Lower Limb Physiotherapy

A holistic approach requires a broad range of skills.

We use our lower limbs a lot! Walking, jogging, running, jumping, hopping, stairs, sitting, cycling, swimming, climbing or sleeping and this may lead to you requiring lower limb physiotherapy.

Regardless of which bit hurts, even if it is your little toe, it can really interfere with your everyday activities, or even your sleep! Understanding the loads that your body needs to cope with makes up part of our in-depth assessment. We deal with pain in all areas of the body and all sorts of different conditions. Your legs undergo completely different loads from the rest of your body, 5 times your body weight when running for instance! but the good news is….that’s what they are designed to do.

What problems require lower limb physiotherapy?

We deal with pain related problems of all ages and through all stages of most injuries (not immediate care of a fracture – you need to go to hospital for that!). Physiotherapists understand load management, from unloading to progressive loading over time and we have lots of ways to facilitate that optimal load for each injury or condition. Our team see all musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions of the legs, but here are the common ones we deal with:

Chronic tendinopathies of the lower limb

Gluteal tendinopathy
Proximal hamstring tendnopathy
Patella tendinopathy
Achilles tendinopathy
Plantar fasciopathy

Muscle strains of the lower limb

Quadriceps strain
Hamstring strain
Calf strain
Groin strain
Hip flexor strain
Muscle contusions, bruising, ‘dead legs’

Joint/Ligament sprains/tears of the lower limb

Ankle sprain
Tarsal sprain
Medial or lateral collateral ligament sprain/tear of the knee
Anterior or posterior cruciate ligament sprains/tear

Cartilage or osteoarthritic joint pains in the lower limb

Knee meniscal tears /degenerative tears
Hip arthritis
Knee arthritis
Ankle/foot arthritis

Growth related pains in the lower limb

Osgood Schlatter’s disease
Sinding-Larson Johansson disease
Sever’s Disease
Friedberg’s disease

Soft tissue overload injuries of the lower limb

ITB Band pain
Shin splints

There others of course, plus all lower limb fractures and post operative physio!

Management of lower limb injuries

We can manage you through all levels of care and believe in empowering you to fix the issue with our help, we will see you as much or as little as you want. Some patients just want to find out what is wrong and how to fix it and are only seen 1-2 times. If you want or need a bit more input in the early stages of injury and may attend for several sessions for hands on manual therapy or soft tissue massage, then we can plan to provide this support. Others want to be monitored through the process and tested at intervals along the healing process.

We will provide you with a full explanation of your problem and provide a bespoke rehabilitation programme with diagrams and videos. To do this we have multiple methods from simple range of motion measures to complex computerised force plate or a Biodex Isokinetic machine used to measure isolated strength. We pride ourselves on being an evidence based, ethically driven and patient centred clinic. Our Edinburgh team will put your needs at the heart of your care. Our intention is to hopefully feel you are being looked after whatever your problem.

We have the tools and the means to manage all your lower limb injury needs.

Contact us to make an appointment at one of our four Edinburgh Physiotherapy clinics or to discuss any questions you might have

Give the gift that shows you care... Our massage vouchers are £55 per session (normally £60) and are valid throughout 2025.

Call us to order on 0131 478 4646