Sports Therapy in Hackney & Islington
Sports Therapy
A thorough injury assessment and treatment designed to understand not just your pain, but the root cause behind it. Every session is clinically guided and tailored to you, combining hands-on therapy with structured rehabilitation to support both recovery and performance.
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Sports Therapy in short
Sports Therapy is a hands-on clinical treatment focused on reducing pain, improving mobility, aiding recovery, and restoring physical function. It combines several techniques in a single session: manual therapy, soft tissue work, dry needling, dry cupping, mobility work, and/or bodyweight rehabilitation exercises , tailored to what your body actually needs that day. 45, 60, or 90 minutes with Emelie, available at both our Hackney (E8) and Islington (N7) studios.
Who delivers it?
Emelie, Sports Therapist, Rehab & PT (Hackney & Islington). Sports Therapy is Emelie's primary clinical practice. She works with a clinical, results-led approach , treating injury, supporting return-to-sport, managing chronic musculoskeletal pain, and helping bodies move better long-term.
What's in a Sports Therapy session
Each session is tailored to your needs, but treatment may include:
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Manual therapy
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Sports massage and soft tissue work
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Dry needling: fine needles into trigger points to release deep tension
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Dry cupping: suction cups to lift fascia and increase circulation
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Mobility work: guided movement to restore range
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Bodyweight rehabilitation exercises, where appropriate
Emelie will choose the combination based on what your body needs that day, not every session uses every technique.
What Sports Therapy helps with
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Soft-tissue injuries: sprains, strains, overuse
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Joint pain and chronic mobility issues, knee, shoulder, hip, lower back, neck
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Recovery from sports injuries and return-to-sport rehab
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Post-surgical rehabilitation, once cleared by your surgeon
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Persistent muscular tension that hasn't responded to massage alone
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Performance optimisation for athletes and active people
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Postural pain from desk work or repetitive movement
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Tension headaches and TMJ-related jaw tension (dry needling can help)
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Chronic pain conditions, including hypermobility presentations (with adapted approach)
What a Sports Therapy session involves
A Sports Therapy session starts with a longer conversation than a standard massage. Emelie will ask about your history, what you do for work and sport, where the pain or restriction is, and what you've already tried. Many sessions begin with a brief movement assessment so she can see how the body is actually functioning, not only where it hurts.
The treatment itself is tailored. It might be mostly soft tissue work. It might include dry needling for trigger points. It might use cupping to release fascia. It might be a session of mobility and bodyweight rehab if that's what your body needs most. Most sessions are a combination, and the mix changes as your treatment progresses.
You usually leave with a few simple exercises or stretches to do at home. Sports Therapy isn't only what happens on the table. The recovery and the rehab happens also between sessions.
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Often combined with
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Sports Massage with Rohan: for muscle-focused maintenance between Sports Therapy treatments
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Reformer Pilates, to rebuild strength and movement quality
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Chiropractic Care (Holly), for structural issues underlying the soft-tissue problem
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Stretch Therapy (Noémie), for mobility work that's complementary to Emelie's rehab approach
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Nutritional Therapy, for athletes and people managing inflammation
For complex injury rehab or chronic pain pictures, an Integrative Care Package combining Sports Therapy with two or three of the above is often the right starting point.
What clients say
"Simona and her team at Abuelita's are some of the best there is!! The treatments I've had have been amazing. It's great to know that not only are you investing in yourself at Abuelita's, but you are helping to support the wider community with their initiatives."
Alison
FAQ
Sports Massage is focused on soft-tissue release through massage techniques. Sports Therapy with Emelie is a broader clinical treatment that can include massage but also uses dry needling, cupping, mobility work, and rehab exercises tailored to your specific issue. Book Sports Therapy when you have an injury, a persistent mobility problem, or you need an assessment and a plan. Book Sports Massage when you want maintenance, recovery, or muscular release.
Dry needling uses very thin, sterile needles inserted into trigger points in muscles to release deep tension. The tool is similar to acupuncture but the framework is different, dry needling is musculoskeletal, not based on traditional Chinese medicine. You may feel a brief twitch when the needle finds a trigger point. Most people describe it as intense but not painful, and the release is often immediate.
Cupping uses suction cups placed on the skin to lift fascia, increase blood flow, and release tension. It can leave temporary circular marks for a few days — these are not bruises and they don't hurt. Emelie will explain what she's planning before using it.
Sports Therapy can be intense in places but should never feel like injury. Emelie will check in throughout the session. You can always ask for less.
For active injury: weekly or more, depending on the guidance from the practitioner, and until the area settles, then less often. For maintenance and performance: every 3–6 weeks. For complex or chronic issues, Emelie will recommend a schedule at your first session — many people use the package of 6 for an intensive rehab block, then move to maintenance.
We suggest wearing comfortable clothes you can move in. Loose layers help if the session involves mobility or rehab work. For those coming straight from the office, we have shorts we can land for the session, so you feel more comfortable and ready for the session.
Some health insurance providers cover Sports Therapy. Email us to check whether yours is one of them.
Some elements are; dry needling and certain rehab work are not recommended. If you're pregnant and want Emelie's input, email us (hello@abuelitas.co.uk) first and she'll guide you to the right session, which is often a modified version focused on safe soft-tissue and mobility work.
Book Sports Therapy with Emelie
If you’re not sure whether Sports Therapy is right for you, we’re happy to help.
If you have any questions, please email us at hello@abuelitas.co.uk
Every session you book also funds therapy for people with chronic pain, PTSD & refugee women.
