Plain-English definitions of the terms used in physiotherapy and rehabilitation, so you know what an assessment involves, what a loading programme actually is, and what has to be true before you return to full activity.
Also known as: Sports Physio, Sports Rehabilitation.
Physiotherapy focused on injuries caused by, or affecting, physical activity. It differs from general musculoskeletal care mainly in its end point: the goal is a measured return to a specific sport at a specific training load. UK physiotherapists are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Physical Therapy, PT.
A clinical profession regulated in the UK by the HCPC, focused on assessing and treating problems of movement through exercise, manual therapy and education. Anyone using the title "physiotherapist" in the UK must be on the HCPC register, which is public and free to search.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Health and Care Professions Council.
The Health and Care Professions Council is the statutory regulator for physiotherapists in the UK. Registration is a legal requirement to use the protected title, and it can be checked by name on the public register before you book with anyone.
Source: www.hcpc-uk.org
Also known as: MSK.
Anything relating to muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and the connective tissue linking them. MSK conditions are among the most common reasons adults consult a clinician, and most improve with exercise-based treatment rather than surgery or imaging.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Graded Loading, Progressive Overload.
Gradually increasing the demand placed on an injured tissue so it adapts and becomes able to tolerate more. It is the core mechanism behind most sports rehabilitation: tissue that is never loaded does not get stronger, and tissue loaded too fast flares up. The skill is in the rate of increase.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Tendinitis, Tendinosis.
Pain and reduced function in a tendon, usually from load applied faster than the tendon adapted to it. It is a problem of capacity rather than inflammation, which is why rest alone tends to fail: the tendon needs progressive loading to rebuild tolerance.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Achilles Tendinitis.
Pain, stiffness and thickening in the Achilles tendon, typically after an increase in running volume, hill work or speed. Morning stiffness that eases as you warm up is the classic pattern. Loading programmes are first-line treatment.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: RTS Testing, Return-to-Play Criteria.
Objective standards that must be met before resuming full competition, rather than a fixed number of weeks. Typically a mix of strength symmetry between limbs, hop or jump testing, sport-specific movement quality and confidence measures. Criteria-based progression is associated with lower reinjury rates than time-based progression.
Source: bjsm.bmj.com
Also known as: Graded Activity.
Reintroducing a feared or previously painful movement in small, controlled steps so confidence rebuilds alongside physical capacity. Used where avoidance itself has become part of the problem, which is common after a significant injury or a long period of pain.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Hands-on Therapy, Mobilisation.
Hands-on treatment of joints and soft tissue, including mobilisation and soft-tissue release. Useful for reducing pain and restoring range of movement in the short term, and most effective when it is used to make active rehabilitation possible rather than as a treatment on its own.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Soft Tissue Therapy, Deep Tissue Massage.
Soft-tissue treatment used around training to manage muscle tension and support recovery. Best understood as an adjunct within a wider plan: helpful for comfort and short-term range of movement, but not a substitute for the loading that actually rebuilds tissue capacity.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: ESWT, Shockwave.
Acoustic pressure waves delivered through the skin to a persistent tendon problem. It is considered an adjunct for tendon pain that has not settled with a loading programme, and is used alongside continued rehabilitation rather than instead of it.
Also known as: Runner's Knee, Anterior Knee Pain.
Pain around or behind the kneecap, typically worse on stairs, squatting, running or after long periods sitting. Common in runners and in people who have increased training load quickly. Hip and thigh strengthening is the mainstay of treatment.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Training Load Management.
Adjusting training volume, intensity and frequency so the body is challenged enough to adapt without being overloaded. Sudden spikes in weekly load are a well-recognised risk factor for injury, so managing the rate of change matters as much as the total amount.
Source: bjsm.bmj.com
Also known as: Movement Assessment, Gait Analysis.
A structured look at how you move: joint range, strength, control and the way you run, squat or land. The point is to find the movement patterns contributing to your symptoms, so the plan addresses the cause rather than only the painful site.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: DOMS.
The stiffness and tenderness that appears roughly 24 to 48 hours after unfamiliar or harder-than-usual exercise. It is a normal training response rather than an injury, and it settles on its own. Distinguishing it from an injury matters, because the two need opposite responses.
Source: www.nhs.uk