Physiotherapy services

Physiotherapy is all about helping your body move and function the way it should whether that means recovering from an injury, managing ongoing pain, improving your performance, or simply staying active as you age.

At New Plymouth Physiotherapy, every session starts with properly understanding what’s going on. A thorough assessment, a clear diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment options, plus all round good vibes. From there, we build a plan that’s actually right for you, using a mix of hands-on techniques, exercises and the latest technology to get you back to what you love doing.

Our senior physio team are skilled in a variety of evidence-based treatment options, including:

Manual therapy and joint mobilisation
Dry needling and acupuncture
Safe exercise prescription and programming
Taping and bracing
Sports Physiotherapy

No matter where you’re starting from, our team will meet you there and help you move forward. Wondering if we can help you? See below for a list of common injuries and conditions that we treat.

Sport injuries
Our sports physios bring more than clinical know-how with experience working alongside local and regional sports teams, close ties with gyms and running groups, and sporting backgrounds of our own, we understand what it feels like to be sidelined, and what it takes to get you back in the game.

Common sporting injuries we see include:

Foot injuries such as plantar fasciitis

Ankle sprains

Knee injuries, including ACL tears, both pre and post operative

Running-related injuries

Hip or groin pain

Lower back and neck pain

Shoulder injuries such as rotator cuff tears and bursitis

Elbow injuries such as tennis elbow

Wrist pain or injuries

Acute and stress fractures

We assess, diagnose and manage all of the above. Treatment typically starts with pain and load management, followed by hands-on treatment and sports-specific exercise prescription. Helping you get back to sport as quickly and safely as possible, with the lowest possible risk of re-injury. For more complex cases needing medical management or advanced imaging, we work closely with a number of trusted specialists across Taranaki.
Lower back pain
Lower back pain is one of the most common conditions we see in the clinic, affecting a large portion of the population at some point in their lives. It can result from an acute injury or develop as a longstanding (chronic) condition.

Common causes of lower back pain that our NP physios see and treat include:

Non-specific lower back pain – resulting from an acute injury or accident, or developing over time due to weakness, poor posture, or poor movement patterns

Disc-related lower back pain, i.e. a “bulging disc” – which can involve nerve pain and related symptoms

Degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis

Pregnancy-related lower back or sacroiliac joint pain

Our treatment aims to reduce pain, restore range of movement, and improve function. Helping you get back to your normal daily activities comfortably and pain-free. We typically combine education, postural correction, and hands-on treatment with targeted stretching and strengthening. In particular, we focus on strengthening the deep abdominal, hip, and back muscles that support your spine, to help prevent recurrent pain and injury
Neck pain and headaches
Neck pain, or pain related to the cervical spine, can occur as a result of an acute injury, postural issues, or a longstanding (chronic) condition. In some cases, neck pain can lead to cervicogenic headaches – secondary headaches caused by dysfunction in the upper cervical spine.

Common causes of neck pain that our NP physios see and treat include:

Acute wry neck

Whiplash

Neck strains, sprains, or fractures

Disc-related neck injuries – which can involve nerve pain and related symptoms

Posture-related neck pain

Degenerative conditions

During your appointment, your physiotherapist will identify the underlying cause of your neck pain or headache. This may relate to joint dysfunction, tight muscles attaching into the head, neck, or shoulder or, in most cases, a combination of both.

Treatment may involve education, postural correction, and hands-on treatment, combined with stretching and strengthening. This is aimed at reducing pain, restoring range of movement, and improving function. Helping you get back to your normal daily activities and exercise, comfortably and pain-free.
Tendon pain
Tendon injuries are a real pain – literally! They can happen to any of us, often resulting from overloading the tendon tissue through repetitive or heavy exercise, though they can also occur as a result of a sudden event or accident.

Some examples of tendon injuries that our NP physios see include:

Tendon injuries of the foot and ankle, e.g. tibialis posterior and peroneal tendons

Achilles tendinitis/tendinopathy

Achilles rupture

Patella tendinopathy

Gluteal tendon issues such as greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS)

Rotator cuff injuries

Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow

Tendon injuries of the wrist and hand, e.g. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis and intersection syndrome

Because tendons heal slowly, physiotherapy and rehabilitation play a really important role in supporting a speedy recovery and safe return to sport or exercise.

Treatment typically combines manual therapy, education on managing pain and inflammation, load management (including progressive loading through rehab), stretching and strengthening exercises, and biomechanical correction to reduce your risk of re-injury.
Muscle strains & sprains
Muscle strains are a common sporting injury, but they can happen to any of us, at any time. All it takes is a sudden force that stretches the muscle beyond its limits or contracts it too strongly, causing damage to the muscle tissue – ouch!
Common muscle injuries that our NP physios see include:
Calf strains
Hamstring strains
Quadriceps or hip flexor injuries
Bicep tears
Lower back injuries
Abdominal or intercostal muscle strains
Chest, neck, or shoulder strains
Muscle strains can vary in severity, from a mild stretch to a full rupture, and are categorised into three grades:
Grade 1: Mild damage affecting only a small number of muscle fibres, resulting in minimal loss of strength and range of motion.
Grade 2: More extensive damage involving more muscle fibres, though the muscle is not completely ruptured. These injuries often present with mild swelling, more noticeable loss of strength and range of motion, and sometimes bruising.
Grade 3: A complete rupture of the muscle, which can present with a palpable defect at the injury site. These injuries result in complete loss of muscle function, along with significant pain, swelling, tenderness, and bruising.
Physiotherapy treatment for low to moderate grade muscle injuries involves a combination of education, hands-on treatment, stretching and strengthening exercises, progressive loading through rehabilitation, and biomechanical correction to reduce your risk of re-injury.
For more significant or high-grade injuries, a surgical or specialist opinion may be required. We work alongside a number of Taranaki’s leading specialists and can arrange surgical referrals if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a doctor's referral?
Am I covered by ACC?

Depending on the nature and onset of your injury, you may be eligible for ACC-funded treatment. This means that you pay a subsidised appointment fee rather than the full private cost. If you don’t have an ACC claim already, your physio can discuss this with you at your initial appointment and create a claim for you online.
Do I need to bring anything with me to my appointment?

If you have any relevant documentation such as a referral letter from your doctor or specialist, ACC claim details, or anything else you think may be useful – please bring it along to your first appointment.
If you’re attending a strength testing consultation, please wear activewear and appropriate footwear.
Will I need any imaging or X-rays?

Imaging (plain X-ray, ultrasound or MRI) can be indicated in the event of certain injuries or conditions, although this depends on your presentation, history and symptoms. Our physios can arrange referrals for imaging if appropriate and work alongside many of New Plymouth’s leading specialists if further investigation is required.
The next available appointment online is too far away, what can I do about this?

Our team are busy bees! Our diaries can get booked up, sometimes weeks or even months in advance. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this causes and we do everything we can to accommodate our clients’ needs.
If you’re struggling to find a time that works for you, don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or email. We keep a cancellation list and can add you to it. We’ll let you know as soon as an earlier appointment becomes available.
For general physiotherapy bookings for acute injuries, we aim to hold some appointment slots for walk-ins each week. These may not be visible in our online booking system, so if you need an urgent appointment, please get in touch and we’ll do our best to fit you in.

Book now

Physiotherapy services

Frequently asked questions

06-757 8800

151 St Aubyn Street I New Plymouth