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Thyme Notch Physiotherapy
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A physiotherapist in a bright treatment room assessing a patient's shoulder movement

Musculoskeletal physiotherapy · Assessment-led

We find out why it hurts, then rebuild the way you move

A single clinic room and a rehab floor. Forty-five unhurried minutes, hands-on treatment where it helps, and a loading plan you can actually keep doing once the pain settles.

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Self-referral welcome — no doctor's letter needed

  • Back & neck
  • Shoulders
  • Hips & groin
  • Knees
  • Ankles & feet
  • Return to running
  • Post-operative rehab

01 — What we treat

Find your complaint, not a benefit statement

Most people arrive able to point at the problem but unsure what it is called. Start from the region below. If what you are feeling is not listed, it is still worth asking — the assessment is the same.

  • 01Lumbar & pelvis

    Low back, hip and pelvic pain

    Episodes that lock you up after sitting, pain that travels into the buttock or calf, and the long grumbling backs that never fully clear. We test movement under load rather than scanning first, because most backs settle without imaging.

    • Disc irritation
    • Sciatic pain
    • Facet locking
    • Pelvic girdle pain
  • 02Cervical & jaw

    Neck, upper back and headaches

    Stiffness on one rotation, pain between the shoulder blades by mid-afternoon, and headaches that start at the base of the skull. Treatment usually pairs manual work with short, frequent mobility sets you do at your desk.

    • Wry neck
    • Cervicogenic headache
    • Nerve referral
    • Jaw tension
  • 03Shoulder complex

    Shoulder and elbow

    Reaching behind you, sleeping on that side, or lifting overhead at work. Shoulders respond slowly and predictably to graded loading, so expect a programme measured in weeks with clear checkpoints rather than a quick fix.

    • Rotator cuff
    • Frozen shoulder
    • Impingement
    • Tennis elbow
  • 04Knee & thigh

    Knees, hamstrings and calves

    Stairs, squatting, kneeling, and the sharp catch when you change direction. We measure what the leg can tolerate, then build from there — including the twelve-week stretch after a knee reconstruction when most progress is quietly made.

    • Patellar pain
    • Meniscus irritation
    • Hamstring strain
    • Post-ACL rehab
  • 05Ankle & foot

    Ankles, heels and feet

    Sprains that never regained confidence, heel pain in the first steps of the morning, and forefoot pain that grows with mileage. Footwear and weekly load usually explain more than the foot itself, so both get reviewed.

    • Lateral ankle sprain
    • Plantar heel pain
    • Achilles tendon
    • Shin pain
  • 06Return to sport

    Getting back to running and lifting

    For people who are no longer in much pain but keep breaking down at the same point in a training block. We rebuild the week itself: volume, intensity, surfaces, recovery, and the one or two capacity gaps behind the pattern.

    • Couch to 5k setbacks
    • Marathon build-up
    • Barbell technique
    • Load planning

02 — Care pathway

Four stages, and an honest answer on how many visits

Nobody wants an open-ended course of treatment. This is the route we follow, and at every stage you should know what is changing and what would make us change the plan.

  1. Stage one

    Assessment

    History, movement testing and strength measures. You leave with a working explanation, two or three starting exercises, and a realistic timeline.

    45 minutes · one visit

  2. Stage two

    Settle the irritation

    Hands-on treatment, pain-easing movement and short-term activity changes so the area calms enough to be loaded properly.

    Usually two to four visits

  3. Stage three

    Rebuild capacity

    Progressive strength work in the rehab room, reviewed every two or three weeks. This is the stage that prevents the problem returning.

    Six to twelve weeks

  4. Stage four

    Discharge with a plan

    A written maintenance programme, the markers that mean you are fine, and the specific signs that should bring you back.

    One review visit

03 — Your session

What actually happens in the room

A first appointment runs forty-five minutes and is mostly conversation and movement. Follow-ups are thirty minutes and usually split between treatment and coaching.

  • First 15 minWhat happened, what makes it worse, what you need to get back to, and what you have already tried.
  • Next 15 minMovement and strength testing. We compare sides and record numbers so later sessions have something to beat.
  • Hands-onJoint mobilisation, soft-tissue work or dry needling where it earns its place — never as the whole treatment.
  • Last 15 minYour starting programme, demonstrated and practised, plus how to adjust it on a bad week.
  • WearShorts or loose trousers, and training shoes if the problem is in your leg or foot.
Pain is information about tolerance, not a verdict on damage. If we can shift what the tissue tolerates, the pain usually follows. Clinic approach — Thyme Notch Physiotherapy
A person performing a supervised barbell strength exercise during a rehabilitation session
Stage three loading, supervised on the rehab floor

04 — Rehab room

Supervised blocks through the week

Once you are in the rebuilding stage you can book into a supervised block instead of a one-to-one. Same programme, more room to work, and someone watching the quality of it.

Dumbbells and resistance equipment arranged on the floor of a quiet rehabilitation gym

Before you book a block

Blocks are for patients already assessed here, because the programme needs to exist first. Spaces are capped at six so the room stays quiet. If a block is full, the following one is usually open.

  • Monday Lower limb loadingKnee, hip and ankle programmes with barbell and sled work. 7:00 – 8:30am
  • Tuesday Spine & trunkGraded lifting and rotation work for back and neck programmes. 6:00 – 7:00pm
  • Wednesday Shoulder roomOverhead and cuff progressions, cable and dumbbell based. 12:30 – 1:30pm
  • Thursday Running rebuildTreadmill drills, calf and hamstring capacity, weekly mileage review. 6:00 – 7:00pm
  • Saturday Open rehab floorAny current programme, with a therapist on the floor for questions. 8:30 – 10:30am

05 — Questions

Asked before most first appointments

Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No. You can book directly. A referral letter is only needed if your insurer asks for one, or if you want us to write back to a consultant who is already involved.
Will I get a scan?
Usually not, and that is deliberate. Scans often show changes that are normal for your age and unrelated to your pain. We refer for imaging when the assessment raises something specific, or when a decision genuinely depends on it.
Can you provide paperwork for insurance or work?
Yes. We issue a dated receipt with treatment codes after every session, and can write a short summary for an insurer, employer or occupational health team on request.
Is it safe during pregnancy or just after birth?
Yes, with adjustments. Positioning, hands-on technique and loading all change through pregnancy and the postnatal months. Tell us where you are up to when you book so the first session is set up properly.
What if my pain flares up mid-programme?
Flares are expected rather than a failure. Drop back to the previous stage of your programme for a few days and message us. We would rather adjust the plan than have you stop it entirely.
How soon will I feel a difference?
Irritable problems often ease within two or three sessions. Tendon and post-operative work is slower and measured in weeks — which is why we record strength numbers at the start, so progress is visible even when pain is unchanged.
Do you see children and teenagers?
We see ages twelve and over, mostly growth-related knee and heel pain and sports injuries. A parent or guardian stays in the room for the whole appointment.
What is your cancellation policy?
Let us know at least twenty-four hours ahead and there is no charge, and we will offer the slot to whoever is waiting. Short-notice changes happen; tell us and we will sort it out.

06 — Request a time

Tell us what hurts and when you can come in

Send the form and we will reply with two or three assessment times that fit the block you have chosen.

  • Bring shorts or loose trousers, and training shoes for leg problems.
  • A list of any medication you take helps, but is not essential.
  • If you have had a scan or an operation, bring the report or discharge letter.
  • Allow an extra ten minutes on your first visit for the intake details.
We reply with suggested times only. Please do not include sensitive medical detail in this form — we will take a full history in the room.