Private Physiotherapy
Prioritising Clear answers, proper time, and a plan that actually makes sense.
If you’re paying privately — or using selected insurance — your first session should give you clarity, answers, and treatment, not guesswork.
At Chris Heywood Physio I offer 60-minute, one-to-one physiotherapy consultations for people who want to understand what’s really going on and what to do about it.
✔ Thorough assessment
✔ Clear explanation in plain Layman's English
✔ Hands-on treatment in the same visit
✔ No pressure to commit to ongoing sessions
✔ Encouraged to self manage where possible
✔ Strong reputation build on honesty and expertise
Self-pay & selected insurance patients | No treatment packages |
25+ years’ experience | MSc | Advanced Chartered Physiotherapist | First Contact Practitioner / Independent practice
Not sure yet? Ask a question first →Prefer to speak? Call Chris directly
Trusted by REAL Patients
As a former Olympian I was always used to the best of the best, ...... - Dan Keatings 2025 - more
... Chris told me more in 60 minutes than anyone else had in 8 months & 2 hospital visits! - Ryan Dunn 2025 - more
Latest Blog Articles
Services (For Home visit enquiries please message me)
Conditions Explained
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Tennis Elbow
- Osteoarthritis
- Bursitis
- Slipped Disc
- Rotator Cuff Tear
- Meniscus Tear
- Achilles tendonitis
- Spinal Anatomy
More.....
Personal, Thorough and Clinically Led
Physiotherapy in Northampton
If you’re dealing with persistent back or neck pain, a sports injury that won’t settle, joint or tendon pain, or you’re recovering after surgery, effective physiotherapy should do more than just give you exercises and hope for the best.
I’m a Chartered Physiotherapist in Northampton with over 25 years’ clinical experience, and I’m well known locally among consultants and GPs for providing precise, hands-on physiotherapy alongside clear clinical reasoning. Many of the people I see have already tried physio elsewhere and are frustrated by rushed appointments or generic treatment plans.
Every appointment is a full 60 minutes. I control my own diary and keep my patient list deliberately small, which means your treatment plan is based on clinical need, not on filling appointment slots. You won’t be over-treated, rushed, or booked in unnecessarily — and you’ll always understand why we’re doing what we’re doing.
I regularly help adults in Northampton and the surrounding area with:
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Ongoing back and neck pain
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Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand problems
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Hip, knee, ankle and foot pain
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Sports injuries and overload conditions
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Tendon pain that hasn’t responded to rest or exercise alone
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Rehabilitation after orthopaedic surgery
If you’re looking for physiotherapy that is honest, unrushed, and focused on long-term results, rather than quick turnover, you’re in the right place.
Want to know exactly what happens in a 60-minute session? Find out what to expect from physiotherapy
Appointments are booked based on clinical need — not diary gaps.
Your First Consultation: Assessment First, Treatment That Fits Second
Your first appointment is a 60-minute, one-to-one clinical assessment, designed to work out what’s actually driving your problem — not to force you into a specific treatment.
In this session you’re not booking “physiotherapy”, “sports massage”, or “shockwave”. You’re booking my time and clinical judgement.
What that means in practice:
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A thorough assessment of movement, strength, and loading — not just the painful area
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Time to properly understand your history, symptoms, and goals
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A clear explanation, in plain English, of what’s likely going on
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Appropriate treatment on the day, based on what I believe will help most
That treatment may involve:
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Physiotherapy-based rehabilitation
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Hands-on work such as sports massage
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Targeted use of shockwave therapy
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Or a combination — depending on what you need
You’re not charged extra based on the tools used.
You’re paying for a proper assessment and the most appropriate treatment, not a predefined package.
What this approach avoids
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Being funnelled into a treatment you don’t need
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Paying extra for “add-ons”
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Repeating sessions without a clear reason
If ongoing treatment is needed, I’ll explain why, how often,and for
how long.
If it isn’t, I’ll tell you that too.
Self-pay patients welcome | Selected insurers accepted | No treatment packages | No pressure to continue
Put YOUR OWN goals and expectations under the spotlight for a change
Sports Massage in Northampton
When Hands-On Treatment Needs Clinical Judgement
Sports massage is often used to ease muscle tightness, improve movement, and support recovery — but done properly, it should be more than simply “finding sore spots and pressing harder”.
I offer sports massage in Northampton for people who train, work physically, or simply feel held back by ongoing tightness, stiffness, or recurring niggles. Many of the people I see want hands-on treatment, but also want to understand why certain areas keep tightening up and what will actually help long-term.
As a Chartered Physiotherapist, I approach sports massage with a clinical mindset. That means I assess how you move, consider load, training, and injury history, and use hands-on treatment where it’s genuinely useful — not as a one-size-fits-all solution.
Sports massage can be particularly helpful for:
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Muscle tightness and restriction affecting training or work
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Overload and overuse injuries
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Ongoing calf, hamstring, glute or back tightness
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Supporting recovery alongside physiotherapy or rehabilitation
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People who feel they “just need a proper hands-on session”
Appointments are 60 minutes, unrushed, and focused on what will actually make a difference. I won’t recommend repeated sessions unless there’s a clear clinical reason to do so — and if massage isn’t the right tool, I’ll tell you.
If you’re looking for sports massage that’s thorough, evidence-informed, and delivered by someone who understands injury as well as hands-on treatment, this is likely what you’ve been missing.
Not sure whether sports massage or physiotherapy is right for you?
Hands-on treatment guided by physiotherapy-level knowledge
Bring anatomy to life and let me help you to UNDERSTAND your condition with Zygote body 3d Interactive software (included as standard)
Used When It’s Clinically Justified
ShockWave Therapy in Northampton
Shockwave therapy (ESWT) can be an effective treatment for certain long-standing tendon and soft-tissue conditions, particularly when pain has failed to settle with appropriate exercise, load management, or hands-on treatment alone.
I offer shockwave therapy in Northampton as part of a clinically led treatment approach, not as a routine add-on or a pre-sold package. The decision to use shockwave is always based on assessment, evidence, and clinical reasoning — not on selling sessions.
Shockwave therapy may be appropriate for conditions such as:
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Plantar fasciitis
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Achilles tendinopathy
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Tennis and golfer’s elbow
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Patellar tendinopathy
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Certain forms of chronic muscle, tendon and insertional pain
When it is used, shockwave is rarely a stand-alone solution. It is usually combined with appropriate loading, exercise, and hands-on treatment, rather than replacing them.
An important point about ethics and timing
It’s also important to be honest about when treatment is not the right answer. Some tendon and soft-tissue problems improve naturally with time, appropriate loading, and patience. In those situations, the risk–reward balance of trying to accelerate healing with shockwave therapy doesn’t always stack up.
Knowing when not to intervene is just as important as knowing when to treat. If I believe shockwave therapy is unlikely to add meaningful benefit — or that your condition is better managed conservatively — I’ll explain that clearly and guide you towards the most appropriate approach.
All shockwave treatment is delivered by a Chartered Physiotherapist, with clear explanation of what to expect, how it may feel, and how it fits into your overall recovery. If shockwave isn’t right for you, I’ll tell you — openly and honestly.
Not sure whether shockwave therapy is appropriate for your condition?
Used selectively, based on clinical need
How We Decide Together What Treatment You Need
Every decision starts with a proper clinical assessment — not routines, packages, or guesswork. I look at how your symptoms behave, how you move, and what’s actually driving the problem.
In some cases physiotherapy is the right approach. In others, targeted soft tissue work or shockwave therapy may help. And sometimes the most honest answer is that treatment isn’t needed at all.
The aim is always the same: choose the simplest, most effective option based on clinical judgement — and explain it clearly, so you understand exactly why.
Patient Education - constantly being updated
Understanding Your Injury Matters
Understanding what’s going on in your body — and why certain treatments are recommended — plays a major role in how well and how confidently you recover. Both evidence and experience show that when people understand their problem, they engage better and make more meaningful progress.
This education section is designed to help you make sense of pain, injury, recovery, and treatment options, using clear, evidence-based explanations rather than myths, quick fixes, or oversimplified advice. Much of what’s here reflects the same conversations I have with patients every day in clinic.
You’re welcome to explore and use these resources whether or not you ever book an appointment. They’re regularly updated and cover topics such as common injuries, tendon pain, recovery timelines, treatment tools, and why different advice is often given for the same problem.
If you’d like to keep up to date as new education content is added, you can follow the blog — or simply dip in whenever a particular question comes up.
Clear information leads to better decisions, better recovery, and fewer unnecessary treatments.
A More Limited but Useful Option
Online Physiotherapy
Online physiotherapy can be helpful in a small number of situations, but it isn’t a substitute for face-to-face assessment and treatment in most cases.
I offer online physiotherapy consultations primarily to make experienced clinical guidance available to people for whom attending in person isn’t a realistic expectation — usually due to geography. For the majority of problems, I would still favour an in-clinic appointment where possible.
Remote consultations can be useful where the focus is on understanding a problem, reviewing progress, or guiding exercise-based rehabilitation, rather than hands-on assessment or treatment. They can also be appropriate for people who are already under my care and need follow-up input without travelling.
One of the challenges with online physiotherapy is knowing when not to intervene. Some issues are best managed conservatively, some require hands-on assessment, and some benefit from reassurance rather than treatment. Being clear about those limits is part of offering online care responsibly.
If I feel that an online consultation is unlikely to add value, I’ll be open about that and recommend a more appropriate option.
If you’re unsure whether an online consultation would be useful in your situation, this can usually be clarified quickly.
Offered selectively, based on clinical judgement
Physiotherapy Home Visits
Offered When Travel Isn't Possible
Home visit physiotherapy can be appropriate in a small number of situations where attending the clinic isn’t practical or realistic.
I offer physiotherapy home visits primarily for people who are temporarily unable to travel — for example, following surgery, during early rehabilitation, or where travel itself presents a significant physical or psychological barrier. In most cases, I would still recommend clinic-based physiotherapy where possible, as it allows a wider range of assessment and treatment options.
Home visits may be helpful for:
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Early rehabilitation after surgery, where driving isn’t possible
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People with significant mobility restrictions
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Situations where travel causes distress, such as after a road traffic collision
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Short-term support while a return to clinic-based care is planned
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As with all my work, home visits are guided by clinical judgement rather than convenience. If I believe a home visit isn’t the most appropriate option, I’ll explain why and help you find a better alternative.
If you’re unsure whether a home visit would be suitable, this can usually be discussed quickly.
Offered selectively, based on clinical need
What it's Like it be a Patient
I've spent a fair share of my 25-year career in operating theatres—but I’ve also been on the other side of the table as a patient.
Most recently, after injuring my knee training for the rather stupid 25-mile Fan Dance Race, followed by two unsuccessful arthroscopic knee surgeries, I underwent a unicompartmental (half) knee replacement at the age of 43. The procedure was performed at Stanmore Hospital—an internationally renowned orthopaedic centre—by a highly skilled surgeon, assisted by the precision of a MAKO robotic system.
I’ve been there, lived it, and rehabbed it myself. I understand first hand what it’s like to recover from surgery, and over the years, I’ve helped hundreds—if not thousands—of patients through their own post-surgical journeys.
A straight Forward Next Step
Booking
If you feel ready to move forward, booking an appointment is simple.
All new appointments are 60 minutes, allowing time for proper assessment, discussion of findings, and agreement on the most appropriate way forward. In most cases, once the assessment is complete and we’ve agreed on a plan together, treatment will normally begin during that first visit.
Any recommendations — including the type of treatment, whether follow-up is needed, and what that should involve — are based on clinical findings and shared decision-making, not on pre-set programmes or assumptions.
Follow-up appointments, if required, are then targeted specifically to that agreed treatment pathway, rather than booked routinely.
Most people start with a face-to-face physiotherapy appointment. Other options — such as sports massage, shockwave therapy, online physiotherapy, or a home visit — are only suggested if they make clinical sense.
If you’re unsure what type of appointment would be most suitable, that’s not a problem. The right starting point can usually be clarified quickly.
Physio Fit
Specialist Support Within Professional Bike Fitting
Physio Fit is a platinum level bike fit service led by Matt, at Precision Cycle Fit, an exceptionally experienced automotive engineer who chose to step away from a high-pressure corporate career to focus on his lifelong passion: cycling.
Years spent working at the sharp end of precision engineering have shaped the way Matt approaches bike fitting — methodical, analytical, and relentlessly detail-driven. That same mindset now underpins a fitting process where millimetres matter, assumptions are questioned, and rider comfort, efficiency, and sustainability are prioritised over quick fixes.
Matt is the primary bike fitter for all Physio Fit sessions.
My involvement is limited to a small number of Platinum-level fittings, specifically where riders present with pre-existing injuries, complex medical histories, or ongoing physical issues that benefit from physiotherapy-level input. In these cases, I support the fitting process with clinical insight, injury context, and medical reasoning — helping ensure that positioning decisions genuinely reflect the rider’s physical realities, rather than working around problems blindly.
This is not a standard physiotherapy service, and bike fitting does not form part of my core clinical offering. Instead, it’s a carefully defined collaboration that allows each of us to work within our respective areas of expertise — engineering-led fitting, supported by clinical input when appropriate.
All Physio Fit bookings, enquiries, and detailed information are handled directly through Matt’s website. If you’re exploring bike fitting options or want to understand which level of fitting is right for you, that’s the best place to start.
Physio Fit is an independent service, booked separately via the Precision Cycle Fit website
Joshua Toll, Dec 2024
"Despite thinking my bike fit was already “dialled in”, Matt identified key issues — from cleat position to crank length — that were putting unnecessary stress on my knees. Combined with Chris’s physiotherapy input, the result was a more balanced, comfortable position and pain-free riding for the first time in years."
Contact Info
Alongside private practice, I also work on Mondays and Tuesdays as a First Contact Practitioner (FCP) – Musculoskeletal in NHS Primary Care, assessing, diagnosing, and triaging patients without the need for a GP appointment.
You’re very welcome to call, but when I’m in clinic my phone is often on silent to ensure all my concentration is on my client at that time. For this reason, it’s usually quicker to reach me via the contact form or WhatsApp.
Whichever way you get in touch, I’ll respond as soon as possible — and during the week that’s almost always the same day.
Clinic Opening Hours
The Clinic is located at 2 Old Road, Scaldwell, Northants, NN6 9LA
Tel: 07576 473422 (Feel free to watapp)
** Please note that Home Visits, Online Sessions and Aquatic Therapy can often be arranged outside of normal clinical hours on request.**
Monday & Tuesday: Closed for FCP Work
Wednesday - Friday: 0915 - 1400
Saturday & Sunday: Closed