Assessment
A detailed history, then a thorough examination of movement, strength and the affected area. You leave knowing what is wrong, why it happened, and exactly what we are going to do about it.
Concern
Tennis Injuries Treatment in London
Tennis elbow, shoulder and knee pain are load problems that respond to graded rehab, not rest. We rebuild capacity so you serve and move freely again.
Our tennis injury team
Overview
Understanding tennis injuries
Tennis places two demands on the body: the repetitive overhead and rotational loading of the serve and ground strokes, and the explosive sprinting and lunging of court movement. Injuries reflect both, clustering at the elbow, shoulder, knee and ankle, and most are load-related rather than a single event.
Will I have to stop playing?
Usually not completely, because relative rest beats complete rest for most of these problems. We find the structure and the load behind it; NICE and BJSM support graded loading for tendinopathy and most shoulder and knee pain. We rebuild rotator-cuff, forearm and lower-limb capacity and address grip or serve-load factors where relevant.
We treat club players, juniors and competitive athletes across our Soho, Liverpool Street and Marylebone clinics. Self-referral; no GP letter needed.
Why it happens
What causes tennis injuries?
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Repeated gripping and backhand loading at the outer elbow, the dominant driver of lateral epicondylalgia (tennis elbow)
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Repetitive overhead serving that loads the rotator cuff and can irritate the shoulder when capacity is exceeded
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Explosive lunging, sprinting and rapid changes of direction, which load the knee and risk lateral ankle sprains
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A spike in playing or practice volume without a gradual build-up: the classic overuse trigger
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Strength and control deficits in the rotator cuff, forearm, hip and lower limb that leave tissue under-prepared
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A grip size, racket or technique factor that concentrates load on the elbow or shoulder
Physiotherapy for tennis injuries can help to:
Resolve tennis elbow properly
Tennis elbow is a load problem in the forearm extensor tendons, and it answers to progressive loading rather than rest, bracing or repeated injections. We rebuild grip and forearm capacity, review racket and grip factors, and most cases settle without any needle or surgery.
Get your serve back without fear
A shoulder that complains on the serve has usually run out of rotator-cuff capacity for the volume you are asking of it. We rebuild cuff and shoulder-blade strength, manage serve load through recovery, and return you to full overhead work in graded steps.
Handle the court-movement injuries
Lunging, sprinting and sharp direction changes load the knee and ankle hard. We rehabilitate sprains and kneecap pain with progressive strength and balance work, restoring the control that lets you chase a drop shot without thinking about the ankle underneath you.
Keep you on court while you recover
Most tennis injuries tolerate adjusted play: fewer sessions, modified strokes, a temporary cap on serving. Full rest deconditions the very tissue you need. We agree what stays and what pauses, then expand your game as the tissue rebuilds.
Fix the deficits underneath the injury
Behind most tennis injuries sits a strength or control gap: cuff, forearm, hip or calf. Targeted strength work closes it, so the elbow, shoulder and knee stop absorbing load they cannot yet handle. That is what keeps the problem from returning mid season.
Time your comeback on evidence
Playing volume comes back in stages, judged on strength, symptom response and how the tissue handles each step up. Warming up well and finishing worse is the signal we watch for. You return to full matches when the numbers and the tissue both agree.
At your first appointment we look for the cause: your history, how you move, and what your work, sport and life ask of your body.
The assessment covers a detailed history and a thorough examination of movement, strength and the affected area. We explain what we find and agree a working diagnosis and plan you understand before you leave.
You go home with a written summary and a home-exercise programme built around your diagnosis and goals, so progress continues between visits.
From pain to performance. Pain relief that lasts is not enough on its own: we rebuild the strength behind the pain so it stays gone.
- Three central London clinics: Soho, Liverpool Street and Marylebone, plus home visits across London and online sessions.
- Led by physiotherapist Sam Harvey: 15 years of clinical practice and an elite-sport background across football, rugby and GAA.
- Physiotherapy, strength and nutrition under one roof: three clinicians, three disciplines, joined-up care.
Fees and booking
You can self-refer and book directly: no GP letter needed, and every new patient can start with a free 15-minute consultation call. The same fees apply across our Soho, Liverpool Street and Marylebone clinics.
- Physiotherapy: a full 60 minutes for £145, whether it is your first visit or a follow-up
- 30-minute follow-ups at £90, with video appointments from £70
- Strength training and Reformer Pilates £120, sports massage from £75
- VALD performance and strength testing with a written report, £195
- 5% off a block of five sessions, 10% off a block of ten
- An itemised receipt with every session, for claiming back where your policy covers physiotherapy
Your journey
with Physio and Performance
Everything starts with finding the cause. Whether the goal is a marathon start line or a week at your desk without pain, we treat what is driving the problem, then build the strength that keeps it fixed.
Treatment
Hands-on manual therapy combined with a progressive, tailored exercise programme. Sports massage, dry needling, shockwave or Reformer Pilates are added where they help your specific problem.
Rebuild
Coached, progressive strength work restores the load tolerance your body lost, paced to where you start. This is the stage that decides whether the fix lasts.
Perform
Each follow-up reassesses you against your baseline, with VALD testing where useful, so your return to work, sport or training rests on measured readiness. Discharge happens by mutual agreement when you can manage independently.
We specialise in:
- Physiotherapy and sports rehabilitation
- Coached strength and conditioning
- Reformer Pilates
- Sports massage and soft-tissue therapy
- Dry needling and shockwave therapy
- VALD performance and strength testing
- Post-operative rehabilitation
- Running and gait analysis
- Sports nutrition and dietetics
Treatment approach
How do we treat tennis injuries?
Physiotherapy & Sports Rehabilitation
£145Sports physiotherapy is the core treatment: accurate diagnosis of the elbow, shoulder, knee or ankle problem, a graded loading plan that rebuilds tissue capacity, and a criteria-based return to serving, ground strokes and court movement rather than discharging on feel.
See treatment detail →Strength Training
£120Targeted strength work for the rotator cuff, forearm, hip and lower limb raises the capacity of the tissues tennis repeatedly overloads, addressing the underlying deficits behind tennis elbow and shoulder pain and reducing recurrence.
See treatment detail →Shockwave Therapy
Price on enquiryFor lateral epicondylalgia that has not settled with first-line loading, shockwave therapy may be considered as an adjunct alongside continued rehabilitation, in line with NICE interventional procedures guidance: never a substitute for progressive loading.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Frequently asked
questions
What is tennis elbow and how is it treated?
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylalgia, is a tendinopathy of the forearm extensor tendons at the outer elbow, irritated by repeated gripping and backhand loading. It responds best to progressive forearm loading, grip and technique adjustments and managing playing volume. Rest alone rarely resolves it, because the tendon needs graded load to rebuild capacity. Most cases settle without injection or surgery.
Should I stop playing tennis while my elbow or shoulder recovers?
Rarely completely. Most tennis injuries respond better to adjusted load than to full rest, which only deconditions the tissue. We usually reduce playing volume, certain strokes or serve load to a level the tissue tolerates, then build back up through structured rehabilitation. Your physiotherapist will tell you exactly what to modify and when you can progress.
Why does serving hurt my shoulder?
The serve is a high-speed overhead action that repeatedly loads the rotator cuff and surrounding shoulder structures. When playing volume or serve load outstrips what the cuff can handle, or when there are strength and control deficits, the shoulder becomes irritated. Treatment rebuilds rotator-cuff and shoulder-blade capacity and addresses serve load, rather than simply resting the shoulder.
When should I seek urgent help for a tennis injury?
Seek urgent care after a significant ankle or knee injury if you cannot bear weight or the joint looks deformed, or if a shoulder is locked or visibly out of place. Contact NHS 111 if pain or swelling is severe or rapidly worsening. For most elbow, shoulder and overuse pain, physiotherapy is the appropriate first step rather than emergency care.
Get Started
Ready to begin?
Book today.
Physio and Performance • 111 Charing Cross Road, Soho, London WC2H 0DT
BookAppointments typically available within 1–2 weeks