Shoulder, elbow or arm pain? Find the real cause
Pain lifting your arm into a top cupboard, a sore elbow gripping a coffee cup or an ache down the arm after a day at the laptop. Our Kensington physios trace arm pain to its source and get you back to work, the gym and the tennis court.
★★★★★ 5.0 on Google from 127 reviews of our Kensington clinic
Quick answer: Most shoulder and elbow pain comes from overloaded tendons and improves with a progressive strengthening programme. Arm pain with pins and needles often starts in the neck. Our Kensington clinic inside Virgin Active, 17a Old Court Place, W8 4PL, can assess you, often the same day.
Where does it hurt?
Rotator cuff pain
Outside of the upper arm
Worse lifting the arm overhead or out to the side and lying on it at night.
Tennis elbow
Outside of the elbow
Pain gripping, lifting a kettle or using a mouse. Not just tennis players.
Golfer’s elbow
Inside of the elbow
Pain gripping and lifting, common in gym users and climbers.
Pain from the neck
Down the arm
Aching, pins and needles or numbness that changes with neck movement.
Tendons get sore when the load on them goes up faster than they can adapt, for example a new gym routine, a tennis comeback or a busy month on the laptop. Rest eases them, but strength is what makes them resilient.
We always check your neck too, because arm pain that changes with neck movement needs a different plan.
Tennis elbow? Pain on the outside of the elbow
Struggling to grip or lift?
Book at our Kensington clinic, often the same day.
What helps
- Short term changes to the movements that flare it, not complete rest
- A progressive strengthening programme for the tendon and the whole arm
- Hands-on treatment, acupuncture or taping where it helps
- Changes to your desk set up, grip or technique
- A clear timeline, as tendons usually take weeks to months to fully settle
Worse
long term results after steroid injection for tennis elbow than placebo at 1 year
Coombes et al, JAMA 2013
No better
than placebo surgery: shoulder decompression for subacromial pain
Beard et al, Lancet 2018 (CSAW)
~5
sessions is typical for our patients to reach their goals
BOOST PHYSIO patient data
Elbow pain on the inside of the elbow?
Pain on the inside of the elbow is often golfer’s elbow. This video shows the exercise our physios use first.
When to seek medical advice
- Shoulder or arm pain with chest pain or breathlessness: call 999
- Sudden weakness lifting the arm after a fall or lifting something heavy
- A hot, swollen, very painful joint with fever
- Weakness or numbness in both arms
Meet your Kensington physios
Tanvi and Siubhan both treat shoulder, elbow and arm pain, and work closely with the gym team at Virgin Active.
Tanvi Parikh
Senior Physiotherapist
Tanvi has a special interest in back and neck pain, spinal conditions and rehab after surgery.
Siubhan Slater
Senior Physiotherapist
Siubhan treats sports injuries, back and neck pain and rehab after surgery.
What our Kensington patients say
★★★★★
“I’ve been using Boost physio as I rehab a fairly catastrophic shoulder injury.”
★★★★★
“I’ve been working with Tanvi for the past month. Tanvi is super knowledgeable and understands how to treat my back injury.”
★★★★★
“I’ve been working with Boost Physio Kensington over the past three months for some back issues, and I honestly couldn’t recommend them more highly.”
Watch: shoulder and elbow rehab
Short videos our physios use with arm patients.
Resistance band rotator cuff exercises
How physios examine shoulder pain
One clinic, the experience of a whole team
Something our patients don’t always realise is how much support sits behind each physio. Our team trains together twice a month and every physio has a dedicated mentor who reviews cases with them, so when you see us in Kensington you get the experience of the whole BOOST PHYSIO group.
- Same day appointments, seven days a week across our clinics
- No GP referral needed
- Recognised by Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, WPA and Aviva
Prefer another clinic? Book at BOOST PHYSIO Swiss Cottage, Hampstead or West Hampstead, or read more about shoulder pain physio and tennis elbow physio.
Get your arm working again
Book at BOOST PHYSIO Kensington, Virgin Active, 17a Old Court Place, W8 4PL.
Related reading
Your questions answered
Where is your Kensington clinic?
Inside Virgin Active Kensington at 17a Old Court Place, W8 4PL, a few minutes’ walk from High Street Kensington station.
Should I wear an elbow brace for tennis elbow?
A brace can ease pain for some people while you build strength, but it is not a cure on its own.
Will a steroid injection fix my shoulder or elbow?
It can reduce pain for a short time, but for tennis elbow it has been linked to worse results at a year. Exercise is the main treatment.
Do I need a GP referral to see a physio?
No. You can book directly with us online, by phone or on WhatsApp. If you are claiming on private medical insurance, check with your insurer first, as some ask for a GP or specialist referral.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the problem and your goals. On average our patients reach their goals in around 5 sessions, and we will give you an honest estimate at your first appointment in Kensington.
Written and clinically reviewed by Steven Berkman, BSc Physiotherapy (University of Cape Town), HCPC-registered chartered physiotherapist, MCSP, founder of BOOST PHYSIO in 2008, with Tanvi Parikh and Siubhan Slater at BOOST PHYSIO Kensington. Last reviewed 12 November 2026.
References
- Coombes BK et al. Effect of corticosteroid injection, physiotherapy, or both on clinical outcomes in patients with unilateral lateral epicondylalgia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2013;309:461-469.
- Beard DJ et al. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression for subacromial shoulder pain (CSAW). Lancet 2018;391:329-338.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. If you are unsure what is causing your symptoms, book an assessment or speak to your GP. If you have severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, call 111 or 999.
