Assessment
A detailed history, then a thorough examination of movement, strength and the affected area. You leave knowing what is wrong, why it happened, and exactly what we are going to do about it.
Concern
Tendon & Muscle Injury Treatment in London
Assessment and progressive-loading rehabilitation for tendinopathy: Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff, and gluteal: alongside muscle strains and tears. Rest alone tends to fail here, because a tendon left unloaded simply loses capacity and the pain returns the moment you go back to your sport. We treat tendon and muscle injuries by diagnosing the overload that caused them and rebuilding capacity with graded exercise, the treatment with the strongest evidence base.
Overview
Understanding tendon and muscle injuries
Tendon and muscle injuries usually share one mechanism: load applied faster than the tissue can adapt to. Getting the diagnosis right matters, because the two behave differently:
- Tendinopathy, the accurate term for what older language called "tendinitis", is rarely inflammatory. It is a change in tendon structure driven by overload, seen most often in the Achilles, patellar (knee), rotator cuff (shoulder), and gluteal (hip) tendons.
- Muscle strains and tears are acute over-stretch or contraction injuries, graded by severity and managed with staged loading from early protection through to a return to sport or work.
Because a tendon left unloaded simply loses capacity, rest alone tends to fail, and progressive loading is the primary, best-evidenced treatment. We identify the specific tissue and the overload behind it, then build a structured plan through physiotherapy and exercise rehabilitation, often as part of managing wider sports injuries. We will tell you clearly when a problem needs imaging or a specialist opinion rather than rehab alone.
Excellent
From 6 five-star Google reviews
Source: Google
I saw Amanda for a problem I've been having with a painful shoulder. She explained to me what the problem was, did a thorough treatment session and gave me some exercises to do to improve it. Very professional and friendly, I highly recommend her.
I booked with Michelle for my first appointment. When I stood up I said to her it feels like heaven as my continuous back pain had totally gone. I was totally pain free for 7 hours so bless you Michelle.
I first visited Amanda following a maisonneuve fracture. That day I walked 107 steps in a camboot with two crutches. I have visited weekly. Yesterday I walked 13,315 steps (no crutches, no boot). The transformation is truly amazing.
After my son's sports injury we spent many months trying to get help from various other doctors. It was so reassuring to finally speak with someone who really understood what was going on. Michelle was worth every penny!
Michelle was absolutely amazing during my pregnancy with the multiple issues I had. She diagnosed and treated pain in my knee and my back, and got me from a place where I couldn't kneel at all, to fully weight bearing in a short space of time.
Excellent treatment of my lower back and related sciatica injuries from CrossFit. Definitely my go-to therapist when in dire need of pain relief.
Physiotherapy for tendon and muscle injuries can help to:
Treat the overload behind the injury
Tendon and muscle injuries usually share one mechanism: load applied faster than the tissue can adapt to. We identify the specific tissue involved and the overload that caused it, then build the plan around how you actually train, work, and move.
Rebuild tendon capacity with loading
Tendinopathy is rarely an inflammatory problem; it is a change in tendon structure driven by overload, which is why rest alone tends to fail. Progressive loading is the primary, best-evidenced treatment, rebuilding the tendon's capacity over time rather than just settling symptoms.
Recover a muscle strain or tear safely
Muscle strains and tears are acute over-stretch or contraction injuries, graded by severity. We manage them with staged loading, from early protection through to a return to sport or work, so strength returns without rushing the tissue.
Load the right amount for your stage
Complete rest lets a tendon lose capacity, so symptoms return the moment you resume activity. The evidence supports relative rest combined with progressive loading: easing aggravating load temporarily while gradually rebuilding tolerance, and we guide the right dose for your stage.
Set realistic recovery timelines
Mild muscle strains often settle within two to three weeks, larger tears can take six to twelve weeks of staged rehab, and tendinopathy is slower, typically three months or more of consistent loading. We set clear, individual milestones at your first appointment.
Know when a scan or referral is needed
Most tendon and muscle injuries do not need imaging: a thorough assessment can identify the tissue and grade the injury. We recommend a scan when a significant tear or rupture is suspected, when recovery stalls, or when a surgical opinion may help, and refer through the right route.
Why it happens
What causes tendon and muscle injuries?
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A rapid spike in training, running mileage, or gym load that outpaces the tendon's or muscle's ability to adapt
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Sudden over-stretch or forceful contraction: sprinting, jumping, kicking, or an awkward lift, causing an acute muscle strain or tear
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Repetitive or sustained load through one tendon (Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff, gluteal) without adequate recovery
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Strength and capacity deficits in the surrounding muscle group, so the tendon absorbs load it is not conditioned for
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Returning to full activity too soon after a previous injury, before the tissue has rebuilt its capacity
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Reduced tissue tolerance with age, certain medications, or metabolic factors that affect tendon health
At your first appointment we look for the cause, not just the sore spot: your history, how you move, and what your work, sport and life ask of your body.
Your first visit is a full musculoskeletal assessment: a detailed history, then testing of movement, strength and the affected area. We explain the working diagnosis in plain English and agree a plan with you before any treatment begins.
You leave with a written summary of what we found and a home exercise programme built around your diagnosis and your goals, so progress keeps going between visits.
Back to the work, sport and life you love. We settle the pain, get to what is driving it, then rebuild the strength that keeps it away, so you leave each visit a step stronger than the last.
- Based in the City of London, inside UNTIL at 280 Bishopsgate, with a second clinic in Essex.
- Rated 5.0 on Google across 11 patient reviews.
- Chartered, HCPC-registered physiotherapists with more than ten years of combined clinical experience.
Fees and booking
You can refer yourself, with no GP letter needed, and book online in a couple of minutes at whichever clinic is easier for you to reach.
- Self-referral: book directly, no GP referral required
- Two clinics, both led by our chartered physiotherapists
- Open Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm
- Two minutes from Liverpool Street station, with free parking at our second clinic
- A written summary and a home exercise programme after every appointment
Your journey
with The Physio Rooms
It starts with finding the cause. Whether you are a City professional stuck at a desk or a weekend athlete chasing a comeback, we treat what is driving the problem, then build the strength that keeps it fixed.
Hands-on treatment
Manual therapy chosen for your presentation, with Western medical acupuncture added where it helps. Treatment is not the goal in itself: it creates the window to move more freely and load the tissue.
Rebuild
Progressive, coached exercise rehabilitation restores the strength and load tolerance you lost. Both clinics have full gym facilities, and this is the stage that decides whether the fix lasts.
Stay well
Each follow-up reassesses you against your baseline. We discharge you when you have the strength and the tools to manage on your own, with clinical Pilates and TPI golf screening on hand to keep you moving.
We specialise in:
- Musculoskeletal physiotherapy for back, neck, shoulder and joint pain
- Progressive exercise rehabilitation, with full gym facilities at both clinics
- Western medical acupuncture within the AACP framework
- Clinical Pilates with Pilates by Janie
- TPI golf physiotherapy movement screening with Amanda
- Post-operative and sports-injury rehabilitation
- Home-based rehabilitation, supported and progressed remotely
Treatment approach
How do we treat tendon and muscle injuries?
Physiotherapy
Price on enquiryHands-on assessment identifies the injured tissue and the overload behind it, then combines manual therapy, education, and an evidence-based loading plan: the core treatment for both tendinopathy and muscle injury.
See treatment detail →Exercise Rehabilitation
Price on enquiryProgressive loading is the primary, best-evidenced treatment for tendinopathy and the way muscle strains regain strength; a structured, graded programme rebuilds tissue capacity rather than simply settling symptoms.
See treatment detail →Acupuncture
Price on enquiryDelivered by AACP-trained physiotherapists, acupuncture can be used alongside loading rehabilitation to help manage persistent pain so you can engage fully with the active part of your programme.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Frequently asked
questions
What is the difference between tendinitis and tendinopathy?
"Tendinitis" implies inflammation, but research shows most long-standing tendon problems are not primarily inflammatory: they are changes in tendon structure caused by overload. "Tendinopathy" is the accurate term, and it matters because the treatment differs: rest alone rarely fixes it, whereas progressive loading rebuilds the tendon's capacity over time.
How long does a tendon or muscle injury take to recover?
It depends on the tissue and severity. Mild muscle strains often settle within two to three weeks; more significant tears can take six to twelve weeks of staged rehab. Tendinopathy is slower: typically three months or more of consistent loading, because tendon tissue adapts gradually. We set realistic milestones at your first appointment.
Should I rest a tendinopathy completely?
Usually not. Complete rest may ease pain briefly, but it lets the tendon lose capacity, so symptoms return when you resume activity. The evidence supports relative rest combined with progressive loading: reducing aggravating load temporarily while gradually rebuilding the tendon's tolerance through structured exercise. We guide the right amount of load for your stage of recovery.
Do I need a scan for a muscle or tendon injury?
Most do not. A thorough physiotherapy assessment can usually identify the tissue involved and grade the injury. We recommend imaging when a significant tear or rupture is suspected, when symptoms do not follow the expected recovery curve, or when a surgical opinion may be needed, and we refer through the appropriate route when it is.
Get Started
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Book today.
The Physio Rooms • 280 Bishopsgate, Liverpool Street, London EC2M 4RB
BookAppointments typically available within 1–2 weeks