Therapist applying hands-on manual therapy to patient's lower back while patient lies on side
Physiotherapy

Back and neck physiotherapy

£62–£72
30–45 mins
Book online

Backs and necks are the single largest reason people come to see us. Low back pain that keeps returning, neck pain and stiffness that arrives with a busy month at a desk, sciatica running down a leg, and the aftermath of a car accident or an awkward lift.

Most of it is treatable, and most of it is not as sinister as it feels. Back pain is frightening precisely because it is disabling, but the great majority of it is not caused by damage that needs fixing surgically.

More information

What the evidence says about back pain

NICE recommends staying as active as you can manage, along with exercise and manual therapy as part of a treatment package, rather than rest. Bed rest makes most back pain worse rather than better. That is why an appointment here is not somebody clicking your spine and sending you away. It is working out what is driving the pain, settling it, and then rebuilding the strength and movement that stops the next episode.

Is it sciatica or just back pain

Sciatica is pain caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve, so it travels, usually into the buttock, the back of the thigh and sometimes below the knee, and it often comes with pins and needles or numbness. Back pain that stays in your back is a different problem with a different treatment. Telling them apart properly matters, and it is one of the things the assessment is for.

When should I worry

Most back pain does not need urgent attention. Some things do. Numbness around the saddle area, difficulty controlling your bladder or bowel, weakness in both legs, or back pain alongside unexplained weight loss or fever should be checked the same day, either with your GP or at hospital. If you describe any of those to us we will send you straight there.

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Client Reviews

5.0

Based on 1 review

  • D

    Dan Kenny

    I’d had a nagging back issue that just wouldn’t shift, but Martin at Healthflex Physio was brilliant. He took the time to figure out what was really going on and got me back to feeling like myself again. Super knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and genuinely cares. Would definitely recommend!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I have sciatica or ordinary back pain?
Sciatica is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve, so the pain travels, typically into the buttock and down the back of the thigh, sometimes past the knee, and it often comes with pins and needles or numbness. Pain that stays in the back itself is a different problem needing different treatment, which is what the assessment establishes.
Should I rest my back or keep moving?
Keep moving as much as the pain allows. NICE recommends staying active alongside exercise and manual therapy rather than resting, because prolonged rest tends to make back pain worse and slower to settle.
When is back pain something to worry about?
Numbness around the saddle area, loss of bladder or bowel control, weakness in both legs, or back pain alongside unexplained weight loss or fever all need checking the same day with your GP or at hospital. Everything else is far more likely to be a treatable mechanical problem.
Can you help neck pain from working at a desk?
Yes, and it is one of the most common things we see. We treat the pain and the stiffness, then look at how you are working and what strength you are missing, because a desk does not cause neck pain on its own.

Available Team Members

These team members perform this service

  • Martin Dyer, physiotherapist and director of Healthflex in Haslemere Description: Head and shoulders portrait of Martin Dyer, physiotherapist and director of Healthflex, The Edge, Haslemere. He has swept back dark hair greying at the sides and a warm, closed mouth smile, and wears a pale pink striped shirt with a pink and blue striped tie. The background is a blurred garden of autumn shrubs and trees.
    Martin Dyer
    Physiotherapist and Director
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  • Anneke Webb, physiotherapist at Healthflex in Haslemere Description: Head and shoulders portrait of Anneke Webb, physiotherapist at Healthflex, The Edge, Haslemere. She has long straight fair hair and is smiling at the camera, wearing a white Healthflex Physical Therapy Centres polo shirt. Behind her, out of focus, are a green playing field, a wooden rail fence and autumn trees under a cloudy sky.
    Anneke Webb
    Physiotherapist
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  • Nick Thornhill, physiotherapist at Healthflex in Haslemere Description: Close head and shoulders portrait of Nick Thornhill, physiotherapist at Healthflex, The Edge, Haslemere. He has short dark hair and a full dark beard flecked with grey, with a relaxed closed mouth smile, and wears a navy polo shirt. Behind him is soft green foliage under a pale sky.
    Nick Thornhill
    Physiotherapist
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  • Theika Botterill, physiotherapist at Healthflex in Haslemere Description: Head and shoulders portrait of Theika Botterill, physiotherapist specialising in sports and musculoskeletal care at Healthflex, The Edge, Haslemere. She has brown hair tied back and a wide, beaming smile, and wears a pink Healthflex polo shirt. The background is a blurred autumn hedge under a pale sky.
    Theika Botterill
    Physiotherapist, sports and musculoskeletal
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  • Gill Onslow, physiotherapist at Healthflex in Haslemere Description: Head and shoulders portrait of Gill Onslow, physiotherapist at Healthflex, The Edge, Haslemere. She has wavy light brown hair with a fringe and a gentle smile, and wears a pink polo shirt under a navy V neck jumper. The background is a soft, bright blur of green garden foliage.
    Gill Onslow
    Physiotherapist
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  • Imogen Scott-Plumber, physiotherapist at Healthflex in Haslemere Description: Head and shoulders portrait of Imogen Scott-Plumber, physiotherapist specialising in sports injury and rehabilitation at Healthflex, The Edge, Haslemere. She has fair hair tied back and a relaxed smile, and wears a navy polo shirt. Behind her is a dense green hedge, softly out of focus.
    Imogen Scott-Plumber
    Physiotherapist | Sports Injury & Rehabilitation | Performance
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  • Kathryn Lewis, neurological physiotherapist at Healthflex in Haslemere Description: Head and shoulders portrait of Kathryn Lewis, physiotherapist specialising in adult neurological rehabilitation at Healthflex, The Edge, Haslemere. She has shoulder length dark brown hair lit by sunshine and a broad smile, and wears a white Healthflex polo shirt. Behind her is dark green foliage, softly out of focus.
    Kathryn Lewis
    Physiotherapist, adult neurological rehabilitation
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