Physiotherapy in Reading

Circle Reading Hospital has an experienced team of physiotherapists ready to help you. We offer a wide range of treatments to help you recover from conditions affecting your bones and joints, sports injuries, manage any long-term chronic conditions and also help you recover after an operation.

You can either self-refer to see one of the team, or ask your insurer about physiotherapy at Circle Reading Hospital.

The hospital has the latest imaging and diagnostics facilities for any scans and tests, and dozens of specialist consultants who can help if you’ll need a consultation for your injury or condition.

We also have some of the latest technology and equipment to support your treatment plan if needed, including:

• AlterG anti-gravity treadmill: state-of-the-art technology to shorten recovery times and improve your mobility after an injury or operation. The AlterG physically offloads your lower limbs through positive pressure.
• Aquatic treadmill: a private hydrotherapy suite, including an underwater treadmill and space for aquatic exercise. Particularly applicable for those recovering from surgery or suffering from high levels of pain resulting in difficulty to exercise on land. It is specifically designed to relieve joint and muscle pain, and increase your range of motion.
• 3D gait analysis: a high-tech assessment of your walking or running pattern, with a full technical report to assist the therapist in providing you with a treatment plan. The aim is to address any abnormalities in strength, range of movement or technique, and help identify why pain is occurring.
• Shockwave therapy: developed to treat soft tissue conditions such as tendinopathy, bursitis and trigger points help treat bones and joints conditions, it helps to create a pro-inflammatory response to help accelerate the healing process.
• Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer: used to accurately assess muscle output around a joint (typically the knee). This gives you a full understanding of your progress in terms of strength and power output. It’s commonly used with those recovering from an ACL reconstruction, as there’s evidence supporting its use in reducing the likelihood of re-injury on return to sporting activities.

We’re proud to work with an experienced team of physiotherapists who are specialists in different areas of physiotherapy. For instance, we have colleagues specialising in shoulder and arm conditions, while others are experts in hip and knee conditions, meaning they have in-depth insight and experience in specifically treating patients with symptoms similar to what you’re experiencing. Give us a call on 0118 922 6980 and we’ll book you in to see the physiotherapist who is best placed to help.

We see patients with a wide range of symptoms, but here are some of the most common reasons for why patients book a consultation:

• Sprains or strains of muscles and ligaments
• Muscular aches and pains
• Arthritic pain
• Back and neck pain
• Sports injuries e.g. rotator cuff injuries, tennis or golfer’s elbow
• Headaches and whiplash
• Tennis or golfer’s elbow

The wider hospital supports patients with a wide range of elective treatment, including orthopaedic and sports injury surgeries. This means our physiotherapy team are experienced in post-operative rehabilitation and recovery, including after joint replacements, ligament repairs and keyhole surgery to name a few.

We also provide other forms of therapy and treatment:

• Physiotherapy following surgery
• Sports therapy
• Strength and conditioning
• Acupuncture
• Dry Needling
• Hydrotherapy
• Extracorporeal shockwave therapy

Returning to sport?

If you're planning to return to sport after an injury or long break, we can offer a return to sport assessment to test lower limb strength, power, coordination and control. The service is intended for sports people at all levels returning to full training and competition following injury or surgery, so please get in touch to find out more.

The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority. We have been closely following national guidance and best practice to adapt our physiotherapy department to keep everyone safe. Find out more about what you expect when arriving at the hospital and additional safety measures we have in place here.

The first step will be to book an initial consultation with a physiotherapist. This usually lasts for 30-60 minutes, and will include a subjective assessment which is a discussion around the history and details of the injury or condition, your relevant medical history, and previous treatment or investigations you’ve had.

Then your physiotherapist will complete an objective assessment by looking at your biomechanics and range of movement, complete various tests and also undertake a ‘hands on’ assessment of joints, muscles, ligaments etc. If needed, they will refer you for scans and tests to help identify any underlying causes.

The aim of the first consultation is to form a working diagnosis, and discuss next steps for your ongoing treatment, including initial actions you can take straight away. They will usually arrange a follow-up appointment, so they can monitor and support you throughout your treatment.

If needed, your physiotherapist may refer you to another specialist such as an orthopaedic surgeon for further examination or opinion (direct referrals are dependent on funding source and insurer).

Planning to pay for your own treatment?

Take a look at our prices below for the services we offer*.

If you’re interested in finding out more, or building a bespoke treatment package, please call us on 0118 922 6980.

Physiotherapy

• Self-pay assessment (60 mins): £64
• Self-pay follow-up (30 mins): £50

Virtual appointments

• 60 minute physiotherapy remote consultation: £64
• 30 minute physiotherapy remote consultation: £50 

Packages

• Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill: initial assessment £51
• Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill: sessions (Single session: £21, 10 sessions: £138, 20 sessions: £245)

Aquatic treadmill initial assessment: £57

• Single session: £57

*Prices inclusive of VAT. Updated in April 2023.

To book an appointment, please call us on 0118 922 6980 or email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.