Advanced Physiotherapy
Expert Assessment & 60-Minute Treatments in Northamptonshire
Helping people in Northampton, Kettering, Market Harborough, Wellingborough, Daventry, and all surrounding Northamptonshire villages recover from injury, reduce pain, and move better with evidence-based, one-to-one physiotherapy.
With 25 years’ clinical experience and advanced training, I provide longer 60-minute sessions, precise hands on physiotherapy to aid exercise based rehabilitation with honest and expert guidance. Every appointment is designed to get the diagnosis right the first time — helping you recover faster and need fewer overall visits.
Trusted by REAL Patients
Conditions Explained
Osteoarthritis
Achilles tendonitis
Slipped Disc
Meniscus Tear
Subacromial Spur
Spinal Anatomy
More.....
Latest Blog Articles
As a former Olympian I was always used to the best of the best, so when I retired i tried lots of different people and i struggled finding someone that could give me the quality of care and knowledge I was used to. I was then recommended to go and see Chris and honestly have never looked back. Would highly recommend booking in with Chris to make sure you're in the best hands - Dan Keatings 2025
Why does my back hurt?
Ice or heat?
Knee pain on squatting and coming down stairs - what could it be?
My GP said I have Frozen Shoulder. It this true and what is it?
My leg goes tingly and numb when I walk, but gets better when I sit - is this is sciatica?
I was told I need to book 8 sessions, twice a week to get better - am I being conned?
I've known Chris for several years now. He is & always has been a fantastic person & an amazing physio. I recently had to see Chris about issues with my left leg. Chris told me more in 60 minutes than anyone else had in 8 months & 2 hospital visits! - Ryan Dunn 2025
At Chris Heywood Physio, I believe time is the key factor in delivering premium care. With 25 years of experience, I’ve learned that a rushed appointment rarely leads to the best results—for you or for me. That’s why I take a more thorough approach. You can read more about me in my biography.
My 60-minute sessions allow for a precise assessment, targeted treatment, and patient education—ensuring you get the most effective results both in-session and between appointments. This means fewer overall visits, a faster recovery, and potentially lower long-term costs.
Having worked with thousands of patients and reflected on just as many sessions, I know that real progress comes from the right combination of expertise, time, and honest advice. My approach is built on evidence, experience, and a commitment to treatments that genuinely make a difference - no unnecessary sessions, just clear, expert-led physiotherapy tailored to your needs.
This may be a new business adventure for me but I am far from a new physio to the area or the profession. Many of my patients have followed me for years and often decades.
NB - This website is built and maintained by Chris Heywood. All images and graphics are original artwork by Chris Heywood and covered by copyright law. You are authorised to share complete pages as you wish but please do not use individual contents, take credit for, or use, any information on this website for personal gain without my explicit permission.
Put YOUR OWN goals and expectations under the spotlight for a change
I am a fully chartered Physiotherapist in the UK (25+ years) and am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council
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.
Bring anatomy to life and let me help you to UNDERSTAND your condition with Zygote body 3d Interactive software (included as standard)
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?
👉 Find out how I decide what treatment is appropriate
Hands-on treatment guided by physiotherapy-level knowledge
Shockwave
Therapy (ESWT)
If you've been battling persistent tendon pain or a stubborn soft tissue injury that just won’t heal, you're not alone. Many people find that self-care advice, physiotherapy or similar, and even steroid injections only go so far—or fail to work at all. That’s where Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) comes in - find out what to expect in a Shock Wave Therapy session at CHP.
It’s not a magic fix like some may claim, but in the right circumstances, it can be a highly effective option. ESWT helps stimulate your body’s natural healing response, especially for chronic injuries that haven’t responded to conventional treatments - find out how it actually works. Please do not confuse this with Ultrasound therapy that has been used for decades with mixed results at best.
Common conditions treated include plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow, and shoulder tendinopathy, with some evidence now including some specific causes of back pain. However, it’s not suitable for everyone and everything, which is why I always insist on a full assessment before offering it. If it’s not the right option for you, I’ll be honest—because there’s no benefit to either of us in pursuing a treatment that won’t deliver results.
It is offered in some settings as a fast, 15-minute stand-alone treatment, but research to date recommends it should only be used as part of a wider treatment programme. For that reason, I don't charge extra for Shockwave Therapy—it’s applied within a normal 1-hour session as part of a more comprehensive approach, where clinically appropriate.
So if you’ve tried everything else and are still struggling, book an assessment and let’s see if Shockwave Therapy is the missing piece in your recovery.
Andrew Branch - June 2025
I've struggled to get an issue with my ankle sorted for ages, but the help Chris has given me is remarkable. I was unsure about online consultations, but he was incredibly thorough and was able to get all the information he needed to write to my GP and actually start sorting the issue out.
Patient Education
If you've found your way here, you've already taken an important step towards your recovery. Research consistently shows that understanding your condition and treatment options plays a crucial role in both the speed and quality of recovery.
Whether or not you decide to book a session with me, you're welcome to explore and use the free resources I regularly update to support my patients in their journey to better health.
These are initially being released in regular drops from July so follow our blog to keep up to date on new releases and other CHP related news.
Online
Remote Physiotherapy
The tragic events of 2020 and the COVID pandemic forced frontline medical services to cut through years of bureaucratic red tape to provide online care. While some local services have unfortunately used this as an excuse to hide behind a video screen long past when they should have returned to face-to-face sessions, one positive outcome has been the ability to break down geographical barriers in healthcare.
Personally, if given the choice, I would always opt for a face-to-face session. But during that time, I developed and refined my online assessment and follow-up skills in ways I never thought possible. So, if you're too far away to see me in person but have struggled to find a local service that meets your needs, I can now offer expert guidance remotely.
All you need is a good internet connection and some version of a web cam or good quality camera phone. Please send me a contact form for further details so I can ensure you will get the most out of of the session. I book all remote sessions personally so that I can build in a few minutes pre and post to limit those pesky IT gremlins mischief!
Magda Tsakou, June 2025
I had a remote appointment with Chris. He was thorough and he was able to provide me with advice and exercises going forward. Professional and courteous. Would recommend.
Home Visits
I offer a small number of home visits for patients who meet certain safety criteria, ensuring the wellbeing of both you and me. Pricing (£200 per visit) is based on your home being within 15 miles of my clinic—if you're further afield, feel free to get in touch for a personalised quote. Each visit includes 60 minutes of dedicated in-home care.
For more details about home visits please send me a contact form with the details of your needs.
My Own
Personal Experiences
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.
Booking
I offer both telephone and online bookings for patient appointments – but with a cap of just five new appointments per week. This limit allows me to maintain enough flexibility in my diary to prioritise follow-ups and urgent cases, without compromising the quality of care.
This decision strikes a balance: the convenience of online booking, combined with a commitment to personalised, attentive treatment. By managing my schedule carefully, I can ensure every patient receives the time, focus, and clinical expertise they deserve. I’d rather work at 80% capacity and deliver excellent care than overfill my diary and risk letting standards slip. It benefits no one except for the tax man!
at Precision Cycle Fit
Physio-Fit
This specialist service is offered in Southam, Daventry, in collaboration with Precision Cycle Fit, run by my big brother, engineering specialist Matt Heywood.
After years of making cars look better, go faster, run more reliably, and—most importantly—stay safer, Matt left the corporate world to pursue his first love: bikes. Now running his own business, he brings a wealth of experience from competing at national and international levels in cycling and triathlon. Alongside bike fitting, he also buys, sells, and builds bikes through a separate venture. Simply put, he’s the perfect person to ensure your bike is fitted to you in the best possible way.
The Physio-Fit concept was born from the need to address clients with existing injuries or medical conditions—cases where an 'engineer’s expertise' alone isn’t enough. This service combines two specialists in one room, blending expert bike fitting with physiotherapy insights/dynamic assessments, to ensure your fit is literally molded around your whole being. Personalised exercise plans and advice, tailored directly to your fit, are included as part of this service.
For more details, visit Precision Cycle Fit, as I just do what I am told like any obedient little brother!
Joshua Toll, Dec 2024
For the last few years I had been experiencing intermittent knee pain on long rides, which was debilitating when it occurred. I couldn't figure out what the problem was, my bike fit was set up accurately to the best of my knowledge. With a long tour planned in the near future I had decided to get a professional fit from Matt, having been a little apprehensive about it initially. However, I am very pleased I did. I had the opportunity to sit down with Chris also, a professional physiotherapist, as well as Matt, to talk about what I wanted out of the session, my previous injuries and riding style before having the full fitting. The fitting itself was extremely informative. I thought I knew my stuff about bikes, but basic things such as cleat position, and saddle fore/aft, I had got very wrong, so immediate changes there brought my body inline much better to the bike, improved my balance, and got the knee, hip, shoulder, arm angles all within the required degrees. Matt explains everything throughout about why changing certain aspects impacts the rest of the body and explains the optimal angles you should have in your posture and how to get there. I was also informed that my crank arms were far too big for my height, even thought the bike itself was the correct size, which had been putting more stress on my knees than needed. Something I wouldn't have considered myself. After a physio assessment, Chris was then also able to influence the fit more personally. Due to some limits with my joints and muscles, it would be important to fit the bike to help prevent any further injuries for just how much body works, which sometimes can fall outside of normal bike fit parameters. Following the session Matt created a full report of the session containing all the information of where the bike fit was before, what was changed, how it was improved, including all the figures you'll need for reference. Chris then put together a full physio plan to alleviate some of the more tighter areas I have which is also extremely helpful. Having since been out on some rather long rides with the new fit, and shorter cranks, I can say it was extremely worthwhile, physically and educationally. I am riding more comfortably than ever before and no sign of any of the old knee pain. The whole process was very relaxed and enjoyable, so very much recommended.
Contact Info
On a Monday and Tuesday I work as a specialist contractor but I can still be contacted for enquiries. You are welcome to call but it is often faster for me to reply via a contact form or watsapp message, simply as my phone will be on silent in clinic. Either way, I will reply as soon as possible, which in the week, is almost always on the same day at the latest.
Clinic Opening Hours
The Clinic is located at 2 Old Road, Scaldwell, Northants, NN6 9LA - More info
Mon - Tues
Weds - Fri
Sat -Sun
Closed for Contract Work
0900 - 1330
Closed (Family Time!)
** Please note that online sessions can sometimes be arranged outside of normal clinical hours on request.**