Medical Conditions We Treat

Musculoskeletal pain can affect how comfortably you move, work, exercise and complete normal daily activities. At Core Physio, we assess and treat a range of problems involving the muscles, joints, tendons and other structures that contribute to movement.

Our Medical Conditions We Treat service brings together information about common areas of pain and physical difficulty, including back pain, neck pain, knee pain and shoulder pain.

Your treatment will not be based solely on the name of a condition or the location of your symptoms. A physiotherapist will listen to what you have been experiencing, assess how the problem affects you and develop a personalised plan around your needs and goals.

What Are Musculoskeletal Conditions?

Musculoskeletal conditions affect the muscles, joints, bones, tendons, ligaments or other tissues involved in movement and physical function.

Symptoms can begin suddenly following an injury or develop gradually over time. Some problems settle relatively quickly, while others may recur or remain present for a longer period.

You may experience:

• Pain or aching
• Muscular or joint stiffness
• Reduced movement
• Weakness or loss of physical confidence
• Swelling following an injury
• Difficulty walking, reaching or lifting
• Pain during work, exercise or sport
• Symptoms that repeatedly return during a particular activity
• Difficulty resuming normal activity after injury or surgery

Similar symptoms can have different causes. For example, knee pain may develop following a sporting injury, a change in activity, joint irritation or a gradual loss of strength and movement.

For this reason, an individual assessment is more useful than assuming that everyone with pain in the same body area requires identical treatment.

When May Physiotherapy Help?

Physiotherapy may be appropriate when pain, stiffness, weakness or reduced movement begins to interfere with the activities that matter to you.

You may benefit from an assessment when:

• A painful problem is not improving as expected
• You are unsure how much movement or exercise is appropriate
• Symptoms repeatedly return
• You have lost strength or mobility
• You are finding work or everyday activities difficult
• Pain is limiting exercise, training or sport
• You are recovering after an injury
• You need a structured rehabilitation programme
• You want help returning to normal physical activity

You do not necessarily need to wait until pain becomes severe. An earlier assessment may help you understand the problem, identify appropriate next steps and avoid unnecessary restriction of normal activity.

Conditions We Commonly Assess

The following pages provide more detailed information about some of the common pain and movement problems assessed at Core Physio.

Back Pain

Back pain can begin suddenly or develop gradually. It may affect bending, lifting, sitting, standing, walking, sleeping, working or exercising.

A physiotherapy assessment can consider how your back moves, which activities affect your symptoms and whether strength, workload, general health or previous injuries may be relevant.

Treatment may include advice, movement, progressive exercise and hands-on physiotherapy where appropriate.

Learn more about physiotherapy for Back Pain

Neck Pain

Neck pain and stiffness can affect head movement, sleep, desk work, driving and normal upper-body activity. Symptoms may also extend towards the shoulders, upper back or arms.

Your physiotherapist can assess movement, strength and any activities that aggravate the problem before recommending an individual treatment plan.

New neurological symptoms, significant weakness or neck pain following a serious accident may require medical assessment before routine treatment begins.

Learn more about physiotherapy for Neck Pain

Knee Pain

Knee pain can affect walking, stairs, squatting, running, kneeling and other everyday or sporting movements.

Symptoms may begin following an injury or develop gradually as activity changes. An assessment can examine knee movement alongside the strength and control of the surrounding muscles.

Rehabilitation may then progress towards the specific activities you want or need to resume.

Learn more about physiotherapy for Knee Pain

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain can make reaching, lifting, dressing, sleeping or exercising uncomfortable. The problem may involve the shoulder joint, surrounding muscles, tendons or movement of the wider upper body.

Your physiotherapist will consider how the symptoms developed and which movements matter to you before planning treatment and rehabilitation.

The programme may include movement exercises, progressive strengthening, activity advice and hands-on treatment where appropriate.

Learn more about physiotherapy for Shoulder Pain

Every Person’s Symptoms Are Different

A diagnosis or body area does not tell the complete story. Two people with shoulder pain may have different symptoms, physical abilities and goals.

One person may want to sleep comfortably and manage normal household activities. Another may need to return to swimming, weight training or a physically demanding occupation.

Your physiotherapist will therefore consider:

• How and when the symptoms began
• Whether there was an injury
• Which movements affect the problem
• How long the symptoms have been present
• Your general health and medical history
• Your work and normal daily activities
• Your exercise or sporting demands
• Previous treatment or investigations
• Your current strength and movement
• What you would like to return to doing

This information helps ensure that treatment is relevant to you rather than based on a generic programme for a particular body part.

What Happens During a Physiotherapy Assessment?

Your first appointment begins with a detailed conversation about your symptoms, health and individual goals.

Your physiotherapist may ask:

• Where you feel pain or discomfort
• When the problem started
• Whether it developed suddenly or gradually
• Which movements or activities aggravate it
• Whether symptoms change during the day
• How the problem affects sleep, work or exercise
• Whether you have experienced similar symptoms before
• What medication or treatment you have already received
• Whether you have had scans, tests or specialist advice

A physical assessment may then examine movement, strength, flexibility, balance and your ability to complete tasks connected to the problem.

Depending on the area involved, you might be asked to bend, reach, walk, squat, raise an arm or complete another appropriate movement.

Your physiotherapist will explain the findings and discuss the available treatment options before agreeing a plan with you.

Your Physiotherapy Treatment Plan

Treatment is based on the assessment and may change as your symptoms and physical abilities improve.

Your plan could include:

• Advice about managing symptoms
• Guidance for remaining appropriately active
• Exercises to improve movement
• Progressive strengthening
• Balance and movement-control exercises
• Hands-on treatment where appropriate
• Changes to temporarily aggravating activities
• A gradual return to work, exercise or sport
• Education about the problem and recovery
• Referral for further investigation when required

Your physiotherapist should explain why each part of the plan has been recommended and what you can do between appointments.

Exercise and Rehabilitation

Exercise is often an important part of physiotherapy because it allows rehabilitation to continue outside the clinic.

Your programme may begin with simple movements before progressing towards greater strength, resistance, speed or physical complexity.

The exercises should reflect your current abilities and goals. For example, rehabilitation could prepare you for:

• Walking or using stairs
• Sitting or standing during work
• Lifting and carrying
• Returning to the gym
• Running or cycling
• Playing sport
• Managing a physically demanding occupation
• Completing normal household or family activities

Progression is based on how you respond rather than simply giving everyone the same number of repetitions or the same exercise sheet.

Hands-On Physiotherapy

Hands-on techniques may be used when your physiotherapist believes they can contribute to the wider treatment plan.

These may include treatment directed at joints, muscles and surrounding soft tissues. The proposed technique will be explained and adapted to your comfort.

Manual treatment is not automatically necessary for every musculoskeletal problem. Furthermore, it will not rebuild strength or physical capacity by itself.

Where hands-on care is used, it may support movement and symptom management while you continue with exercise and active rehabilitation.

Remaining Active and Managing Symptoms

Pain can make people uncertain about whether they should continue moving. Although some activities may need to be modified temporarily, complete and prolonged rest is not always the most helpful approach.

Your physiotherapist can advise:

• Which movements remain appropriate
• Whether an activity should be reduced temporarily
• How to modify exercise or training
• How frequently to complete rehabilitation exercises
• When to progress towards more demanding activity
• Which changes in symptoms require further assessment

The aim is to help you remain as active as your condition safely allows while gradually rebuilding movement and physical confidence.

Pain Does Not Always Equal Damage

Pain is an important experience, but its intensity does not always provide a direct measurement of tissue damage.

Symptoms can be influenced by several factors, including:

• An injury or irritation
• Reduced strength or physical capacity
• A sudden change in activity
• Sleep and recovery
• Stress or worry about movement
• Previous painful experiences
• General health
• How long symptoms have been present

This does not mean that pain is imaginary or should be ignored. Instead, it explains why a thorough assessment and individual plan can be more useful than focusing only on one tissue or scan result.

Physiotherapy for Work and Everyday Life

Musculoskeletal symptoms can affect people in many different working environments.

Your role may involve:

• Prolonged sitting
• Standing for extended periods
• Lifting or carrying
• Driving
• Repeated upper-body movements
• Kneeling or squatting
• Working in physically demanding positions

Physiotherapy can consider the physical demands of your job and help you build tolerance for the activities you need to perform.

This may involve movement advice, progressive strengthening and a gradual return to more demanding duties where appropriate.

Returning to Exercise and Sport

Reduced pain does not always mean that you are immediately ready to return to full training or sport.

Your rehabilitation may also need to restore:

• Strength
• Movement and flexibility
• Balance and coordination
• Running or jumping tolerance
• Lifting capacity
• Confidence in the affected area
• The ability to tolerate repeated physical effort

The programme can become more activity-specific as your abilities improve. This helps bridge the gap between early rehabilitation and the actual demands of exercise or sport.

Do I Need a Scan?

Not every painful muscle or joint problem requires an X-ray, ultrasound scan or MRI before physiotherapy can begin.

Your physiotherapist will assess your symptoms and medical history before advising whether further investigation may be useful.

A scan may be considered when:

• The result is likely to change treatment
• A fracture or significant injury is suspected
• Symptoms suggest a condition requiring specialist assessment
• Progress is different from what would normally be expected
• A consultant or other healthcare professional requires further information

Where imaging is not immediately required, treatment can be based on your symptoms, physical assessment and functional goals.

When May Another Service Be More Appropriate?

Physiotherapy is not the correct starting point for every symptom.

You may be directed towards another Core Physio service when your main concern involves:

• General muscular tension without an injury
• Training recovery and Sports Massage
• Specialist massage treatment
• Later-stage Strength and Conditioning
• Post-Operative Rehabilitation
• Vestibular symptoms involving dizziness and balance
• A problem requiring medical or dental assessment

The team can help you choose the most appropriate appointment when you are uncertain which service to book.

When Should I Seek Medical Advice?

Physiotherapy should not delay urgent or emergency medical care.

Seek prompt medical advice when symptoms involve:

• Severe pain following a significant accident
• An obvious deformity
• An inability to use or bear weight through an injured area
• A joint that is hot, significantly swollen or accompanied by a high temperature
• Rapidly worsening weakness
• New numbness or loss of sensation
• Persistent unexplained swelling
• Feeling generally unwell alongside increasing pain
• Symptoms that are severe, unusual or causing concern

Call 999 for life-threatening symptoms such as severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of a stroke, collapse or symptoms following a serious accident.

Contact NHS 111, your GP or an urgent treatment service when you need prompt medical help but the situation is not immediately life-threatening.

Physiotherapy at Core Physio

Core Physio provides assessment and treatment for back, neck, knee and shoulder pain alongside a wider range of musculoskeletal problems.

Physiotherapy is available at our London Bridge clinic and our East Dulwich clinic.

Each clinic has its own team, service availability and online booking page. Choose your preferred location to view the available physiotherapists and appointment times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which conditions do physiotherapists treat?

Physiotherapists assess a wide range of musculoskeletal problems, including back, neck, knee and shoulder pain, sports injuries, muscle and tendon problems, reduced movement and rehabilitation following surgery.

Do I need to know what is causing my pain before booking?

No. The purpose of the initial assessment is to discuss your symptoms, examine relevant movement and decide what type of treatment or further investigation may be appropriate.

Do I need a GP referral?

You can normally arrange private physiotherapy directly without first seeing your GP. However, some private health insurers require authorisation or a referral before covering treatment.

What should I wear?

Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move. Depending on the area being assessed, shorts or a vest may be helpful. Privacy will always be provided.

Will I receive treatment during the first appointment?

Treatment can often begin during the first appointment after the assessment has been completed. However, further investigation or medical advice may occasionally be recommended before treatment starts.

Will I be given exercises?

Many physiotherapy programmes include exercises to complete between appointments. These will be selected according to your current abilities and progressed as you improve.

How many appointments will I need?

The number of appointments varies according to the problem, how long it has been present, your physical goals and how you respond to rehabilitation. Your physiotherapist will discuss the recommended plan after assessing you.

Can physiotherapy help with recurring pain?

Physiotherapy may help identify factors associated with recurring symptoms and provide a programme for improving movement, strength and physical capacity.

Can I continue exercising?

This depends on the condition and your symptoms. Some activities may continue normally, while others may need to be temporarily modified. Your physiotherapist can advise you after completing the assessment.

What happens if physiotherapy is not suitable?

Your physiotherapist can explain why another service or medical assessment may be more appropriate and recommend suitable next steps.

Where is physiotherapy available?

Core Physio provides physiotherapy at its London Bridge and East Dulwich clinics. Select your preferred clinic to see the local team and appointment availability.

Book a Physiotherapy Assessment

Whether pain is affecting work, exercise, sport or normal daily activity, an assessment can help clarify the problem and identify appropriate next steps.

Book a physiotherapy appointment at Core Physio and receive a personalised assessment, treatment plan and rehabilitation programme based on your symptoms and goals.