Quick answer
Sports physiotherapy treats athletic injuries and rebuilds the strength, power and control needed to return to play safely. Treatment progresses from settling the acute injury, through strengthening, to sport-specific movement. Return to sport is decided by objective testing rather than by the calendar, which is what prevents re-injury.
Most sports injuries heal. The problem is that people return to their sport when the pain stops rather than when the limb is ready, which is why the same hamstring or ankle gets injured again and again.
What we treat
Muscle strains, ligament sprains, ACL and meniscus injuries, shoulder instability, shin splints, runner's knee, tennis and golfer's elbow, and overuse injuries from training load that rose too quickly.
The stages of a return-to-sport programme
- Settle it. Reduce swelling and pain, protect the injured tissue, and keep the rest of the body training.
- Restore range and basic strength. Get the joint moving fully and rebuild the muscle that wasted while you were off.
- Load it properly. Heavy, progressive strengthening — this is the stage most self-managed recoveries skip entirely.
- Add speed and change of direction. Running mechanics, cutting, jumping and landing control.
- Sport-specific work. Rehearsing the actual demands of your sport at full intensity before you play.
When you can go back
We test rather than guess. Strength of the injured side is compared against the uninjured side, along with hop and landing tests appropriate to the injury. A commonly used threshold is at least ninety per cent symmetry before unrestricted return.
That means a hamstring strain typically takes four to eight weeks and an ACL reconstruction nine to twelve months. Returning early is the single strongest predictor of doing it again.
Medically reviewed by Nasir Mughees, BPT, MPT, Orthopaedic Physiotherapy · Last reviewed September 2026
What it treats
Conditions treated with Sports Injury Physiotherapy
Ankle & foot
Achilles Tendinopathy
- Pain and stiffness at the back of the heel, worst in the morning
- Pain at the start of activity that may ease as you warm up
Knee
ACL Injury
- A pop at the time of injury
- Rapid swelling within hours
Ankle & foot
Ankle Sprain
- Pain on the outside of the ankle after rolling it
- Swelling and bruising
Hip & thigh
High Hamstring Tendinopathy
- Deep buttock pain near the sitting bone
- Pain worse sitting, especially on hard surfaces
Whole body & general
Muscle Strain
- Sudden sharp pain during activity
- Pain on stretching or contracting the muscle
Shoulder
SLAP Tear
- Deep pain inside the shoulder
- Clicking, catching or a locking sensation
Whole body & general
Sports Injury
- Pain during or after sport
- Swelling or bruising