Assessment
Your physiotherapist discusses your symptoms, goals, medical history and lifestyle, then completes a thorough assessment. Initial appointments are typically 45 to 60 minutes, so there is time to do it properly.
Manual Therapy
Osteopathy in London
Hands-on relief that gets to the cause and not just the sore spot: we take a full case history, examine how your whole body moves, then treat with soft-tissue work, joint articulation and targeted rehab exercise, so the pain settles for good rather than flaring back a few weeks later.
What happens at your first physio appointment?
Initial appointments are typically 45 to 60 minutes. You leave with a clear explanation of your condition, treatment recommendations, a report explaining it in simple language, and a personalised rehabilitation plan.
Follow-ups run 30 to 45 minutes, and we reassess at every visit rather than selling you a block of sessions up front.
Osteopathy can help to:
Ease back, neck and joint pain at the source
We look for what is actually driving the pain rather than chasing where it hurts, then treat it by hand so it settles properly instead of returning in a month.
Loosen stiff, guarded joints and muscles
Soft-tissue release and joint articulation restore the movement that stiffness and old injuries have taken away, so everyday tasks stop feeling like hard work.
Recover from a sports or overuse injury
Hands-on treatment paired with a graded rehab plan rebuilds the capacity your body needs, so you get back to training without the problem flaring again.
Settle postural and desk-driven aches
Long hours at a desk load the neck, shoulders and lower back in predictable ways; we release the tight areas and give you the changes that keep them settled.
Get care that works with the wider team
When a case needs more than hands-on work, your osteopathy sits alongside our physiotherapy, shockwave and rehab services on one shared plan, not in isolation.
I first started using Tom last year to help relieve back pain, he has been extremely helpful and now he's supporting me with sprint and fitness training, whilst helping with any minor injuries. Can't recommend him and his team more highly.
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I went to Tom with a shoulder injury that had not improved for several months. Tom is very knowledgeable and quickly identified the issue and put me on a course of exercises that, in conjunction with a couple more sessions, steadily resolved the problem. I would highly recommend him.
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Parinita was brilliant! Identified my knee problem immediately, used a range of equipment and exercises not only to strengthen my knee, but to maintain it and improve my running long-term.
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Excellent service! Sanchez is a true professional who helped me heal a previous injury. Highly recommend!
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Osteopathy fees and insurance
Book directly online through Splose. Self-funded patients need no GP referral; if you are claiming through insurance, obtain prior authorisation before booking.
- Physiotherapy with Tom Astley: £85 initial consultation, £77 follow-up
- Sports and dance therapy with Laura Fornoni: £75 initial consultation, £70 follow-up
- Shockwave therapy: £230 for the initial consultation plus 3 sessions, then £80 per further treatment
- Running gait and performance reviews: £80 Base, £135 Intermediate, £185 Expert
- Recognised by Bupa, Cigna, Vitality, WPA and Simply Health
How physiotherapy works
from assessment to return to sport
Book today to get an assessment, advice, a report and a rehabilitation plan. We combine hands-on treatment with gym-based rehab to get you well, today, and we reassess at every visit.
Advice and report
A clear explanation of your condition and a report explaining it in simple language, alongside hands-on treatment: manual therapy, soft tissue techniques and joint mobilisation where they help.
Rehabilitation plan
Exercise rehabilitation tailored to your goals and condition, delivered through Track Rehab. Our clinics sit inside gym facilities, so the plan has the equipment and technology it actually needs.
Return
Structured programmes and return-to-sport testing before you go back, so you return safely and confidently. The goal is a level of activity beyond your pre-injury status, not just less pain.
A thorough, honest, and understandable explanation. Then the best treatment to get you back to a level of activity beyond your pre-injury status. If we can't get you better, we will recommend the world's leading healthcare professionals in London that can.
- Founded in 2015 by Tom Astley: 7 clinicians working across 3 clinics in Crouch End, Marylebone and Henley-on-Thames.
- Our team has successfully worked with local, national and international athletes at 6 major multi-sport events, from London 2012 to Gold Coast 2018, and we bring that expertise to everyone who enters our service.
- Rated 4.9 from 88 Google reviews; recognised by 5 major UK insurers, and self-funded patients book online with no GP referral.
What our physiotherapists treat
- Manual therapy and joint mobilisation
- Exercise rehabilitation through Track Rehab
- Dry needling for stubborn trigger points
- Shockwave therapy for chronic tendinopathy
- Sensor-based running gait analysis
- Sports massage, scar work and soft tissue therapy
- Women's health, Mummy MOT and postnatal rehabilitation
- Post-operative and ACL rehabilitation
- Return-to-sport testing
3 Locations
Osteopathy across our 3 London and Henley clinics
- Crouch End Park Road Pools & Fitness, London N8 8JN View location →
- Henley-on-Thames Badgemore Park Golf Club, Henley-on-Thames RG9 4NR View location →
- Marylebone 1 Orchard Street, London W1H 6HJ View location →
Written and medically reviewed byTom Astley, Sports Physiotherapist & Clinical Director · BSc Physiotherapy (Coventry, 2008) · BSc Health, Exercise & Sport (UWIC, 2005) · General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and the Institute of Osteopathy (iO).
FAQ
FAQs
What is the difference between osteopathy and physiotherapy?
Both are regulated UK manual-therapy professions treating musculoskeletal pain, with extensive overlap in everyday clinical practice. Osteopaths typically emphasise whole-body biomechanics and joint manipulation more heavily; physiotherapists more often lead with progressive exercise rehabilitation. At TA Physio we combine both: many cases benefit from osteopathic hands-on work alongside a physiotherapy-style loading plan.
Do I need a GP referral for osteopathy?
No. UK osteopaths are first-contact practitioners regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). You can book a private appointment directly via Splose or by calling 0333 121 6 121. Self-funded patients never need a GP referral, and most private medical insurers also reimburse osteopathy without one, but check your policy first.
What conditions do you treat?
The most common presentations are lower back pain, neck pain, headaches, sciatica, postural pain, and joint stiffness, but we also see post-surgical recovery, sports injuries, repetitive strain at the workplace, and antenatal back pain. If your case is outside the scope of safe osteopathic care we will tell you and refer onward to a relevant specialist.
Will treatment hurt?
Most osteopathic techniques are comfortable. Some hands-on work: particularly on tight or guarded muscles, can be temporarily uncomfortable during treatment, and you may feel a bit sore for 24 to 48 hours afterwards in the same way as after exercise. We adjust the approach if anything is genuinely painful, and we will talk you through what to expect from each technique before using it.
How does osteopathy work alongside the physiotherapy team here?
Cases needing more than one approach are routinely co-managed. A typical example: a patient with chronic Achilles tendinopathy might see the osteopath for hands-on work and rehab oversight, with the physio team adding shockwave therapy from the same clinical record. It is genuine multidisciplinary care, not a 'pick-one-discipline' menu.
Related Treatments
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in Crouch End, Marylebone or Henley.
Tom Astley Physiotherapy • Park Road Pools & Fitness, Crouch End, London N8 8JN
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