Assessment
A detailed history, then a thorough examination of movement, strength and the affected area. You leave with a working diagnosis you understand and a plan agreed with you, not handed to you.
What We Treat
Sports Injury Treatment in London
Getting back to your sport means more than getting out of pain. We diagnose and rehabilitate the lot, from acute sprains and muscle or ligament strains to overuse and tissue overload, using graded loading and criteria-based return-to-play so you come back ready to perform, not just pain-free.
Book Online
- Self-referral; no GP letter needed.
Overview
Understanding sports injuries
Almost every sports injury comes back to one idea: the demand on a tissue has overtaken what it can currently take. They fall into two broad groups:
- Acute injuries: from a single event, such as a sprained ankle, a hamstring or calf strain, or a ligament sprain.
- Overuse injuries: where load has outpaced the tissue's capacity, such as tendinopathies and bone stress.
For an acute soft-tissue injury, early management follows NHS principles: protect, rest, ice, compression and elevation in the first few days, while avoiding heat, alcohol and massage as the tissue settles. Past that point, recovery is active, not a waiting game.
At Kaizen we start with an accurate diagnosis and a realistic picture of the tissue's current capacity, then a progressive, graded loading plan rebuilds strength, control and capacity step by step. The work that gets you there is usually a version of the movement that hurt you in the first place, loaded so the tissue can cope with it.
We judge readiness using criteria-based return-to-play, in line with the BJSM 2016 Bern consensus on return to sport: restored strength, limb symmetry and sport-specific function, rather than on symptoms alone. Going back before those markers are met is one of the clearest drivers of re-injury, so we work around your training and lifestyle and explain every stage.
Excellent
From 6 five-star Google reviews
Source: Google
David helped me when I started to have a strong tibia pain only 5 weeks before the marathon. I genuinely thought at some point that I wasn’t going to be able to do it and I did my PB!
After suffering with terrible back pain, Gus has helped me make huge improvements. Very professional and happy to explain the processes and treatments. Many thanks
Couldn’t recommend this physio team enough! They helped me recover from a knee injury 3 weeks before the London Marathon which I thought was going to prevent me from running it! Everyone was really friendly, supportive and genuinely cared about helping me reach my goal. Special thanks to Charlie, Gus, Brad and Stef!
I came to Dave with an ongoing injury that I’ve been struggling with for months! He helped sort it out straight away, also giving me some exercises to help target the area to get back to full strength. I’m now back to running pain-free already and training properly — I’ll definitely be recommending Kaizen Physiotherapy to my clients!
Gus worked miracles to get me running a marathon after being injured 6 weeks out. He worked out the issue really quickly and provided a clear and actionable plan to deal with it. The sports massages were the best I’ve ever had too — thanks Peggy! Can’t recommend Gus and Peggy enough.
I had such a positive experience working with Brad at Kaizen. He supported me through a meniscus tear and got me all the way back to running a half marathon and HYROX training. Everything was structured, progressive, and easy to follow, and I always felt like I was in safe hands.
Physiotherapy for sports injuries can help to:
Get the diagnosis right
Acute sprains and strains behave differently from overuse problems like tendinopathy and bone stress. We work out exactly which tissue is involved and what it can currently tolerate, because an accurate diagnosis is what makes the rest of the rehabilitation work.
Manage the first few days well
For an acute soft-tissue injury we follow NHS principles: protect, rest, ice, compression and elevation, while avoiding heat, alcohol and massage. Handled properly, those early days set the tissue up to heal instead of adding weeks to your recovery.
Rebuild capacity with graded loading
Recovery is active. A progressive loading plan rebuilds strength, control and tolerance step by step, working around your training and lifestyle rather than pausing your whole season. You always know which stage you are in and what unlocks the next one.
Restore strength and symmetry
We measure the injured side against the uninjured one and against your own baseline. Restored strength, limb symmetry and movement control are the objective markers that tell us the tissue is genuinely ready for sprinting, cutting, jumping and single-leg load again.
Return you when the tests say so
Readiness is judged with criteria-based return-to-play, in line with the BJSM 2016 Bern consensus. Sport-specific function has to be demonstrated before full training resumes, because returning early is one of the best-recognised drivers of re-injury.
Lower the odds of the repeat
A previous injury at the same site is a major risk factor for the next one. We fix the strength, mobility and control deficits up the kinetic chain, commonly the hip, gluteals, calf and trunk, so the weakness that caused the injury leaves with it.
Why it happens
What causes sports injuries?
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Acute mechanical overload from a single high-force event such as a sprint, jump landing, change of direction, awkward fall or contact
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Cumulative overuse, where training volume or intensity rises faster than the tissue can adapt, driving tendon and bone-stress injuries
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Returning to sport too soon after a previous injury, leaving residual weakness or altered movement patterns
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Strength, mobility or control deficits up the kinetic chain (commonly hip, gluteal, calf or trunk)
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Sudden change in footwear, playing surface or training pattern without an adaptation period
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Inadequate warm-up, recovery or sleep, which lower the tissue's tolerance to load
At your first appointment we work out what is really holding you back, then agree the plan with you before you leave.
Your initial visit runs 45–60 minutes: a detailed history, then a thorough examination of movement, strength and the affected area. We explain what we find in plain English and agree a working diagnosis together.
Treatment starts the same day, and you leave with the first exercises of a plan built around your goal.
Better than yesterday. Kaizen means continuous improvement: small, repeatable gains, built session by session, until you are back to what you love and no longer need us.
- One team across five London clinics: Soho, Liverpool Street, Marylebone, Canary Wharf and Wimbledon Village, plus online appointments.
- Rated 5.0 on Google across 218 reviews.
- Founded in 2022 by David Thomas and Gus Hadonou. You see the same physiotherapist at every visit, so each session builds on the last.
Fees and insurance
Book online through Jane and self-refer, with no GP letter needed. If you are using private health insurance, check your policy first: some insurers ask for a GP referral before your first session.
- Initial assessment and treatment: £155 for a full 45–60 minutes
- Follow-up treatment: £93, with your plan progressed at each visit
- Sports massage: £115 for 60 minutes, £155 for 90 minutes
- Performance MOT & Screening: £300 for a 90-minute screen with force-plate testing and a written report
- Recognised by Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Cigna, WPA and Allianz
Your journey
with Kaizen
Everything starts with a proper assessment. We find what is driving the problem, treat it, and build the strength that keeps it fixed, so you finish performing, not just pain-free.
Treatment
Hands-on care to settle symptoms and restore movement: manual therapy, with acupuncture, shockwave or soft-tissue work where they genuinely help. The first home exercises go with you the same day.
Rebuild
Progressive exercise that returns strength, control and load tolerance, from Reformer Pilates to strength and conditioning. Each follow-up reassesses against your baseline, so progress is measured rather than guessed.
Perform
Criteria-based milestones return you to work, sport and training. Discharge happens by mutual agreement once you can manage independently, with a Performance MOT available to catch the next weak link early.
We specialise in:
- Musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy
- Western medical acupuncture (AACP)
- Physiotherapy-led Reformer Pilates
- Specialist hand therapy and splinting
- Shockwave therapy for stubborn tendons
- Strength and conditioning for rehabilitation
- Running and gait analysis
- Performance MOT and movement screening
Treatment approach
How do we treat sports injuries?
Sports Physiotherapy
Sports physiotherapy is the core treatment for almost every sports injury: accurate diagnosis, hands-on assessment and a graded loading plan, with readiness judged against criteria-based return-to-play markers rather than how the injury feels.
See treatment detail →Physiotherapy
General physiotherapy addresses the strength, mobility and control deficits up the kinetic chain that contribute to injury, and supports recovery where symptoms overlap with everyday activity rather than sport alone.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Frequently asked
questions
Should I rest a sports injury or keep moving?
For acute soft-tissue injuries, NHS advice is to protect, rest, ice, compress and elevate for the first few days, avoiding heat, alcohol and massage. After that, complete rest is rarely right. Modified activity that loads the tissue safely usually supports recovery better and preserves fitness. Your physiotherapist will tell you what to do, modify or pause.
How long until I can return to my sport?
It depends on the injury. Mild strains and overuse problems often allow modified training within a week and fuller return over several weeks; ligament and tendon injuries typically need longer phases of progressive loading. We set an indicative timeline at your first session and update it at each reassessment, based on objective markers rather than guesswork.
How do you decide when I am ready to return to play?
We use criteria-based return-to-play, in line with the BJSM 2016 Bern consensus, rather than discharging on how it feels. That means restored strength, good limb symmetry and movement control, and the ability to handle sport-specific demands such as sprinting, cutting, jumping or single-leg load without symptoms. Skipping these stages drives re-injury.
When should I seek urgent help for a sports injury?
Seek urgent help if the joint looks deformed, you heard a crack, you have numbness or tingling, or the skin below the injury is cold or discoloured: call 999 for these. Contact NHS 111 if pain, swelling or bruising is severe, you cannot bear weight, or there is no improvement after a few days of self-care.
Related What We Treat
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Kaizen Physiotherapy & Performance • 111 Charing Cross Road, Soho, London WC2H 0DT
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