Choose a general physio if your main goals are easing everyday pain, improving mobility after surgery, or managing conditions like arthritis, back pain or balance problems, as they are trained to assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of musculoskeletal and medical issues. This is also the best pathway when to see a physio for knee pain related to arthritis, post-surgical stiffness or long-standing joint issues affecting walking and work.​

Choose a sports physio if your pain started or worsened with training, running, gym work or sport, or if you need a structured plan to return to competition and avoid re-injury. A sports physio is particularly useful if your knee, shoulder or ankle pain is linked to technique faults or training load errors, as they can analyse your movement and adjust your program, sometimes alongside clinical exercise physiology for longer-term conditioning.​

Both physio and sports physio often work closely with clinical exercise physiology to progress from early pain management to higher-level strength and conditioning for long-term results. In practice, that might mean starting with physio or sports physio to calm symptoms, then transitioning to exercise physiology for ongoing load management, performance goals and lifestyle change.​

 

If you’re unsure where to start, booking your first physio appointment with a general physio is usually a safe first step, as they can screen your condition and refer you to a sports physio or exercise physiologist if needed. Whether you have a new injury, are looking at returning to training post injury, or are recovering from surgery, getting early guidance from a physio or sports physio helps you stay active, recover faster and keep moving confidently all year round.