Exercise-led
Loading, not just resting
Tissues recover by being asked to do a little more, gradually. Rest has its place, but your plan will build capacity week by week.
Sage Cove Physiotherapy
Move back into your own life.
Unhurried assessment, a plain-language explanation of what is going on, and a plan built from movement you can keep doing at home.
Where it hurts
An index of the body, not a list of treatments.
Start with the place that is bothering you. Every area below is assessed as part of the whole: a sore knee is often a hip and ankle question too.
Neck & upper back
Desk-related stiffness, headaches that start in the neck, whiplash recovery.
Shoulder
Rotator cuff pain, frozen shoulder, reaching and lifting that has started to catch.
Lower back
Acute flare-ups, long-running aches, sciatica-type leg pain, returning to lifting.
Hip & pelvis
Groin and side-of-hip pain, pregnancy and postnatal pelvic discomfort.
Knee
Kneecap pain, ligament and cartilage injuries, stairs and kneeling that hurt.
Ankle & foot
Repeat sprains, Achilles and heel pain, balance that no longer feels reliable.
After surgery
Structured rehabilitation after joint replacement, repair or reconstruction.
Running & sport
Load management, return-to-run planning, niggles you would rather not train through.
Your first visit
Sixty minutes, in four unhurried parts.
Most people arrive unsure what physiotherapy will involve. Here is exactly how the first appointment runs, so nothing is a surprise.
Listen
Your story first: when it started, what makes it better or worse, and what you want to get back to doing.
About 15 minutesAssess
Movement, strength and joint testing of the sore area and the areas that load it. Nothing is rushed or forced.
About 20 minutesExplain
What we think is happening, what it is not, and how long recovery usually takes. You leave with the reasoning.
About 10 minutesStart
Hands-on treatment where it helps, then two or three exercises you practise with us before you go home.
About 15 minutes
How we work
A few principles we hold ourselves to.
Use these to judge whether we are the right clinic for you, and hold us to them once you start.
In writing
Your plan, on one page
After the first visit you receive a short written summary: what we found, your exercises with notes, and what progress should look like.
Hands-on
Manual therapy with a purpose
Massage, mobilisation and taping are used to calm symptoms enough to move well, never as the whole treatment.
Realistic
Exercises you will actually do
Two or three well-chosen movements that fit your day beat a long sheet that lives in a drawer.
Small groups
Keep going, together
Once you are past the acute stage, small supervised classes keep strength and confidence building at a lower cost per session.
Honest
We will tell you when to stop
The goal is for you not to need us. When you can manage on your own, we say so and hand over a plan to keep.
Session types
Choose the appointment that fits.
Not sure which one you need? Choose an initial assessment. It is the right start for almost every new problem.
SessionLengthBest forBring
Initial assessment
60 minA new problem, or one you have not had treated before.
Any scan reports or surgical notes.
Follow-up
45 minReviewing progress, adjusting exercises and ongoing treatment.
Your written plan and any questions.
Return-to-run review
60 minRunners coming back from injury or a long break.
Running shoes and kit to jog in.
Post-surgical rehab
45 minStaged recovery after joint or ligament surgery.
Your surgeon's protocol, if you were given one.
Small-group class
50 minKeeping strength and mobility going between or after one-to-one care.
Comfortable clothes and water.
Questions
Before you book.
Answers to what people most often ask before their first appointment.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No. You can book directly. If you have a referral letter, bring it along, and if we think you need to see your doctor first, we will tell you and explain why.
What should I wear?
Loose, comfortable clothing that lets us see and move the sore area: shorts for knees and hips, a vest top or sports top for shoulders and necks.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the problem and your goals. We will give you an honest estimate at the end of your first visit and review it as you go, rather than booking a block you may not need.
Will treatment hurt?
Some testing and exercise may be briefly uncomfortable, but we work within limits you agree to. Soreness afterwards should settle within a day; tell us if it does not.
Should I get a scan first?
Usually not. Most musculoskeletal problems are diagnosed well through assessment. If something needs imaging, we will explain why and help you arrange it through your doctor.
Can I claim on health insurance?
We provide itemised receipts after each session. Check with your insurer before you start about whether they need a referral and how many sessions they cover.
What if I need to cancel?
Let us know as early as you can, ideally a full working day ahead, so the time can be offered to someone else. We understand that flare-ups and life happen.
Request an assessment
Tell us a little, and we will find you a time.
Send the short form and a physiotherapist will reply by email with available appointments.
- We read your note and match you with the right physiotherapist.
- You receive appointment options by email, usually within one working day.
- You confirm a time and get a short guide on what to bring and wear.