Your ten-year-old limps off the football pitch with sore heels most weekends. Your teenager’s knees hurt after every training session. Or an ankle that was sprained in the summer still isn’t right.
Children are not small adults. Their bones are still growing, and that changes both what goes wrong and how it should be managed. We see children and teenagers aged 5 and over, and you don’t need a GP referral.
What we see most in children and teenagers
- Heel pain in active children, often Sever’s, an irritation of the growth plate at the back of the heel
- Pain at the front of the knee, often Osgood-Schlatter, where the tendon below the kneecap pulls on its growth plate
- Sprains and strains from sport and play, including ankle sprains
- Aches during growth spurts, when muscles and tendons are catching up with bone
- Getting back to sport after an injury or time in a cast
Our article on growing pains or something more explains Sever’s and Osgood-Schlatter in more detail.
How we help
- A clear explanation, for you and for your child, of what is going on
- Advice on how much sport is sensible while it settles. It is rarely a case of stopping everything.
- Exercises that are short, simple and realistic for a child to keep up
- Hands-on treatment where it helps
- A plan for building back to full training and matches
Your child's first appointment
The first appointment lasts 45 minutes. A parent or guardian must come with any child under 16 and stays in the room throughout. We’ll ask you both what has been happening, what sport and activity your child does, and about growth and general health. We then look at how they move, and examine the sore area gently.
Shorts and a T-shirt make it easier. We’ll explain what we’ve found in language your child can follow, and you’ll leave with a plan.
Working with school and club sport
Most children want to know one thing: when can I play again? We’ll give you a plan you can share with a coach or PE teacher, with clear steps for returning to training, and we’ll adjust it as things improve.
For older teenagers in serious sport, our sports physiotherapists can add strength testing on VALD ForceDecks force plates at no extra cost.
When to see a doctor first
- A limp or pain with a fever, or a child who seems unwell
- A hot, red or swollen joint
- Pain that wakes your child at night, or pain that is there at rest and getting worse
- A child who cannot put any weight on a leg, or a limb that looks out of shape after a fall
- A young child with a limp and no obvious injury
These need a medical assessment before physiotherapy. The NHS has guidance on limping in children.
Who you'll see
Our physiotherapists are all chartered and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. We match each patient with the physiotherapist whose skills best fit their problem and what they want to get back to.
Martin Ratcliffe
Physiotherapist,
Acupuncture Physiotherapist
Martin is a chartered physiotherapist with experience in both private practice and elite sport. He has a particular interest in knee injuries, ACL rehabilitation and planning a safe return to sport, and continues to work with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Under-23s.
He combines hands-on treatment with progressive exercise rehabilitation, uses VALD ForceDecks force plates to measure strength, jumping and landing, and provides Össur knee braces. A keen runner and golfer, he understands what it means to want to get back to your own sport.
Insurers Martin Works With
Kirk Proto
Physiotherapist,
Acupuncture Physiotherapist
Kirk is a chartered physiotherapist who came to physiotherapy after a career in finance, graduating from the University of Brighton. He has specialist experience in rehabilitation after knee and hip surgery, and a particular interest in long-standing low back pain and nerve-related symptoms such as sciatica.
He combines soft tissue therapy, medical acupuncture and exercise-based rehabilitation, with the focus on getting you back to the things you enjoy. Outside the clinic he enjoys CrossFit and cricket.
Insurers Kirk Works With
Corinna Towler
Physiotherapist,
Restore C-section Scar Specialist,
APPI Pilates trained
Corinna is a chartered physiotherapist with a Master’s degree in Physiotherapy from the University of Southampton, building on an earlier qualification in sports therapy. Her background in elite gymnastics and national-level trampolining gives her a trained eye for how people move.
She is trained in APPI Clinical Pilates, medical acupuncture and RESTORE C-section scar therapy, and combines hands-on treatment with clear, progressive rehabilitation tailored to you.
Prices and insurance
- Initial physiotherapy assessment and treatment (45 minutes): £79
- Follow-up treatment (30 minutes): £64
No GP referral is needed. You pay at your appointment and we’ll give you an invoice to claim back from your insurer if you’re covered. Insurer recognition varies by physiotherapist, so ask us when you book. See our full price list
Frequently asked questions
If you have a question that isn’t answered here, call us and we’ll be glad to help.
- What age do you see children from?
-
We see children and teenagers aged 5 and over.
- Does a parent need to come?
-
Yes. A parent or guardian must attend with any child under 16 and stays in the room throughout the appointment.
- Will my child have to stop sport?
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Usually not completely. For most growing-related pain the aim is to adjust how much they do while it settles, and we’ll give you a plan you can share with their coach.
- Are growing pains something to worry about?
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Most aches during growth are harmless and settle. Pain in one specific spot, a limp, swelling or pain at night are reasons to have it checked.
- Do I need a GP referral?
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No, you can book directly. If you’re claiming on private health insurance, check whether your insurer needs a referral first.
Based in Haywards Heath, we see patients from:
You’ll find us at Unit 3, 2-8 Sussex Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 4EA. There’s free on-street parking on Sussex Road and two pay and display car parks a short walk away, and our entrance, treatment rooms and toilets are wheelchair accessible. We’re open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm, and Saturday 8am to 1pm.
Book an appointment
If your child has a pain or injury that isn’t settling, it’s worth having it looked at. Book online or call us on 01444 817851.
Reviewed by our chartered physiotherapists, Martin Ratcliffe, Kirk Proto and Corinna Towler, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. Last reviewed November 2026.
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