All our physiotherapists are chartered, and registered with the health professions council.

Physiotherapy is a form of treatment that uses manipulation of the joints, mobilisation of the soft tissue* and joints, and specific exercises in order to restore normal movement and function in the body. Physiotherapists at this clinic have extensive experience treating all injuries (not just sports), and all ages and activity levels.

Treatment can include:

• Specific mobilisation of the soft tissue and joints. This could include:
    • Massage
    • Fascial/ myofascial release
    • Joint mobilisation and/or manipulation
    • Acupuncture/ dry needling

• Electrotherapy if appropriate
• Taping (using Sports/ Kinesio/ Dynamic tape)
• Rehabilitation exercises for home, and/ or gym, and/ or return to sports. Example of a rehab programme can be found here: Ski Ready Programme

We are also now able to custom fit and supply all OSSUR knee braces and supports for other joints too.

* soft tissue includes muscles, tendons (connects muscle to bone), connective tissue (the bits that hold all your tissues together), ligaments (connects bone to bone), fascia (the covering of your muscles and the connections between muscles)

Our sports therapists all have experience working with teams in a variety of sports and are all Graduate Sports Therapists who have a 3 year degree in Sports Therapy (unlike the 3–day- course fraudsters!). A Sports Therapist is specifically trained to assess injuries and implement appropriate rehabilitation programmes, utilising sport and exercise principles to optimise preparation and injury prevention programmes.

Sports Therapy aims to assist patients in improving sports performance, functional fitness, and improving posture and wellbeing. 

A number of treatment modalities are used in Sports Therapy rehabilitation to include:
• Joint mobilisation
• Muscle activation 
• Sports massage
• Soft tissue mobilisation including fascia
• Electrotherapy if appropriate 
• Taping (using sports/ Kinesio/ Dynamic tape)
• Rehabilitation exercises for home, and/ or gym, and/ or return to sports. An example of a rehab plan can be found here: Ski Ready Programme

Most of the practitioners in the clinic are experienced at sports massage therapy. Sports massage is the manipulation of soft tissues to alleviate muscle tension that can build up in the body due to physical activity. It is applicable not just to sports people, but to anybody wishing to guard against injury, as it helps to stop niggles in their tracks.

Work and emotional stress can result in pain that can be alleviated by sports massage. It is an excellent aid to recovery from hard training and overuse, or after an event/ match/ competition. It can also be used to enhance performance through quicker recovery and therefore improved ability to train, as well as increased flexibility.

Podiatrists are devoted to the study and medical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower limb. All Podiatrists working at the clinic are State registered with the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and are registered with the Health Professions Council.

Treatments include: 
• Clinical gait analysis and biomechanics assessment; Clinical Biomechanics is the study of human function as we move:  how our joints, bones, muscles and soft tissues interrelate with each other during movement. 
• Diagnostic local anaesthetics and cortisone injections
• Massage
• Taping 
• Functional rehabilitation exercises 
• Provision of insoles: including simple insoles to off load pressure and functional bespoke orthotics.
• Footwear advice
• Nail Surgery: to deal with recurrent ingrowing toenails. This is a minor operation done under local anaesthetic. 

Traditional Thai Massage is one of the oldest healing modalities in the world.  It works on the whole of your body helping to relieve fatigue, muscular and nervous tension. For the massage you are fully dressed and no oils are used. Treatment involves pressing, stretching and pulling your body in various ways working your whole body from head to toe. It can be great for relaxation but also helps to boost energy levels as it improves your body's circulation too. 

Supporting individuals and teams to enhance performance, build resilience, increase enjoyment and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Sport Psychology

Understand the factors that affect you in training and competition and develop techniques to enhance your performance

Exercise Psychology

Learn how to break old habits and create a healthier lifestyle for the long-term

Coach and Parent Education

Learn how to best support the people that matter by understanding methods to enhance performance and enjoyment

What We Offer

We can help you with the following areas to support you, through in-person or online sessions.  The work can be with athletes, teams, parents, coaches, exercisers and organisations, therefore the way that sessions are structured will vary dependent on the specific situation. 

• Performance enhancement
• Confidence building
• Injury prevention and recovery
• Behaviour change support
• Managing performance anxiety
• Team dynamics and cohesion
• Building motivation for change
• Sleep hygiene strategies
• Leadership and communication
• Enhancing concentration
• Building performance environments
• Career transitions
• Increasing enjoyment of sport and exercise
• Self-care
• Overtraining/burnout

About Kathryn:

Background

Kathryn is a HCPC Registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist with a passion for helping people perform at their best, develop resilience and find balance both on and off the field. With over 20 years of experience working with athletes, coaches, parents and those wanting to live a healthier lifestyle, She blends evidence-based psychology with practical strategies to enhance performance and wellbeing.  Her approach is collaborative, adaptable and goal-driven, with the aim of supporting you to make changes with confidence and consistency. She played sport from a young age, competed at county and national level and currently play Masters events.  She has experience of coaching sport and has lectured at university since 2003.  Having experienced three long-term sports injuries she specialises in injury prevention and recovery, supporting people to deal with the frustration of inactivity, sticking to rehabilitation exercises and confidently returning to exercise and sport.

Experience

She has worked with groups and individuals in sports including football, hockey, rugby, cricket, tennis, athletics, sailing, shooting, golf, gymnastics, DMT and tumbling, boxing, cycling, martial arts, canoeing, fencing, ice skating and powerlifting. She works with individuals in the exercise environment to implement long-term lifestyle changes and support recovery from orthopaedic procedures. She works alongside athletes of all ages and abilities, exercisers, coaches, parents, sport science team members, physiotherapists and consultants.

Qualifications

Kathryn is a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist, Accredited by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES) and am a Chartered Scientist (Science Council). She holds a BSc in Psychology, MSc in Sport and Exercise Science (Psychology) and a Level 7 qualification in Leadership Coaching and Mentoring. She is a Mental Health First Aider and completes an annual enhanced DBS check, allowing her to work with children and vulnerable adults.

FAQs:

Who can benefit?

Sport and exercise psychology is for everyone who wants to make changes to their health, exercise and sport, not just elite performers. 

How to know you are the right person to help?

Kathryn views working with someone as a collaboration and understand that for sessions to be effective you need to feel comfortable speaking to her.  To help you decide whether you feel she is a good fit, Kathryn offers a short phone call or meeting, free of charge, before you commit to booking any sessions.  This meeting is designed to answer any questions you may have and provide any information that she feels will help you in making your decision.  If you feel that you would rather work with someone who has a different approach or experiences, she will try to put you in touch with a better match.

What do sessions look like?

Usually, individual sessions (in person or online) involve discussions around where you would like to make change.  Initially, you may be asked a range of questions around your sport, exercise and general life, past and present.  This is to make sure that Kathryn can understand you as a whole person and appreciate your perspective, making her more able to ensure the sessions are relevant to you.  What we discuss during sessions is confidential, and you will have considerable input in the structure and direction of the sessions.   All of the work she does is grounded in science, which means she will always be able to explain why certain techniques may help you and provide information around how the brain works.  This knowledge allows you to understand situations away from the sessions and build consistent long-term change. 

Group sessions with a team, coaches, parents or other support staff can be delivered online or in person (classroom or delivery ‘in the field’) and can be adapted to fit your needs.  Please contact us to discuss this.

How long do sessions last?

Sessions usually last 55 minutes however this will depend upon the type of support you are seeking and how long we have been working together.  Usually over time, shorter and less regular sessions may be more appropriate.

How many sessions do I need and how often?

We usually suggest booking in for a session per week for four weeks, to ensure consistency and allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the process.  Once you have become more familiar with the approach, we may then adjust the frequency and duration of the sessions.  My aim is to provide you with the knowledge and skills to be able to recognise future challenges and be equipped to understand and overcome these, therefore as time goes on you will hopefully need us less and less!  If you would like to meet for a one-off session or less regularly, we can adapt the approach to fit your needs. 

How long until I see results?

This will depend on what your aims are, how often we meet and how proactive you are away from our sessions.  Many people notice small changes within a few sessions, however long-term progress often comes from regularly making time throughout each week to build on your goals both within and away from our time together.

Can you help with clinical issues?

Although Kathryn is mental health first aid trained, her qualifications do not allow her to solely deal with clinical issues such as bereavement or depression, however these issues may emerge while speaking about other areas.  As a human being it’s impossible to separate these challenges from the sport and exercise environment, which means they may well form part of our discussions.  If Kathryn feels that you would also benefit from some clinical support alongside our work, she will let you know and provide options for you to gain further assistance.

Is what we discuss confidential?

All communications between us within and outside of our meetings are confidential, therefor she will not discuss details with anyone else unless she considers you, or another, to be in danger.  There may be times where communication with others (a coach, for example) might be beneficial, and in this case, she will always ask your permission before discussing your situation with them.  Kathryn regularly works with individuals under the age of 18, and in this situation, she will discuss confidentiality with the caregiver before we meet.