Physio on the River

Physio on the River A one stop physiotherapy clinic for the treatment of everyday aches and pains and injury management

Run by Diana Wilson, Physio on the River is celebrating 20 years in business.

Are you a Weekend Warrior? In other words, do you try to “fit a week’s worth of exercise into one or two days”? Several ...
30/07/2026

Are you a Weekend Warrior? In other words, do you try to “fit a week’s worth of exercise into one or two days”? Several articles in The Guardian highlighted a study of nearly 90,000 people enrolled in the UK Biobank Project.
“The more concentrated bouts of physical activity favoured by weekend warriors seemed as effective at reducing the risk of future disease as regular sessions spread evenly through the week, leading researchers to suspect the total amount of exercise people got was more important than how frequently they trained.”
The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week to keep healthy, with even one or two sessions a week reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. As a rule of thumb, the border between moderate and vigorous exercise is when it becomes too difficult to finish spoken sentences while exercising.
We can help you plan an exercise routine to match your fitness levels and reduce the risk of physical injury. However should you need physiotherapy along the way we can help get you back to your favoured form of exercise sooner rather than later.
“The strongest effects were for cardiometabolic disorders. Compared with inactive people, the risk of hypertension was more than 20% lower in weekend warriors and regular exercisers, while the risk of diabetes was down more than 40%.”
𝗧𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/sep/26/weekend-warrior-workouts-daily-exercise
𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk

Maintaining mobility is vital as we age, especially for anyone over 60. Mobility is linked to ageing well, however, you ...
21/07/2026

Maintaining mobility is vital as we age, especially for anyone over 60. Mobility is linked to ageing well, however, you may not realise you are losing this vital ability to move freely and easily until it’s gone - as it’s loss can be a gradual progression depending on, for example, age, occupation, environment and genetics.
Although any exercise at all is better than no exercise, “aerobic strengthening and balance exercises can be especially beneficial. Examples include walking, getting up and down from a chair, and single-leg stands.”
Staying mobile and active will give you “your biggest bang for your buck for ageing successfully”, says Dr Angela Sanford, a care provider and associate professor of geriatric medicine at St Louis University. And if you already avoid too much movement or exercise because you have a fear of falling or feel unbalanced, then consider booking a session or two with one of our experienced physical trainers or exercise instructors. An initial appointment with a physiotherapist first would also help identity the key issues - they can then brief the instructor to work with you to develop a personalised programme to improve your overall muscle strength and balance, and consequentially to give you the confidence to keep moving into later life. If you prefer the encouragement of working with others, then we also run small classes in our studio. Please contact our Reception Team for availability and further details.
“Being active benefits the brain too”, says Jennifer Schrack, director of the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health. “Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which, in turn, delivers oxygen and nutrients”. Research on adults between 50 and 83 suggests that just 30 minutes of exercise can improve memory. “People who tend to move more and move faster tend to have better brain health,” she adds..
LINK: read more about how your body is affected as you enter your 60’s and what you can do about it, at:
https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/jan/24/healthy-aging-process-60s

Are you eating enough protein? Did you know that as we age, nutritionists advise that we increase the amount of protein ...
19/07/2026

Are you eating enough protein? Did you know that as we age, nutritionists advise that we increase the amount of protein in our diet to ‘help build and maintain muscle mass’ (which starts to naturally decrease in your early 30s). “When you combine loss of muscle with loss of bone, you’ve got the perfect storm to fall and fracture a hip or break an arm.”
“Older adults need 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal, along with 12 to 15 grams per snack, for optimal muscle health”, says Nancy Rodriguez who is a professor of nutritional sciences. She continues “one essential amino acid in particular, is leucine, which stimulates muscle growth and prevents the deterioration of muscle as we age.” [You will find leucine in chicken, beef, pork chops, tuna, ricotta cheese and pumpkin seeds.]
Start by adding additional protein to your breakfast or mid-morning snack (instead of those chocolate digestives). For example, plain Greek yoghurt is a great source of protein (we like Fage although there are many brands out there). Add sliced strawberries or a cut-up banana or blueberries. Or add two scrambled or boiled eggs with plain seeded granary or sourdough toast. Beans, legumes, nuts and seeds are also great sources of protein in addition to the more obvious choices of animal meat, poultry and fish. A study in the ‘American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’ found that those aged between 67 to 84 who “evenly distributed their protein consumption throughout the day tended to have stronger muscles than those who packed their protein into a single meal.”
The amount and type of protein you need may be subject not only to your age but your height, weight and gender. If you’d like more personal advice, then why not book an appointment with our in-house nutritionist Sharon Kallos. Contact our Reception Team for further details 0208 8765690 or via out website.
𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞: 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲:
https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2019/how-much-protein-do-you-need.html #:~:text=Yes%2C%20animal%20meat%2C%20poultry%20and,of%20muscle%20as%20we%20age.

Congratulations to Diana Wilson of Physio on the River who came 5th in the recent 2026 European Women’s Croquet Champion...
03/07/2026

Congratulations to Diana Wilson of Physio on the River who came 5th in the recent 2026 European Women’s Croquet Championships held in Carrickmines, Ireland last weekend. Representing England, she won the Shield after 4 days of very touch competition, playing in much warmer conditions than usual.
Well done too, to everyone who competed and many thanks to Carrickmines who hosted the event.
Playing croquet can be a surprisingly effective workout. If you’d like to learn more, then read the blog on website that Diana wrote a couple of years ago. However, “ensuring you are fit enough to play at Championship level requires a whole extra level of dedication”, says Diana and “the benefits are evident to anyone who plays.”
’sCroquet

Last chance for our EARLY BIRD OFFER on our Autumn Term exercise classes. Sign up today and you will avoid the July pric...
30/06/2026

Last chance for our EARLY BIRD OFFER on our Autumn Term exercise classes. Sign up today and you will avoid the July price increase*.
If you attend a regular class and would like to keep your spot, please either sign up online or call our friendly Reception team on 0208 876 5690 to book now.
*We are sadly having to increase our class fees due to rising overheads however we are doing our best to keep any increases we pass on to you to a minimum (just £1 extra per class).

Best exercise ever? Adding squats to your daily exercise programme can, as you age, help to support joint health and boo...
23/04/2026

Best exercise ever? Adding squats to your daily exercise programme can, as you age, help to support joint health and boost functional strength. So says Natalya Alexeyenko and many other personal fitness trainers. They are “an excellent way to assess the body’s joint mobility and core stability.” 
1. Set your stance: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
2. Engage your core: Maintain a neutral spine and brace your core throughout the movement.
3. Focus on depth: Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as deep as your mobility allows, ensuring your knees track over your toes.
4. Weight distribution: Keep the weight in your quads and hips rather than shifting onto your toes or knees.
5. Controlled movement: Descend slowly and push through your heels to return to the starting position, avoiding momentum.
6. Breathing: Inhale as you lower and exhale as you push back up.
For 51 to 60 year olds, aim for 25 repetitions for men and 20 for women, while for those aged over 61, says Natalya, x5 to x15 squats will help to ‘maintain mobility and reduce the risk of falls’. And working towards fall prevention is key advice that physiotherapists promote to all clients. At Physio on the River we also offer several classes for balance & strength: call our Reception Team 𝗼𝗻 𝟬𝟮𝟬𝟴 𝟴𝟳𝟲 𝟱𝟲𝟵𝟬 to find out more.
Read more about the benefits of squats and how to execute them:
https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/squats-benefits -worked
LINK: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14309603/number-body-squats-experts-age-health-fitness.htm

Don’t forget, our SUMMER TERM of exercise classes starts this week. Beginning with our popular FLexercise class on Thurs...
14/04/2026

Don’t forget, our SUMMER TERM of exercise classes starts this week. Beginning with our popular FLexercise class on Thursday 16th April. If you have yet to sign up or would like to join a class, please call our Reception team now on: 020 8876 5690.
We have one or two places left in a couple of our classes, including Balance & Strength on a Monday & Saturday morning and Men’s Pilates on Wednesdays.
The Summer Term will run through until 25th July. Alternatively, please do pop in to the clinic or call our Reception Team for further information. Timetables are also available on our website.
If you have already signed up with us for the Summer Term, a very big thank you from everyone at the studio. We hope you have had an enjoyable break over Easter and we look forward to seeing you back in class.
For anyone who maybe new to us or the area, just so you know: in addition to our Physiotherapy services, Physio on the River specialises in small group, exercise classes (maximum 6 attendees per class) to ensure you receive plenty of personal attention.
Our classes include mat Pilates, Yoga, Balance & Strength, movement to music (FLexercise and Dance, Tone & Stretch). Plus Personal Training (with George) and personal physio rehab training (with Conor) for anyone looking to strengthen or rehabilitate a particular area of the body or who might be training for an event such as the London Marathon.

Are you looking for a Sports & Therapeutic Massage with someone who has a deep understanding of runners and aims to help...
17/03/2026

Are you looking for a Sports & Therapeutic Massage with someone who has a deep understanding of runners and aims to help you prevent injury (wherever possible?). Then please welcome Sarah Macmillan to Physio on the River, who has become a strong addition to our team.
As a keen hill-runner, Sarah is particularly interested in the importance of prehabilitation and soft tissue health maintenance, with a focus on injury reduction and prevention. Anyone currently training for the London Marathon may find this particularly useful in the lead up to the event in April.
Sarah is qualified to ITEC Level 4 in Sports Massage Therapy, having trained at St Mary’s University. (To complement her skills, Sarah also trained in Myofascial Release: the John Barnes Technique).
Appointments are available now with Sarah on a Monday afternoon and evening (2.30pm to 8.30pm, perfect for anyone who would like an after-work treatment); and a Friday morning from 8am.
You can either book online via our website or call our Reception Team now on 0208 876 5690.

Do you struggle to stand up from a seated position? Or do you ever lose your balance when going from sitting to standing...
09/02/2026

Do you struggle to stand up from a seated position? Or do you ever lose your balance when going from sitting to standing? Following on from our previous post - that standing more could be good for you – here we focus on how to stand up (even if you don’t currently find it a challenge).
Learning how to do a Sit-to-Stand exercise could help you improve your lower body strength and general mobility too. This is particularly important once you are past 50.
Additionally, exercises to strengthen your core, thighs, hips, and rear, offers many benefits, such as:
• Improved ability to do everyday activities, such as sitting down, standing up, or climbing stairs without pain
• Better balance (which can also help promote independence for some older adults)
• Increased mobility, especially in the knees, hips, and ankles
• Improved muscular endurance
• Easier recovery from a hip or knee injury or surgery
*Find out more by following the link below, where Hinge offer a few top tips on how to stand up from a sitting position. Alternatively, why not book an appointment today with us, either to see one of our experienced physiotherapists or a personal trainer. After an assessment to judge your current levels of fitness they can show you how to execute the exercises correctly and put together a personalised programme for you to practice at home.
LINKS
*https://www.hingehealth.com/resources/articles/sit-to-stand

How often to do you physically stand up? Did you know that sitting down for too long during the day can harm your heart,...
05/02/2026

How often to do you physically stand up? Did you know that sitting down for too long during the day can harm your heart, even if you are active at other times?
“Spending more than 10-and-a-half hours sitting, reclining or lying down during daytime hours could increase the risk of dying from heart failure, a heart attack or stroke – even if you do the recommended levels of exercise”, a recent US study* has suggested. Analysis revealed that the ‘threshold’ of 10.5 hours of sitting per day, was critical - “the risk of dying from these causes rose significantly in people who sat, reclined or lay down for more than 10.6 hours a day”. This was even true for participants “who met the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week”.
If you tend to over-estimate how much exercise you do and under-estimate how long you are sedentary, then try using a tracker on a digital device (eg. a fitness watch). Even simple measures such as moving the TV remote so you must stand up to change channels or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to move, even for a few minutes (make a cup of tea or to stretch), could make all the difference. For any office workers, consider a ‘standing desk’. Use every opportunity to stay standing rather than sit down (on the tube for example, or in a work meeting if acceptable). And when you do sit down, stand up again before sitting down once more (without using your hands if possible).
If you’d like tips and advice on how to incorporate more movement into your daily life, or how to become more active even if you hate exercise, then come and see one of our physios or physical instructors. At Physio on the River, we run several classes aimed at building balance & strength. We even have a fun FLexercise class aimed at the over 50’s which doesn’t seem like exercise at all. Please contact our Reception Team for further details.
𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦 & 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦
*Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital analysed data from fitness trackers that captured movement over seven days for nearly 90,000 British people
www.bdiusa.com/products/sequel-20-6152-large-modern-executive-height-adjustable-standing-desk

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London

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Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 1pm

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+442088765690

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