Shawe Physio

26/11/2025

💙We’re delighted to introduce Rachael Pinto💙

Our newest member of the musculoskeletal physiotherapist team at Shawe Physio built her career across the NHS and private practice, with a strong focus on sports injuries, lower-limb rehabilitation, and post-operative care. She has worked closely with local gyms, consultants, and several sports teams, including Maidenhead Rugby, Real Bedford FC Women’s, Baldock Town FC Women’s, and Chiltern Futsal Women’s.

Her journey into physiotherapy began with her own experiences as a footballer, having competed internationally and recovered from two ACL injuries. This gives her a genuine understanding of her patients’ challenges and goals.

Rachael is also trained in sports massage, athletic taping, kinesiology taping, and holds a BSc in Counselling Psychology, allowing her to support patients with both skill and empathy.

Outside the clinic, she enjoys travelling, exploring the UK, and playing the guitar.

We’re proud to have Rachael on the Shawe Physio team—her thoughtful, patient-centred approach helps people return to the activities they love with confidence.

To book your appointment with Rachael:
📞 01992 451849
📨 Reception@shawephysio.com
🌐 https://online.tm2app.com/shawephysio

02/11/2025

🎉 Celebrating 10 Years of Shawe Physio! 🎉

Today marks a decade since Shawe Physio opened its doors in 2015 – and what a journey it’s been. Over the past 10 years we’ve treated over 6,000 patients, staying true to our motto “treating the cause, not just the symptoms” every step of the way.

Ten years ago, we started with a simple vision: provide physiotherapy care that focuses on doing right by every patient, focusing on evidence-based treatment and no gimmicks. That vision has helped Shawe Physio grow into Hertfordshire’s premier provider of physiotherapy, sports massage and personal training, we’ve continually expanded our services to meet your needs – from advanced neurological rehab and gait analysis for runners, to balance, mobility and fitness classes to help our community stay active and connected.

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Over the past decade, there have been so many highlights that we’re proud of. To name just a few, we’ve:
• Helped thousands of individuals overcome injuries and get back to their best, from young athletes to centenarians.
• Supported local sports teams and events, Hoddesdon Swimming Club’s and Hoddesdon Football Club’s, as well as Give your town the Run around and other charity events.
• Earned amazing feedback from our patients, whose kind words inspire us every day.

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For us, the greatest reward is hearing your success stories. Your testimonials and reviews have been truly humbling. You’ve told us how our “excellent treatment, knowledge and advice” led to life-changing improvements in your health. One patient even described our physio as “in a league of his own” with “deep knowledge and genuine kindness” feedback like this reminds us why we love what we do. We’ve seen clients run marathons for charity with our support, and an elite gymnast return to competition after career-threatening injuries with our rehabilitation. Nothing makes us prouder than knowing we’ve made a positive impact in your lives.

To everyone in the Hoddesdon & Broxbourne community: thank you for trusting Shawe Physio as your partner in health. Your support, referrals, and encouragement over the years mean the world to us. Our highly skilled team remains as committed as ever to providing personalised, evidence-based care. Here’s to the next 10 years of keeping our community active, healthy and strong. Thank you for being part of our journey – and cheers to many more years ahead!

— The Shawe Physio Team

Herfordshire's premier private healthcare provider, specialising in Physiotherapy and Sports Massage

20/10/2025

💙 Meet Nick, our newest physiotherapist at Shawe Physio. 💙

Since graduating from the University of Hertfordshire, Nick has worked across the NHS gaining broad experience in musculoskeletal and orthopaedic rehabilitation, elderly rehabilitation, and sports injury management. With a passion for helping people regain confidence and function through tailored exercise and hands-on treatment, he brings valuable expertise in sports massage, taping, and post-operative recovery. Outside the clinic, Nick is a keen athlete who has represented Great Britain in ultimate frisbee and enjoys golf, badminton, and puzzles. We're thrilled to have him on the team.

To book your intiial assessment wiht Nick today, call us on 01992 451849 or email reception@shawephysio.com.

08/10/2025

🔷 Why Strength Training is a Game-Changer for Back Pain 🔷

Research continues to confirm what many physiotherapists already see in clinic – strength training is one of the most effective tools for managing chronic back pain.

A recent 2025 meta-analysis in Scientific Reports found that targeted resistance exercises for the back and core significantly reduced pain levels in people with long-term low back pain. Participants who trained these muscle groups regularly reported better function, less discomfort, and reduced need for pain medication.

At Shawe Physio, we focus on building strength where it matters most. By improving trunk stability and muscle control, we help patients not only reduce pain but also move more confidently and prevent recurrence.

If back pain is limiting your daily life, tailored strength and conditioning could be the key to long-term relief.

Book an assessment today to start your journey towards a stronger, pain-free back. Visit www.shawephysio.com or call us on 01992451849 to arrange your appointment.

26/09/2025

🍑 To Glute or not to Glute? 🍑

Our gluteal muscles are the largest and most powerful in our body. Unfortunately, these muscles have a tendency to become underused and therefore weak, leading to less-than-ideal posture and movement quality. Here are 5 reasons why we all need strong and healthy gluteal muscles:

1. Function - The glute are the powerhouse behind propulsion, the thing that drives us forwards when walking, running and powering us up the stairs! Although they are assisted by other muscles like the hamstrings, the glutes contribute 60% of our hip extension power.

2. Balance - Our glutes maintain a level pelvis to ensure we are balanced even when standing on one leg.

3. Deceleration - Just as important as the glutes are at driving us up a flight of stairs they are also essential for control when coming down. The glutes must decelerate and stabilise our body weight to prevent us from collapsing each time we sit down or take a step downtrairs.

4. Preventing injury of the low back and knee joints - One of the most common postural dysfunctions linked to weak glutes, is having an anteriorly tilted pelvis which causes the spine to extend excessively known as hyperlordosis. This can place stress on the joints of the lumbar spine and prevent the core muscles from adequately stabilising the lumbar vertebrae.

5. Sports Performance - any running or jumping sport requires strong and powerful glutes for peak performance. The quicker the glutes can switch on and fire the faster an athlete can drive off the floor.

If you have any questions regarding the strengthening of the gluteal muscles and how to improve posture and function. Our dedicated fitness specialist Dan would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Please contact us at 01992 451849 or via email to dan@shawephysio.com.

15/09/2025

🧠 Rebuilding Life After a Stroke with Physiotherapy 🧠

At Shawe Physio, we specialize in helping stroke survivors regain their strength and independence. Here’s why physiotherapy is crucial:

🌟 Restore Movement and Function:

Strength & Coordination: Targeted exercises improve muscle recruitment and balance.
Flexibility: Stretching helps increase range of motion and reduce high tone in tight muscles.

💪 Promote Independence:

Functional Training: Practice daily activities to regain independence.
Assistive Devices: Learn to use tools that aid in daily tasks.

🧘 Support Well-Being:

Confidence & Motivation: Gradual progress with clear measured markers to boost morale.
Support Bodily Systems: Movement and Standing aid with blood pressure and gut function as well as maintaining bone density.

🔄 Prevent Complications:

Contractures & Sores: Movement prevents muscle shortening and pressure sores.
Heart Health: Staying active reduces the risk of further strokes.

👩‍⚕️ Personalized Care:
Our team provides tailored, evidence-based treatments to support every stage of recovery and level of startign ability.

If you or a loved one is recovering from a stroke, reach out to us. Let’s work together to regain strength and independence.

📞 Call us at 01992 451849 or 📨 Email: Reception@shawephysio.com

08/09/2025

🔵 Exercise Reduces Risk of Alzheimer’s Dementia! 🔵

Recent studies have continued to support the evidence that regular exercise is one of the only preventative measures we can take against a loss of cognitive function as we age. The great news is that we can make improvements in our brains at ANY age.

Movement keeps us sharp! The input needs to be 3-5 times per week, consistent, moderately challenging and there are brain bonuses to doing it as part of a community and keeping our social engagement high.

We are proactively supporting our local community around Hoddesdon and Broxbourne in being less sedentary and isolated. So come and join one of our broad range of light to moderate exercise classes such as our Physio Fit classes at Shawe Physio, which run on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12:00 - 13:00.

To reserve your FREE trial space:
📞 Call 01992 451849
📨 Email Reception@shawephysio.com
https://www.shawephysio.com/hoddesdon-broxbourne-physio-fitness-wellbeing-weightloss-joint-replacement/

18/07/2025

⚽🏃‍♀️ Is your sporty child dealing with aches, pains or recurring niggles?

Don’t just hope they’ll “grow out of it” — growing bodies under high activity need the right support.

At Shawe Physio, we help young athletes recover, stay active, and avoid future injury with expert physiotherapy tailored for children and teens.

✅ Assess and treat sports-related pain and injuries
✅ Screen for common growing pains (like Osgood-Schlatter’s or Sever’s)
✅ Prevent issues before they become long-term problems
✅ Support performance and confidence in sport

Whether your child plays football, dances, swims, or runs — a sports physio assessment can help them stay healthy, strong, and happy in their sport.

📍 Book now at our Hoddesdon & Broxbourne clinic:
👉 www.shawephysio.com

Tag a parent who might need this!

23/06/2025

🔷Myth-Busting Monday 🔷

Myth: You should avoid exercise if you have arthritis.
Fact: The right kind of movement actually reduces stiffness, boosts joint health, and eases discomfort over time!

At Shawe Physio, we understand how daunting it can feel to stay active when your joints are sore or stiff—but resting too much can actually make things worse.

💡 Here’s the truth:
✔️ Regular, low-impact exercise helps lubricate your joints,
✔️ Builds muscle support,
✔️ Improves mobility and balance,
✔️ And even boosts your mood and confidence!

Our team specialises in creating safe, tailored exercise plans to help you move with less pain and more freedom—whether you’re managing osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or recovering from joint surgery.

You don’t need to run marathons—simple, guided movement done regularly can make a big difference.

📅 Book a consultation and let’s get you moving again—safely, comfortably, and confidently.

Find us in Hoddesdon: ShawePhysio.com or call 01992 451849

21/06/2025

💪 Ready to Elevate Your Fitness in a Supportive Environment? 💪

Join our Small Group Personal Training sessions at Shawe Physio!

📅 Class Schedule:
• Wednesdays: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
• Alternating Saturdays: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Why Choose Our Small Group Training?
• Personalized Attention: Limited to 8 participants to ensure individualized guidance.
• Expert Supervision: Led by experienced personal trainers focusing on your form and progress.
• Tailored Exercises: Circuit-style workouts adaptable to various fitness levels and goals.
• Holistic Approach: Ideal for those aiming to improve fitness, manage weight, or address specific health concerns.

Special Offer:
• First Class: FREE trial to experience the benefits firsthand.
• Pricing: £12.50 per class or £9 per class with a block of 6 sessions. 

Location: Shawe Physio, Fawkon Walk, Hoddesdon, EN11 8TJ 

Reserve Your Spot Today!
Spaces are limited to maintain quality and safety. Book now to secure your place in our next session. 
https://www.shawephysio.com/small-group-personal-training-hoddesdon-broxbourne/

09/06/2025

🔵 Myth-Busting Monday! 🔵

Myth: Pain always means something is damaged.
Fact: Pain is not a direct indicator of tissue damage. It’s your brain’s way of protecting you—and it can be influenced by many factors beyond injury.

🔍 Research shows that stress, poor sleep, past experiences, fear of movement, and even your beliefs about pain can amplify or sustain pain, even when the original injury has healed.

💡 That’s why we sometimes see:
• People with severe scan results but no pain
• Others with persistent pain but no structural findings

This doesn’t mean the pain isn’t real—it absolutely is. But it does mean that treating pain effectively involves more than just “fixing a body part.”

At Shawe Physio, we take a whole-person approach—looking at physical movement, nervous system sensitivity, stress, posture, and lifestyle habits—to help you move with confidence again.

If your pain hasn’t responded to rest, medication, or scans, don’t give up. Let’s explore what really needs attention.

📅 Book in today to start your recovery by calling 01992 451849 or email: Reception@shawephysio.com

04/06/2025

🔵Why does my lower back keep hurting even though I stretch it?🔵

This is a common question — and an important one.

While stretching can offer short-term relief, persistent lower back pain is often not caused by tight muscles alone. In many cases, the root issue lies in a lack of strength and endurance in your deep core, glutes, and spinal stabilisers.

Research shows that motor control deficits and poor load tolerance are major contributors to recurring back pain — not just flexibility problems.

💡So what helps?
✅ A tailored strength and movement program
✅ Learning to control movement under load
✅ Gradually increasing activity tolerance
✅ Addressing posture, stress, and sleep quality

Stretching isn’t harmful — but it’s rarely the full solution. If your back pain keeps coming back, it may be time to focus on building a more resilient system, not just a more flexible one.

For detailed assessment of lower back issues and support with creating a tailored strength and movement programming to improve your lower back function, contact us on ☎️ 01992 451849 or via 📨reception@shawephysio.com.