Sports Masseurs, Personal Trainers, Pilates Teachers & Other Therapists
The prime purpose of massage is to help alleviate stress and tension that can build up in the body’s soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments). In sport, this work takes on a special role in helping to enhance performance and prevent injury, by promoting recovery and monitoring the condition of the tissues. As well as the general therapeutic value of massage, it can also safely and effectively treat many minor soft tissue injuries. Most injuries in sport are of an overuse nature and the cause of this overuse needs to be identified and remedied, otherwise the injury is likely to recur.
Treatment using the Bowen Technique aims to support and boost the natural healing capabilities of the body. Bowen therapists believe that the body has the ability to adjust, adapt and heal itself. Reflexology is a holistic therapy where the therapist uses a specific pressure technique applied to the feet or hands, where all the internal body structures, glands and organs are mirrored in miniature. By pressure on these reflexes, the therapist can treat the whole body.
Reflexology helps the body to maintain a state of homeostasis and enhances energy flow, which encourages the body to heal itself and the systems of the body to work in harmony.
A number of specialists have been recommended by Serpie members (shown in bold) and they are listed below. Members with additional recommendations are invited to email them in the same format.
Note that neither Serpentine RC nor its members may be held responsible for any diagnosis or treatment. Before engaging the services of any specialist members should satisfy themselves as to training, experience and insurance. If in any doubt you should consult your GP.
It is strongly advised that you double check the cost with the specialist before commencing treatment.
| Sports massage | Area | Recommendation |
| Kinga Bornemisza Soft Tissue Therapy 078 4277 7922 | "Kinga is based near Swiss Cottage but accessible around London, I have used her now for more than a year and she helped me to get through a season of long hours and intense workload. I have not been injured since I started to work with her on a regular basis. Her knowledge and methods are way ahead of her years. Not only does she show great attention to detail on current physical issues, bus also shows a wider interest in the source of injuries by questioning and researching past problems and techniques. Kinga is herself an active Serpie runner and triathlete. I fully recommend her to the serious athlete or anyone trying to keep on top of a busy training and race schedule."Martin Muldoon. Discount for Serpentine members | |
| Nick Castle Nick Castle Sports Massage 078 3004 0067 | SW London | "Nick Castle is based in South Kensington/Chelsea but I believe he is also available to work in other locations. He has great experience is working with sports injuries and is also a personal trainer. He has a thorough approach to understanding the clients need and asks for constant feedback throughout the session. He is responsive and works hard to fit in around your schedule. I highly recommend his professional and friendly approach!" Sylvie Lloyd |
| Sarah Chatwin Alexander Technique with Sarah Chatwin 078 2863 6244 | City (WC1N) | "Sarah has a calm and open approach, gently highlighting the huge impact that achieving "effortless equilibrium" has on your running but also on your whole life! Her website is an education in itself, but is no substitute for a few sessions with excellent follow up. If you work on a computer all day, be prepared for a life changing experience!" Robin Tuddenham |
| Roberto Ciurleo Robertofitness 079 7478 4144 | "Roberto has performed the miracle that I always hoped physios could do. He has made me faster without much work from me. (Barring a bit of a stretch now and again). My legs feel free and my stride length has increased which is obviously leading to faster times."Dan Bent | |
| Nikki Collis Pressurepoints Therapy 079 0595 6717 | City & SW | "Nikki is a fantastic sports massage therapist she is very friendly and works in a very professional manner at all times. I would definitely recommend her to all and will using her services again." Antonio Latorre |
| Charlotte Cunliffe Vital Hands 078 7989 7896 | Tunbridge Wells | "She an excellent sport massage therapist."Ludovica Bruno |
| Timo Dahlstedt Timo Massage Therapy 077 8526 8379 | Pineapple Studios, Covent Garden WC2 | "I've been seeing him for about a year now and he has worked his magic on my body many times. I can honestly say I feel like a new man after I've seen him. He used to work as a sports massage therapist at The Royal Ballet massaging some of the best dancers in the world before setting up on his own at The Pineapple dance studios. On top of that he's a really good bloke with a real interest in sport."Julian Nagi |
| Mark Edmonds 1 Stop Body Shop | Canary Wharf (Reebok Sports Club), City (Physio in the City) & Covent Garden Physio Clinic | "Many Serpies will know Mark already from his swim coaching. He was (and still is occasionally!) one of the fastest triathletes in the country, and comes highly recommended as a sports massage therapist based out of the Reebok Sports Club in Canary Wharf, Physio in the City in EC4 and Covent Garden Physiotherapy Clinic, WC2."Richard Melik Discount for Serpentine members |
| Charlotte Edmundson Helping Hands Massage | Islington & Kensington | "I ran the Paris marathon on Sunday, and much to my surprise posted a new PB time of 3:28:03 after fairly mediocre training. I can only put my unexpected success down to my massage after my last run before the marathon. Not only did I get an unexpected PB I also don't have sore legs (a first for me after a marathon)."Steve Turner |
| Sam de la Haye 075 3562 3989 | Clapham | "She is extremely good and has done various events, such as the marathon de' sable, so has a good insider knowledge of sports injuries/ muscle tension and knows where to find all your tender spots."Jonathan Watts |
| Wendy Hilton Pure Sports Medicine 0844 770 0800 | SW7 | "I have been seeing Wendy since taking up competitive marathon running two years ago. It is testament to her skills as a masseur that has enabled me to train at such high intensity for long sustained periods of time without breaking down."Alex Vero Discount for Serpentine members |
| Chris Horlock K2 Sports Massage 078 9498 3429 & 020 8896 1451 | Home sports massage therapy - will visit | "I had several massages from Chris while I was training for FLM and I can honestly say that, if it wasn't for him sorting out one niggling injury after another, I would never have completed the training and got through it on the day. He is also a mine of information about injury prevention, cross training and stretching."Siobhan Reddy |
| Laura Miller Hands on Sport 077 8622 7527 | Battersea or Clapham | "I can highly recommend Laura Miller if you live in the Battersea or Clapham area. She has a permanent massage table set up at her home just near Clapham Common and both Laura and her husband are competitive runners/ triathletes." Richard Melik |
| Julia Pizzichemi Anatomymatters 079 5800 2192 | South and West London – will visit | "I'd like to recommend Julia Pizzichemi for home visits in South West London, she's is based around Putney and is happy to travel pretty much anywhere in an SW postcode and some of the W's too. She's a therapist for the Harlequins Rugby Team so is certainly not afraid to be firm! It's working for me - it's the first time in a while that I've been able to build up my training without getting injured."Andrew Bloxam |
| Andrew Reeves andrewreevestherapies 077 2556 3075 | NW6 (Kilburn) | "I received a course of treatment from Andrew during his training and was immediately impressed that he knew what he was doing. He takes an individual approach to treatment and is ready to reassess the situation for each session, and I have found him to be quite effective. He also runs quite fast."Malcolm Hinsley Discount for Serpentine members |
| Janey Sattentau Active Calm 079 7361 4403 | Hampstead & Kentish Town | "I thoroughly recommend Janey. She has helped me through injury using remedial massage techniques and by prescribing specific yoga postures, and I sincerely believe that she's had an impact on my performance. Her manner is extremely personable and she is clearly very knowledgeable."Tom Diethe Discount for Serpentine members |
| Annette Springer 079 7710 5993 | Canary Wharf (E14) | "I can recommend Annette Springer very highly to any Serpies looking for a massage to soothe those sore muscles or injuries. She's helped various niggling things of mine and she came recommended by a fellow Serpie to me. She does sports and deep tissue massage and sports injury prevention. Very competitively priced too."Rachel Smith |
| Brian Swanton Physio in the City 0844 800 7312 | First Floor, Seymour Leisure Centre, Seymour Place, London, W1H 5TJ | "Physio in the City, at the Seymour Centre, is a Flora recommended 'marathon clinic', with every kind of specialist you could need on hand there. Brian Swanton - Sports Massage Therapist and Stephanie Melis - Physiotherapist, can work together, or separately, to ensure the cause, treatment and prevention of injuries and 'niggles' are fully addressed. Both have done such a good job, I now need to go less, which has got to be a good recommendation! Plus Brian said he's happy to do post run sessions after Wednesday or Saturday club runs, so you can't get more convenient than that!"Laura Denness Discount for Serpentine members |
| Bowen therapist | Area | Recommendation |
| Nikke Ariff Mind Body Positive 020 7388 9818 & 079 4141 7441 | W1 | "Bowen Technique is a soft tissue manipulation therapy working on the acupressure points. It is extremely gentle but can be very effective on injuries or for general maintenance since it encourages the body to heal itself. I have found it especially effective in aiding recuperation after marathons."Andrew Maynard |
| Personal Trainers & Pilates Teachers | Area | Recommendation |
| Penny Thorn ArtofPilates 079 0044 0022 | NW London and in your workplace | "Penny's Pilates classes for Serpentine members are specifically designed for runners. The sessions are challenging as well as friendly and work on strengthening and stretching the areas that runners should be thinking about. I would thoroughly recommend Penny as a Pilates instructor."Sally Hodge |
| Laura Williams laurawilliams.co.uk 077 1200 1525 | Will work at your home in London | "Laura holds great courses at the Serpentine Running Club and holds additional qualifications in sports conditioning and movement analysis. I can highly recommend her."Beate Vogt |
| Nutritionists | Area | Recommendation |
| Henrietta Bailey Pure Sports Medicine 0844 770 0800 | City & SW7 | "I saw Henrietta in the lead up to my first marathon. She is really friendly and passionate about nutrition which makes it very easy to talk to her. She gave me a personalised nutritional plan, which was a guideline for my day-to-day nutrition to support my training requirements, and also included nutrition for the lead up to race day. As a result of my sessions with her I have a great awareness of proper nutrition and what works best for me. I highly recommend her."Natalie Kolodziej Discount for Serpentine members |