Sports Injury Clinic London

It depends on the injury, your sport and how your rehab goes, so we use milestones rather than a fixed date. You’re usually ready when you have full, comfortable movement, strength close to your other side (we often aim for at least 90%), can hop, sprint, land and change direction without pain and feel confident. Mild strains and sprains often take a few weeks. Tendon problems and more serious injuries can take several months. We’ll give you a realistic timeline at your first appointment and update it as you progress.

Start the right rehab early rather than waiting for the pain to go. Protect the injury for the first 1 to 3 days, then keep it moving and gradually load it, because healing tissue gets stronger when it’s used well. Do your exercises consistently, keep active in ways that don’t hurt the injury, sleep well and eat enough, especially protein. Avoid crash dieting while you’re injured. Some experts suggest avoiding anti-inflammatory medication in the first few days because inflammation is part of healing, so check with your GP or pharmacist about pain relief.

No. Fitness fades gradually and you can hold on to much of it. Research shows endurance can be maintained with as little as 2 sessions a week and strength with as little as 1 session a week, as long as you keep the intensity up. Most injuries still allow some form of training, such as cycling, swimming, pool running, rowing or upper body work. We’ll help you find what you can safely do.

Plenty. We’ll help you cross-train to protect your aerobic fitness, keep strength training the areas that aren’t injured and use the time to work on strength, balance, mobility and core control that runners and triathletes often neglect. Training your uninjured side can even help preserve strength in the injured one. We’ll then build a realistic return to running plan and give you an honest view on whether to race, adjust your goal or defer to a later event.

Usually yes, with changes. The aim is to train around the injury, not through it. Pain that is mild and settles quickly after exercise is often acceptable, while pain that builds during the session or is worse the next morning is a sign to adjust. Your physio will show you what to keep, what to modify and what to pause for now.

Yes. Our chartered physiotherapists treat sports injuries every day, from weekend footballers and runners to triathletes, golfers and club players. Every physio trains with the team twice a month and has a dedicated mentor who reviews their cases, so you get the experience of the whole group. If you need a scan or a consultant opinion, we work closely with leading orthopaedic surgeons and sports medicine doctors and can arrange it quickly.

Rarely. A short period of protection helps in the first few days, but long periods of complete rest can weaken the injured tissue and the muscles around it. Ice can ease pain early on, but it isn’t a treatment on its own. Gradual, well-judged movement and exercise do more to help most injuries heal.

Most sports injuries can be diagnosed with a thorough physiotherapy assessment. A scan or X-ray is useful if a fracture, a significant ligament or tendon tear or another problem is suspected, or if you’re not improving as expected. If you need one, we’ll arrange it.

It depends on the injury and your goals. Many of our patients reach their goals in around 5 sessions, with exercises to do between appointments. More severe injuries and rehab after surgery take longer. We’ll give you a clear plan at your first visit.

Finish your rehab, even once the pain has gone. Feeling better isn’t the same as being fully recovered: strength, power and balance often lag behind. Build your training back up gradually and keep doing a short strength and balance routine once you’re back to sport.

Yes. Our treatment is recognised by Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, Aviva and WPA. Some insurers ask for a GP referral or authorisation code before your first appointment, so it’s worth checking your policy. You can also self-refer and pay directly, with no referral needed.

BOOST PHYSIO has a network of clinics across North London and Hertfordshire, including Hendon, Hampstead, Swiss Cottage, West Hampstead, Kentish Town, Hampstead Garden Suburb, East Finchley, Muswell Hill, Crouch End, Mill Hill, Kensington, Borehamwood and Elstree. Same day appointments are available from 8am to 9pm. Book online, call 020 8201 7788 or WhatsApp us.