Surbiton and Kingston have one of the strongest tennis communities in Surrey — with Surbiton Racket & Fitness Club, Surbiton Tennis Club and multiple Kingston clubs within a mile of our clinic. We treat the full range of tennis injuries from tennis elbow to shoulder impingement, with sport-specific rehabilitation that gets you back on court fast.
Tennis is a sport of explosive lateral movement, overhead loading and repetitive rotational force through the arm and spine. The injury patterns are distinctive — and require a physiotherapist who understands not just the anatomy but the specific demands of serve mechanics, groundstroke patterns and court surface effects.
Pain on the outside of the elbow, radiating into the forearm. Caused by overload of the wrist extensor tendons — not just in tennis players, but in anyone performing repetitive gripping. Responds well to loading programmes and shockwave therapy.
Shoulder pain from the serve and overhead shots. Rotator cuff tendinopathy, partial tears and impingement are all common in recreational and competitive players. The serve mechanics — particularly late cocking and acceleration — create very high shoulder loads.
A tear of the superior labrum of the shoulder, common in overhead athletes. Presents as deep shoulder pain, clicking and reduced throwing/serving power. Conservative physiotherapy is effective for many SLAP tears — surgery is not always necessary.
Lateral ankle sprains from rapid direction changes are extremely common in tennis. Quick, accurate diagnosis and an aggressive rehabilitation programme (not just ice and rest) prevents the chronic instability that affects many recreational tennis players.
Pain in the tendon below the kneecap from repeated jumping, lunging and direction changes on hard courts. Progressive loading programmes produce excellent results — most players return to full training in 10–12 weeks.
Spondylolysis (stress fracture of the lumbar vertebra) is the most serious back injury in young tennis players — the rotation of the serve is a risk factor. Early detection matters. Any young player with low back pain warrants assessment.
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylalgia) is the injury we see most frequently from local tennis clubs — including Surbiton Racket & Fitness Club and Tolworth Tennis Club, both very close to our clinic. Despite the name, 95% of cases occur in non-tennis players; it is a tendinopathy of the common extensor origin caused by any repetitive gripping or wrist extension activity.
The evidence-based treatment is a progressive loading programme, specifically targeting the wrist extensor tendon with eccentric exercises, combined with activity modification and gripping technique advice. Rest alone allows symptoms to ease but does not resolve the tendinopathy — load is required to remodel the tendon tissue.
Shockwave therapy is available at our clinic for tennis elbow that hasn't responded to 6–8 weeks of physiotherapy. It is evidence-based for lateral epicondylalgia and typically produces measurable improvement within 3 sessions. We are one of the few local clinics in the KT area offering shockwave for tennis elbow.
Surbiton hosts several of the most active tennis clubs in South West London. Surbiton Racket & Fitness Club (Surbiton Crescent) is one of the largest private tennis clubs in the area; Kingston Racket & Fitness Centre provides court access for Kingston players; Tolworth Girls' School has courts open to community use. The Aegon Classic (now known as the Rothesay Classic) has historically been held at Edgbaston but Surbiton's proximity to All England Club makes it a natural base for tennis culture in the area.
We are well-placed to support both recreational players and competitive club players training several times per week. We understand the demands of competitive club tennis, county standard play and junior development programmes.
Up to 60 min — full assessment, diagnosis and hands-on treatment
30 min — continued treatment and exercise progression
Insurance patients: we accept Bupa, AXA, Vitality, Aviva, WPA, Cigna and Allianz — check your insurer. No GP referral needed.
With physiotherapy, most tennis elbow cases improve significantly within 6–8 weeks. Without treatment, tennis elbow can persist for 1–2 years or more. Shockwave therapy, used alongside physiotherapy for persistent cases, typically produces measurable improvement within 3–5 sessions.
Usually yes, with modifications. We will advise on grip size (often too small a grip is a contributing factor), technique adjustments (particularly backhand mechanics), and the appropriate level of play during your rehabilitation. Continued loading within pain limits is part of the treatment.
It depends on the injury. Rotator cuff tendinopathy typically responds in 6–8 sessions over 10–12 weeks. More complex shoulder pathology (labral tears, impingement with significant structural changes) may require longer — but physiotherapy is almost always the right first treatment before considering surgery.
Yes. We treat junior players from age 10 upwards and are aware of the specific growth-related injuries in young athletes — spondylolysis (lumbar stress fracture) in servers, Osgood-Schlatter in those with knee pain, and growth plate injuries in the shoulder.
If you hold private health insurance (Bupa, AXA, Vitality, Aviva, WPA, Cigna or Allianz), sports injuries including tennis injuries are typically covered under your physiotherapy benefit. We accept all major private health insurers. Contact your insurer to confirm authorisation requirements.
Same-week appointments available. No GP referral needed. CQC-registered clinic.
Book Online 020 8133 5694380 Ewell Road, Surbiton, KT6 7BE
Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00 | Sat 09:00–14:00
020 8133 5694