Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal Outpatients)

Browse our 'self-care' materials

Try our 'self-care' treatments 

 Surgery toolkit

If you are waiting for surgery, or are recovering from surgery, Versus Arthritis have developed a helpful toolkit called ‘Lets Move for Surgery’. They have tailor made programs and exercise routines for hip, shoulder and knee replacement, and many other sections to help you navigate movement and exercise before and after surgery.

Go to the Let's Move For Surgery Toolkit on the Versus Arthiritis website (opens a new browser tab)

Self-care leaflets

We have a number of information sheets to give you advice on some of the most common physiotherapy conditions.

Head and neck

• Cervicogenic Headaches (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Facial palsy (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Neck pain (read the leaflet) (pdf) 

Upper and mid body

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Colles Fracture (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• De Quervain's Tenosynovitis (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Divarication of rectus (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Frozen Shoulder (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy (read the leaflet) (pdf) 
• Osteoarthritis of the thumb (read the leaflet) (pdf) 
• Persistent pain (read the leaflet) (pdf) 
• Rotator Cuff pain (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Shoulder pain relief (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Upper (Thoracic) back pain (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Whiplash (read the leaflet) (pdf)

Lower body

• Achilles Tendinopathy (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Ankle Sprain (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Groin strain (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Knee Injuries (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Low back pain (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Osteoarthritis of the hip (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Osteoarthritis of the knee (read the leaflet) (pdf)  
• Pelvic floor muscles (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Pelvic girdle (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Persistent pain (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Plantar Heel Pain (read the leaflet) (pdf)
• Reactive Achilles heel (read the leaflet) (pdf) 

Learn about our Physiotherapy service

Watch our Physiotherapy Service video on our YouTube channel (opens new browser tab)

We’re here to give you advice about treatments and how to manage your symptoms, including:

• Exercises you can do at home, in the gym or as part of one of our classes to improve your strength, co-ordination and balance
• Advice on how to reduce and manage your pain effectively
• Functional rehabilitation to help improve your daily movements and reduce any contributing factors
• Returning to or starting sports and hobbies
• Manual (or manipulative) therapy 

Conditions we can help you manage

We can provide treatment and support if you have one of the following conditions:

• Neck, e.g. whiplash, wry neck
• Shoulder, e.g. impingements, frozen shoulder
• Elbow, e.g. tennis and golfers elbow
• Wrist/hand, e.g. fractures, stiffness and pain
• Lower back, e.g. sciatica, stiffness and pain
• Hip, e.g. osteoarthritis, stiffness and pain, groin pain
• Knee, e.g. osteoarthritis, ligament, anterior knee pain
• Ankle/foot, e.g. achilles pain, heel pain, sprains
• Recovering from surgery or fractures
• Long term conditions, e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis

We also have a number of specialist services, including help for cancer patients experiencing tightness or a reduced range of movement after surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in West Berkshire only). 

Make a self-referral 

Complete our online self-referral form (opens new browser tab)

Having trouble accessing our online form?

Contact your nearest Physiotherapy team for help

Your next steps

Once you have been referred to our service, we'll contact you by post or telephone to book your first appointment.

We may ask you to complete our questionnaire before your first appointment. Please also bring with you a list of your current medication and any communications between you and your GP, specialist or consultant.

During your first appointment, we’ll carry out a full physical assessment, asking you about your problem and how it affects your life. This can last up to 45 minutes.

If your appointment is face-to-face, we may ask you to take off some items of clothing to help with our assessment, if you feel comfortable doing so.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible. If you miss your appointment and don’t reschedule within a week, we’ll discharge you back to your GP.