Sports Physiotherapy London
Sports Physiotherapy in London for Sports Injuries, Pain and Performance
Core Physio provides specialist sports physiotherapy in London for people recovering from sporting injuries, exercise-related pain and problems that are preventing them from training or performing at their best.
Our physiotherapists assess the injury, identify factors that may be contributing to the problem and develop an individual treatment and rehabilitation plan based on your sport, activity level and goals.
Sports physiotherapy is suitable for everyone from recreational runners, gym users and weekend sportspeople to competitive athletes. Treatment may combine physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation, strength work, mobility and advice on training load to help you recover effectively and return to activity with greater confidence.
Sports Physiotherapy is available from both our London Bridge and East Dulwich clinics, with treatment tailored to your injury, activity level and rehabilitation goals.
What Is Sports Physiotherapy?
Sports physiotherapy focuses on the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries associated with sport, exercise and physical activity.
Although many of the principles are shared with general physiotherapy, sports physio places particular emphasis on understanding the physical demands of your chosen activity and what is required for you to return safely to training, competition or exercise.
The aim is not simply to reduce symptoms. Your physiotherapist will look at how the injury occurred, what movements or training demands aggravate it and whether factors such as strength, mobility, movement control or changes in training load may be contributing.
This information can then be used to develop a treatment and rehabilitation programme appropriate to both the injury and your individual goals.
Who Can Benefit From Sports Physiotherapy?
You do not need to be a professional athlete to benefit from sports physiotherapy.
We work with people participating in a wide range of activities, including running, cycling, football, rugby, tennis, gym training, weightlifting and other recreational or competitive sports.
Sports physiotherapy may be appropriate if you have:
- Developed pain during sport or exercise
- Sustained an acute sporting injury
- Experienced a recurring injury
- Returned to activity but continue to have pain or reduced confidence
- Noticed a loss of strength, mobility or performance following injury
- Increased your training volume or intensity and developed symptoms
- Been unable to return fully to your usual sport following rehabilitation
Your physiotherapist will assess the problem and advise whether physiotherapy, rehabilitation or another form of assessment is most appropriate.
Sports Injuries We Assess and Treat
Sports injuries can affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and other structures throughout the body.
Common problems seen in sports physiotherapy include:
- Muscle strains and sports-related muscle injuries
- Tendon pain and overuse problems
- Knee, ankle, hip and shoulder injuries
- Ligament sprains
- Running-related injuries
- Gym and weight-training injuries
- Repetitive or overuse injuries
- Pain that repeatedly returns when training intensity increases
- Problems returning to sport following surgery or previous injury
Sports-related pain does not always result from one identifiable incident. Symptoms can also develop gradually following increases in training volume, changes in exercise, competition schedules or repeated loading.
A detailed physiotherapy assessment can help establish the factors most relevant to your particular problem.
Sports Physiotherapy Assessment
Your first sports physiotherapy appointment begins with a detailed discussion about your injury, symptoms, training and sporting goals.
Your physiotherapist may assess areas such as:
- Joint movement and mobility
- Muscle strength and control
- Balance and coordination
- Movement patterns
- Pain response to particular activities
- Running, jumping, lifting or sport-specific movements
- Training volume and recent changes in activity
- Previous injuries and rehabilitation
The assessment is tailored to the individual rather than following the same routine for every injury.
Understanding what you ultimately want to return to is particularly important. The physical requirements for returning to recreational running can be very different from returning to competitive football, heavy strength training or another demanding sport.
Sports Physiotherapy Treatment
Treatment depends on the type of injury, the stage of recovery and the findings from your assessment.
Your programme may include a combination of:
Exercise Therapy and Rehabilitation
Exercises designed to restore movement, strength, control and tolerance to physical activity.
Strength and Progressive Loading
A carefully progressed programme can help injured tissues adapt to increasing demands and prepare the body for more challenging activity.
Hands-On Physiotherapy
Manual treatment may be used where appropriate alongside an active rehabilitation programme.
Mobility and Movement Work
Specific mobility or movement exercises may be included where restrictions are relevant to your symptoms or sporting activity.
Training and Load Management
Your physiotherapist can help you understand how much activity is currently appropriate and how training can be gradually progressed.
Education and Self-Management
Understanding the injury and how to manage symptoms between appointments is an important part of treatment.
The emphasis will usually change as recovery progresses, moving from managing the initial problem towards restoring the strength and physical capacity required for your sport.
From Sports Physiotherapy to Sports Injury Rehabilitation
Sports physiotherapy and Sports Injury Rehabilitation are closely connected, but they serve slightly different purposes within the CORE treatment pathway.
Sports physiotherapy places greater emphasis on assessing the injury, understanding its likely causes, managing symptoms and establishing the appropriate treatment and rehabilitation strategy.
As recovery progresses, the focus may move towards more structured Sports Injury Rehabilitation, where progressive strength, conditioning, movement training and sport-specific exercises are used to rebuild physical capacity.
For someone returning to demanding sport, rehabilitation may therefore continue well beyond the point at which pain has improved.
Find out more about Sports Injury Rehabilitation >
This approach allows treatment to progress from the initial physiotherapy assessment through to higher-level rehabilitation and, where appropriate, preparation for returning to training or competition.
Sports Physiotherapy for Returning to Sport
Returning to sport is not always simply a question of waiting until the pain disappears.
Depending on the injury and activity, your physiotherapist may consider factors such as strength, movement quality, confidence, tolerance to repeated loading and the specific demands of your sport.
Rehabilitation can then be progressed gradually from controlled exercises towards more demanding activities such as running, jumping, changing direction, lifting or sport-specific movements.
The aim is to help you build sufficient capacity for the activity you are returning to rather than relying on symptoms alone as the measure of recovery.
Sports Physiotherapy in London
CORE provides Sports Physiotherapy from our clinics in London Bridge and East Dulwich, giving patients access to expert physiotherapy, rehabilitation and progressive exercise programmes across two London locations.
Our London Bridge clinic is convenient for people living, working or training in Central London and SE1, while our East Dulwich clinic serves patients from Dulwich and the surrounding South London area.
For clinic-specific information, including therapists, facilities, opening hours and booking options, choose your preferred location:
Sports Physiotherapy London Bridge >
Sports Physiotherapy East Dulwich >
These clinic-specific pages provide local information and booking options, while this page remains the main detailed guide to Sports Physiotherapy and CORE’s overall approach to sports injury assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.
Why Choose CORE for Sports Physiotherapy?
CORE takes an individual approach to sports injury assessment and rehabilitation.
Rather than looking only at where you feel pain, your physiotherapist considers the demands of your activity, your training history and what you need to be able to do before returning to sport.
Where appropriate, physiotherapy can also be integrated with Sports Injury Rehabilitation and Strength & Conditioning, allowing treatment to progress from the initial injury through to more advanced rehabilitation within the same clinical pathway.
Our physiotherapists are HCPC registered, and treatment plans are tailored to the individual, their injury and their goals.
Book Sports Physiotherapy in London
If an injury, recurring problem or exercise-related pain is affecting your ability to train, compete or stay active, you can book a Sports Physiotherapy assessment at either our London Bridge or East Dulwich clinic.
Your physiotherapist will assess the problem, discuss your goals and recommend an appropriate treatment and rehabilitation plan.
Book Sports Physiotherapy London Bridge >
Book Sports Physiotherapy East Dulwich >
New patient and unsure whether Sports Physiotherapy is right for you?
Book a Free Initial Physio Consultation >
Sports Physiotherapy FAQs
What is the difference between sports physiotherapy and general physiotherapy?
Both use physiotherapy assessment and treatment principles. Sports physiotherapy places additional emphasis on the physical demands of sport and exercise, training load, performance requirements and preparing the patient to return to their chosen activity.
Do I need to be an athlete to see a sports physiotherapist?
No. Sports physiotherapy is suitable for recreational exercisers and gym users as well as competitive athletes. What matters is that the injury or problem is affecting your ability to exercise, train or participate in an activity that is important to you.
What happens during a sports physiotherapy assessment?
Your physiotherapist will discuss your symptoms, how the injury occurred, your training history and what activities you want to return to. The physical assessment may include movement, strength, joint mobility, balance and exercises or movements relevant to your sport.
Can sports physiotherapy help with recurring injuries?
A recurring injury may benefit from a broader assessment looking at factors such as strength, movement, training load and previous rehabilitation. Your physiotherapist can assess the problem and develop a programme based on the factors relevant to you.
What is the difference between Sports Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Rehabilitation?
Sports Physiotherapy generally begins with assessment, diagnosis where appropriate, treatment planning and early rehabilitation. Sports Injury Rehabilitation places greater emphasis on progressively rebuilding strength, physical capacity and sport-specific function as you move towards returning to full activity.
Where can I book Sports Physiotherapy in London?
CORE provides Sports Physiotherapy at both its London Bridge and East Dulwich clinics. The individual clinic pages contain information about the relevant therapists, facilities, opening hours and booking options at each location.
