads the wrist, elbow, shoulder, trunk, and lower limb through repetitive high-speed swings and rapid movement around the court. The most common problems are lateral epicondylalgia (tennis elbow), rotator-cuff-related shoulder pain, wrist tendon pain, and lower-limb issues such as patellofemoral knee pain and calf strains.
Across these, progressive loading rehabilitation is the best-evidenced primary treatment, and graded loading is specifically supported for tendinopathy. We assess which structure is driving the pain and the load behind it, from serve volume and technique to grip size or a sudden increase in play, then build an individualised physiotherapy and strength programme.
For stubborn tennis elbow that has not settled with first-line loading, shockwave therapy may be added as an adjunct, and trigger-point needling can ease the forearm and shoulder tension that often accompanies it.
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 tennis injuries can help to:
Settle tennis elbow at the source
Tennis elbow is a load problem in the forearm tendon, not simply a sore elbow. Progressive loading rebuilds the tendon capacity, which is the best-evidenced way to settle it and keep it settled.
Rebuild the serving shoulder
High-volume serving loads the rotator cuff. We restore the strength and control the shoulder needs for the overhead action, so power comes back without pain.
Look at load, technique and kit
Serve volume, a sudden increase in play, grip size and string tension all feed racket-sport injuries. We assess what is driving yours and adjust the load behind it.
Consider shockwave for stubborn cases
For tennis elbow that has not settled with first-line loading, focused shockwave may be added as an adjunct alongside continued rehabilitation. Trigger-point needling can ease the forearm and shoulder tension that often comes with it.
Get back on court with capacity to spare
We rebuild the wrist, elbow, shoulder and lower-limb capacity your game demands and progress you back to full play, so the tendon holds when you pick up the racket again.
Why it happens
What causes tennis injuries?
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Repeated gripping and bending the wrist back, which loads the forearm tendon at the elbow (tennis elbow)
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Lots of serving and overhead work through the rotator cuff
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Playing more often, harder, or for longer than usual
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Your kit: grip size, string tension, or a new racket
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Weakness further up the chain, in the trunk, hip and shoulder blade
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Lower-limb overload from rapid movement and change of direction around the court
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 tennis injuries?
Physiotherapy
Price on enquiryAssessment identifies whether the problem is tennis elbow, rotator-cuff-related shoulder pain, or a lower-limb overload, then delivers progressive loading and manual therapy: the first-line, best-evidenced treatment across all of these.
See treatment detail →Shockwave Therapy
Price on enquiryFor lateral epicondylalgia (tennis elbow) that has not settled with first-line loading, focused shockwave may be worth considering alongside continued rehabilitation, in line with NICE interventional procedures guidance.
See treatment detail →Dry Needling & Acupuncture
Price on enquiryTrigger-point needling can ease the forearm, shoulder, and trunk muscular tension that often accompanies tennis injuries: one part of the plan, used to open a window for active rehab.
See treatment detail →Sports Massage
Price on enquiryAdjunctive soft-tissue work for muscular tension and recovery during a heavy playing block: useful alongside the loading programme rather than as a stand-alone treatment.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Common questions about
tennis injuries in London
What is the best treatment for tennis elbow?
Progressive loading of the wrist-extensor tendon is first-line, supported by the BJSM tendinopathy consensus: a graded strengthening programme rebuilds the tendon’s capacity. Rest alone tends to leave it weaker. For stubborn cases that have not responded to loading, focused shockwave may be added as an adjunct. We also review grip, technique, and playing load to address the cause.
How long does tennis elbow take to settle?
Tennis elbow is often slow: many cases take several months to settle, and longer if it has been present a while or the aggravating load continues. A structured loading programme typically shows meaningful change over 8–12 weeks. We set realistic expectations, progress you against objective markers, and adjust your playing load so the tendon can recover.
Should I stop playing tennis while my injury settles?
Usually you can keep playing in a modified way rather than stopping completely, depending on the injury and how it responds. Relative rest: reducing the most aggravating load while progressively rebuilding tolerance, beats complete rest, which leaves the tissue weaker. Your physiotherapist guides how much play and load is right for your stage of recovery.
When should a tennis injury be assessed urgently?
Seek urgent care after acute trauma with a suspected fracture or dislocation, a joint that cannot bear weight, or sudden severe pain with rapid swelling. A sharp “pop” at the shoulder, knee, or calf with sudden loss of function needs prompt assessment for a tear. For these, physiotherapy is not the first step: see your GP or attend A&E.
Related Concerns
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Soho Physiotherapy • 111 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DT
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