Sports Injury Clinic
The team trusted by England Rugby, Sale Sharks and Wasps — treating recreational athletes, weekend warriors and elite professionals across Greater Manchester.
- HCPC-registered chartered physiotherapists
- Same-week appointments at all three clinics
- Recognised by all major private health insurers
- Three clinics — Manchester city centre, Bury, Hale
Sports injury expertise built in elite sport
Altius was founded by Doug Jones, a chartered physiotherapist whose career has spanned the highest level of professional rugby — including roles with Sale Sharks, London Wasps and the England Rugby setup.
The protocols, return-to-play criteria and clinical reasoning we use with recreational athletes in Manchester, Bury and Hale are the same protocols developed working with international professional players. You are not getting a templated treatment plan — you are getting elite-sport methodology applied to your sport, your injury and your goals.
Read more about our elite sport work →
Sports injuries we treat
Our chartered physiotherapists assess and treat the full range of acute and overuse injuries seen in recreational and competitive sport. Common presentations include:
Lower limb
- ACL, MCL and meniscal injuries — see our knee pain page
- Hamstring, quadriceps and calf strains
- Lateral and medial ankle sprains
- Achilles tendinopathy and rupture rehabilitation
- Patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee)
- Shin splints and stress fractures
- Groin pain and hip impingement
Upper limb
- Rotator cuff tears and impingement — see our shoulder pain page
- AC joint injuries and shoulder dislocations
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
- Wrist and hand injuries from contact sport and racquet sport
Spine
- Lower back pain and disc-related symptoms — see our lower back pain page
- Neck pain and whiplash
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
Concussion and contact-sport injuries
- Concussion management and graduated return-to-play
- Stingers, burners and brachial plexus injuries
- Rib and chest wall injuries
Not sure what the problem is? That is exactly what an assessment is for. Book an appointment and let us diagnose it.
How a sports injury assessment works at Altius
Most sports injury clinics will tell you they offer “a thorough assessment and a personalised treatment plan.” That means very little. Here is exactly what happens at your first appointment.
1. Subjective history (10–15 minutes)
Your physiotherapist takes a detailed history: how the injury happened, what makes it better or worse, your training load before injury, your sport and position, your competition calendar, your previous injury history and your goals. For sports injuries, the mechanism of injury is often the single most useful piece of diagnostic information — we spend time on it.
2. Objective examination
A structured physical assessment covering range of motion, strength testing, joint stability, palpation of the injured area and sport-specific functional tests. For lower limb injuries this includes single-leg balance, hop testing and movement screening. For upper limb, we assess scapular control and shoulder mechanics under load.
3. Diagnostic reasoning
We explain what we think the injury is, what other diagnoses we have considered and ruled out, and whether further imaging (ultrasound, MRI) or a specialist referral is needed. If onward referral is appropriate, our network includes orthopaedic consultants, sports physicians and radiologists across Greater Manchester.
4. Return-to-play criteria
Before you leave the first appointment, you will know the objective markers that will tell us when you are safe to return to training, contact and competition. For a hamstring strain that might be hop test symmetry and Nordic hamstring strength. For an ankle sprain, single-leg balance and unilateral hop distance. These are measurable targets — not “see how you feel.”
5. Treatment plan and timeline
You leave with a written plan: what we will do in clinic, what you will do between sessions, how many sessions we expect this to take and what your week-by-week milestones look like. If the timeline changes, you will know why.
Sport-specific expertise
The same hamstring strain looks very different in a sprinter, a footballer and a rugby player. Treatment plans need to reflect the demands of the sport you are returning to.
Rugby
Doug’s clinical specialism. We work with rugby players from grassroots to international level on contact injuries, concussion management, shoulder stabilisations, hamstring rehabilitation and return-to-contact protocols. Our criteria for clearing players to return to tackling are based on the protocols used in elite professional rugby.
Running
Whether you are training for your first 10K, a marathon PB or an ultra, running injuries usually have a load-management story behind them. We treat the injury and then look at training load, footwear, biomechanics and running technique to reduce the chance of it returning. For complex cases we work alongside our biomechanics and gait analysis service.
Football
From Sunday league through to academy and semi-professional players, we treat the full spectrum of football injuries — hamstring strains, groin pain, ankle sprains, knee ligament injuries and overuse problems. Return-to-pitch programming includes change-of-direction work, repeated-sprint conditioning and sport-specific drills.
Cycling
Cycling injuries are usually overuse-driven and often rooted in bike fit. We assess riding position, address the injured tissue and refer for professional bike fitting where needed.
Racquet sports — tennis, padel, squash
Tennis elbow, shoulder pain, calf strains and lower back pain are the classic racquet-sport presentations. As the official physiotherapy partner of Pure Padel Manchester, we see a high volume of padel-specific injuries and understand the demands of the sport.
Strength training and CrossFit
Heavy compound lifts, high-volume conditioning and Olympic-style movements all carry their own injury patterns. We work with athletes to address the injury and refine technique, programming and load management.
How long does it take to recover from a sports injury?
The single most common question we are asked. The honest answer is “it depends on the injury, its severity, and how well it is managed from day one.” But here are the general ranges we work with for common injuries — your individual timeline will depend on your assessment.
| Injury | Typical return to sport |
|---|---|
| Grade 1 hamstring strain | 2–3 weeks |
| Grade 2 hamstring strain | 4–8 weeks |
| Grade 1 lateral ankle sprain | 1–2 weeks |
| Grade 2 lateral ankle sprain | 3–6 weeks |
| Calf strain | 2–6 weeks depending on grade |
| Achilles tendinopathy | 8–12 weeks of structured loading |
| Patellar tendinopathy | 8–12 weeks of structured loading |
| Rotator cuff tendinopathy | 6–12 weeks |
| AC joint sprain (grade 1–2) | 2–6 weeks |
| ACL reconstruction | 9–12 months |
These ranges are general guidance and should not replace clinical assessment. Your physiotherapist will give you a personalised timeline at your first appointment based on your specific injury, fitness baseline and sport.
Your sports injury team
Doug Jones — Founder & Director
Chartered physiotherapist with senior roles in elite professional rugby, including Sale Sharks, London Wasps and England Rugby. Doug leads the sports injury service across all three Altius clinics.
Anna Jones — Senior Physiotherapist
Senior chartered physiotherapist specialising in clinical Pilates, hydrotherapy and post-injury rehabilitation. Anna leads our rehabilitation programming for athletes returning from significant injuries.
Stuart Campbell — Foot & Ankle Specialist
Specialist in foot and ankle assessment, biomechanics and gait analysis. Stuart works closely with runners, footballers and rugby players on lower limb injuries and return-to-running programmes.
Sports injury clinics across Greater Manchester
Sports injury — frequently asked questions
Do I need a GP referral to see a sports injury physio at Altius?
No. You can book directly with us as a self-paying patient or through most major private health insurers. A GP referral is not required for any of our sports injury services at our Manchester, Bury or Hale clinics.
Should I see a physiotherapist or a sports therapist for my injury?
Chartered physiotherapists are HCPC-registered healthcare professionals trained in diagnosis, hands-on treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. Sports therapists typically focus on conditioning and soft tissue work. For an undiagnosed injury or one that is not improving, a chartered physiotherapist is the appropriate first port of call. Every clinician at Altius is HCPC-registered.
How quickly can I be seen after a sports injury?
We aim to offer same-week appointments at all three clinics, with same-day or next-day slots often available for acute injuries. Call 0161 401 1000 to discuss urgent availability.
Do you treat acute injuries within the first 48 hours?
Yes. Early assessment of an acute sports injury allows for accurate diagnosis, appropriate load management and a clear recovery plan from day one — which typically results in faster and more complete recovery than waiting for symptoms to settle.
Will my private health insurance cover sports injury treatment?
Altius is recognised by all major UK private health insurers including Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, WPA and Cigna. We recommend confirming your specific policy benefits with your insurer before your first appointment.
When can I return to training after an injury?
Return-to-sport timelines depend on the injury, its severity and your sport. Our assessment process establishes objective return-to-play criteria from your first appointment, so you and your clinician have a clear, measurable target rather than a guess. We work with athletes from Sunday league players to international professionals using the same evidence-based criteria.
Do you offer pitch-side cover or post-match assessments?
Yes. Our team has extensive elite-sport experience providing pitch-side and match-day cover for professional rugby and football clubs. We also offer post-match assessments for amateur teams and individual athletes. Contact us to discuss arrangements.
Book your sports injury assessment today
Don’t let an injury sideline you longer than it has to. Book an appointment at our Manchester, Bury or Hale clinic and get a clear diagnosis, a measurable plan and a realistic return-to-sport timeline from your first session.