Plain-English definitions of the terms we use across physiotherapy, sports rehabilitation, acupuncture, Reformer Pilates, hand therapy, and paediatric care — so you know what to expect from each session and which approach fits your situation.
Also known as: Physical Therapy, PT.
A clinical profession (HCPC-regulated in the UK) that assesses, diagnoses, and treats musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, and cardiorespiratory conditions through movement, manual therapy, and education. UK physiotherapists must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council to use the protected title and practise.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Sports Rehabilitation, Sports Rehab.
Physiotherapy focused on the assessment, treatment, and prevention of sport- and exercise-related injuries, and on returning athletes to training and competition safely. It combines accurate diagnosis, graded loading, and a criteria-based return-to-play plan rather than a fixed timeline.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Hands-on assessment and treatment of joints and soft tissue — including mobilisation, manipulation, and soft-tissue release. Used to reduce pain, restore range of motion, and create the window for active rehabilitation. Most effective when combined with exercise rather than delivered alone.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Therapeutic Exercise, Rehab.
A graded, progressive programme of strengthening, mobility, and movement-control exercises tailored to your stage of recovery. Therapeutic exercise is the most strongly evidenced treatment for most musculoskeletal conditions, and is central to NICE guidance for low back pain and osteoarthritis.
Source: www.nice.org.uk
Also known as: Initial Assessment.
The structured first appointment in which a physiotherapist takes your history, examines movement, strength, and the affected area, and arrives at a working clinical diagnosis and treatment plan you understand before treatment begins.
Also known as: Return-to-Sport, RTS.
A structured set of clinical and performance criteria used to clear someone to return to training and competition after injury — typically pain status, range-of-motion equivalence, limb-strength symmetry (often ≥90%), sport-specific drills, and confidence. Criteria-based clearance reduces re-injury risk compared with returning on a fixed timeline.
Source: bjsm.bmj.com
Also known as: Medical Acupuncture.
The insertion of fine needles at specific body sites following a Western medical diagnosis, used to stimulate sensory nerves and modulate pain. Delivered by chartered physiotherapists trained through the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP). A course usually gives longer-lasting relief than a single treatment.
Source: www.aacp.org.uk
Also known as: Trigger-Point Needling, IMS.
Insertion of a fine needle into a myofascial trigger point or tight muscle band to elicit a local twitch response and reduce tension. Distinct from traditional acupuncture: dry needling targets musculoskeletal pain by mechanism rather than by traditional meridians.
Also known as: Clinical Pilates.
Pilates performed on a Reformer — a sprung carriage that adds adjustable resistance and support. Physiotherapy-led Reformer Pilates builds core strength, control, and mobility under clinical supervision, bridging rehabilitation and ongoing conditioning and helping manage recurrent back and neck pain.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
A specialist area of physiotherapy and occupational therapy treating conditions of the hand, wrist, and elbow — including post-surgical rehabilitation, fractures, tendon injuries, and overuse conditions — using splinting, graded exercise, and scar and swelling management.
Source: www.hand-therapy.co.uk
Physiotherapy for babies, children, and adolescents, treating musculoskeletal and developmental movement problems. Assessment and treatment are adapted to the growing skeleton and delivered with parental consent and involvement throughout, in line with APCP good-practice guidance.
Source: apcp.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Lumbar Pain, LBP.
Pain in the lumbar spine region. NICE classifies most cases as “non-specific” — no single anatomical cause can be identified. First-line UK guidance (NG59) recommends physiotherapy, exercise, and education over imaging, opioids, or rest; most episodes settle within six weeks with appropriate management.
Source: www.nice.org.uk
Also known as: Lumbar Radiculopathy.
Pain, tingling, or numbness radiating from the lower back down the leg along the path of the sciatic nerve, usually caused by irritation or compression of a lumbar nerve root. Most cases improve with movement, exercise, and time; NICE advises against routine imaging and prolonged rest.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Tendinitis, Tendinosis.
A tendon injury caused by overload — the term replaces the older “tendinitis” because chronic tendon problems show little inflammation. Achilles, patellar, gluteal, and rotator-cuff tendinopathies are most common. Rehabilitation centres on progressive loading; manual therapy and adjuncts support it but do not resolve it.
Source: www.nhs.uk
The group of four muscles and their tendons that stabilise the shoulder and control its movement. Rotator-cuff-related shoulder pain is one of the most common causes of shoulder problems and usually responds to a progressive, physiotherapy-led exercise programme.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: CTS.
Compression of the median nerve as it passes through the wrist, causing tingling, numbness, and weakness in the hand. Mild-to-moderate cases often improve with splinting, activity modification, and hand-therapy-led exercise before surgery is considered.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: OA, Degenerative Joint Disease.
A load- and wear-related condition affecting joint cartilage and underlying bone — most often the knee, hip, hand, or spine. NICE NG226 recommends therapeutic exercise, weight management, and education as first-line care at every stage; injections and surgery are reserved for specific cases after rehab is optimised.
Source: www.nice.org.uk
A clinical evaluation of how forces act on the body during movement — combining posture, joint range of motion, strength testing, and movement-pattern analysis. It identifies the root drivers of pain so rehabilitation targets the cause rather than only the symptom.
Also known as: Health and Care Professions Council.
Health and Care Professions Council — the UK statutory regulator for physiotherapy and 14 other health professions. Every UK physiotherapist must be HCPC-registered to use the protected title and practise; the public register lets anyone verify a practitioner.
Source: www.hcpc-uk.org
Also known as: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy — the UK professional body and trade union for physiotherapists. CSP membership signals chartered status and adherence to professional and evidence-based practice standards alongside HCPC registration.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists.
The Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists — the UK professional body for physiotherapists who practise Western medical acupuncture. AACP membership signals accredited acupuncture training on top of HCPC registration and CSP membership.
Source: www.aacp.org.uk