Sheffield Running Clinic

Assessment, treatment and rehabilitation for runners, from a first Couch to 5K session to a marathon start line.

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Specialist Service

Sheffield Running Clinic

Medically reviewed by Steve Canning, Clinical Director & Senior Physiotherapist.

What is the Sheffield Running Clinic?

The Sheffield Running Clinic pulls together the expertise, knowledge and services the White House Clinic has to offer specifically for runners. Physiotherapy for runners runs across our 14 clinics in South Yorkshire, North East Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, supported by a sports and exercise medicine consultant, by gait analysis and diagnostic ultrasound at our Sheffield West clinic, and by running-specific classes online and at our main Sheffield clinic. Together they assess, treat and rehabilitate running injuries.

Whether you are a seasoned runner or just starting your first Couch to 5K session, the chances of coming across an injury or issue that halts your progress are high.

Although there are a variety of things that can cause injury, how you build your training matters. New runners get hurt more often than experienced ones: a meta-analysis found novice runners sustained 17.8 injuries per 1,000 hours of running, against 7.7 per 1,000 hours in recreational runners [1]. Ramping up your training too quickly for a race, increasing mileage too aggressively or returning straight to your previous distance or pace after time off are common examples, and our advice on the common mistakes causing injury in runners covers them in more detail.

Our staff not only offer the skills and treatment needed to help runners recover; they are actively involved in the local running community, clubs and races. Steve, Abbie, David and Emma all have a high level of running experience themselves, which supports their understanding of running injury, rehabilitation, training load and return to performance.

We understand the frustration of not being able to run, and we do our best to help you get back to the hills, roads, tracks and trails as safely and confidently as possible.

Steve also leads a weekly strength and conditioning class for runners on Zoom, designed to build resilience and improve performance. The running team is supported by the additional skills of James Walker for ultrasound scanning and Dr Roshan Gunasekera for Sports & Exercise Medicine.

Running Assessment & Gait Analysis

As part of the Sheffield Running Clinic, we now offer a dedicated Running Assessment & Gait Analysis service at our Sheffield West clinic in Sandygate. The assessment is available there only, not across our other clinics.

It is designed for runners who want to understand how they move, reduce injury risk, improve efficiency or identify factors that may be contributing to recurring pain. Using AI-powered gait analysis technology, biomechanical testing and physiotherapy expertise, the assessment provides objective insight into your running mechanics and the physical factors that influence performance.

We assess running mechanics such as posture, stride, cadence, symmetry and movement efficiency, alongside biomechanical testing of areas such as strength, mobility, balance and single-leg control. The assessment creates an objective baseline and gives you personalised recommendations on running technique, reducing injury risk, strength and conditioning, training load and return-to-running planning.

The Running Assessment includes:

Running gait analysis
Biomechanical testing
Baseline profiling
Personalised recommendations
Guidance on reducing injury risk
Training and rehabilitation advice

It is suitable for new runners, recreational runners, club runners, marathon runners, trail runners and athletes returning from injury, and may be particularly useful if you have recurring running injuries, are preparing for an event, are returning after time away from running or want to improve your running efficiency.

Learn more about our Running Assessment & Gait Analysis service. Steve also explains what we look for in his article on video gait analysis.

Running services

Physiotherapy

Seeing an experienced physiotherapist is usually the first step when managing a running injury. We perform a detailed assessment of you, your symptoms, your running history, your training load and your goals before providing recommendations for treatment, running and rehabilitation.

Common problems we see include runner's knee, shin splints, tendon pain and the recurring niggle that returns every time training steps up.

This may lead on to other services we offer if clinically appropriate, including gait analysis, ultrasound scanning, shockwave therapy, Sports & Exercise Medicine or strength and conditioning support.

Treatment we can immediately start may include manual therapy, soft tissue release, acupuncture, shockwave therapy, running-specific rehabilitation exercises and training advice.

Our aim is not just to settle pain, but to help you understand why the problem has developed and how to reduce the risk of it returning.

Running Assessment & Gait Analysis

Our Running Assessment & Gait Analysis service is described in full above, and is delivered at our Sheffield West clinic only.

Shockwave therapy

There is a growing use of shockwave therapy in the treatment of running injuries due to the increasing evidence base behind this treatment. Shockwave is a non-surgical treatment that works by delivering impulses of energy targeted to specific damaged tissues within a tendon. Shockwave therapy is available at our Sheffield West, Sheffield East and Chesterfield clinics.

The most common running injuries treated with shockwave include Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis and patellar tendinopathy, which is pain in the tendon just below the kneecap and is a different condition from runner's knee.

Shockwave therapy is usually most effective when combined with an appropriate rehabilitation programme, load management and strengthening plan.

Sports massage

Runners often complain of tight and sore muscles, particularly when training for an event, increasing mileage or returning to running after time off.

Sports massage can provide additional recovery support during heavier training periods and may help manage muscle soreness, stiffness and general training-related tightness.

It can be particularly useful as part of a broader plan that also includes strength work, training load management and recovery strategies.

Sports doctor and sports & exercise medicine

We are fortunate to have a very experienced sports doctor available at the White House Clinic. Dr Roshan Gunasekera, Sports and Exercise Medicine Consultant, brings a wealth of experience to the clinic.

Our Sports & Exercise Medicine service provides help to manage a large range of injuries and medical conditions affecting amateur to elite sportspeople, as well as the general population. For runners, it may be helpful where symptoms are complex, persistent or require further medical assessment.

The service also includes injection therapy for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions where appropriate.

Diagnostic ultrasound

Diagnostic ultrasound can be useful for assessing a variety of common running injuries, particularly those involving tendons, muscles and soft tissue structures. It is available at our Sheffield West clinic.

James supports the running team with ultrasound scanning where further investigation may help guide diagnosis, rehabilitation or treatment planning.

This can be particularly useful when symptoms are not progressing as expected, or when a more detailed understanding of the injured tissue is required.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is often used in injury management with the aim of helping settle pain and symptoms.

It may be used alongside physiotherapy and rehabilitation to support a more comfortable return to running at the right time. As with all our services, acupuncture is only recommended where it is considered appropriate for your individual presentation.

Strength and conditioning class

Most runners know they should be doing regular strength and conditioning alongside their running. Our weekly strength and conditioning class for runners runs on Zoom and is led by Steve Canning, and is designed specifically for runners.

Steve guides runners through a variety of exercises for strength, balance, flexibility and movement control, all aiming to help make you a stronger, more efficient and more resilient runner.

The class runs on Mondays, 19:00-19:45, at £5 per class, and the first class is free to new members. Places are booked through the online timetable, and the class page linked above has the joining details.

It is particularly popular with runners who have made most of their recovery from injury and want to reduce the risk of further problems. If you are reviewing the rest of your routine at the same time, our advice on whether you should warm up for running is a good place to start.

Pilates and yoga classes

In a similar way to strength and conditioning, Pilates and yoga can be excellent additions to your running programme.

They can help runners develop strength, flexibility, balance, body awareness and movement control. Classes are led by experienced instructors at our main clinic in Sheffield and may be useful for runners looking to support their training, recovery or long-term resilience.

Who we work with

Complete beginners and Couch to 5K starters.
Recreational and club runners racing locally.
Marathon, trail and off-road runners.
Runners returning after injury, illness or time away from running.
Runners with recurring pain that comes back every time training increases.

How much does it cost?

What you pay depends on the service you need. A Running Assessment & Gait Analysis costs £100, and a follow-up assessment costs £80. Current prices for physiotherapy, sports massage, shockwave therapy and our classes are on our prices page.

Book an appointment

Whether you are injured, returning to running, preparing for an event or looking to improve your running through a dedicated Running Assessment, the Sheffield Running Clinic can help.

Book an appointment with the White House Clinic today, or call 0114 230 2030. You can book without a referral, and if you have a question about a running injury first, one of the team will be happy to answer it.

This page is general information and not a substitute for individual assessment. Book an appointment or call 0114 230 2030 to speak to our team.

References

Videbaek S, Bueno AM, Nielsen RO, Rasmussen S (2015), Incidence of running-related injuries per 1000 h of running in different types of runners: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 45(7):1017-1026 - novice runners 17.8 injuries per 1000 h (95% CI 16.7-19.1) against 7.7 per 1000 h (95% CI 6.9-8.7) in recreational runners: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4473093/

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Meet the Team

Steve Canning

Clinical Director & Senior Physiotherapist

Steve is a highly experienced musculoskeletal physiotherapist who has been at the White House Clinic for 18 years and has built a reputation amongst local runners as the go-to physiotherapist. He offers in-depth running-specific assessments, running technique advice, shockwave therapy, acupuncture and a weekly strength and conditioning class for runners.

His main focus is marathon distance, having recently competed in Berlin, London and Manchester. His PB was achieved at Manchester in 2023 with a time of 2:40:23.

He is also a member of Sheffield Running Club and competes locally at club events, the Percy Pud and the Round Sheffield Run.

Abbie Pearse

Senior Physiotherapist & First Contact Practitioner

Originally from London, Abbie graduated in 2015 from Sheffield Hallam University with a First Class BSc (Hons) degree in Physiotherapy. During this time, Abbie fell in love with Sheffield and running in the Peak District, and could not move away.

After graduating, Abbie spent the next five years in the NHS rotating through various departments, working in areas ranging from respiratory to neurological physiotherapy, but she found her passion in musculoskeletal physiotherapy. She worked in the NHS MSK service, gaining invaluable experience of evidence-based practice, before branching out into private practice and joining the White House Clinic in 2021 to have the freedom to spend more time with individual patients.

Alongside her MSK physiotherapy role, Abbie also works as a First Contact Practitioner in General Practice for the White House Clinic. This role relies heavily on her ability to make rapid and accurate diagnoses, so that patients receive the best treatment available as soon as possible.

When she is not in clinic helping people stay active and healthy, Abbie is running herself and can often be found on the step of a podium at local and national races. She qualified for the championship place at the London Marathon and hopes to qualify for Great Britain to compete at the World Championships in Duathlon.

Abbie is a run leader for Steel City Striders running club and truly believes in the restorative powers of exercise and the outdoors.

David Sprot

Extended Scope Physiotherapist, foot and ankle

David is an Extended Scope Physiotherapist with a specialism in foot and ankle injuries. He has developed this throughout his 17-year career and is qualified to master's level, working alongside orthopaedic consultants in hospital clinics.

Since working at the London 2012 Olympics in the athletics stadium, David has been heavily involved in sport, leading the Derbyshire Institute of Sport physiotherapy provision, which has included athletes competing at European, World, Commonwealth and Olympic level. Because of this, David understands the need for athletes to maintain their training and return from injury as soon as possible.

He has also been a runner for a significant time, competing on track, road and cross country. Although family life means he now looks back at his 800m PB of 1:58, he still runs regularly, because ultimately we all run for the enjoyment of it.

James Walker

Service Development Director & Senior Physiotherapist

Whilst not a runner himself (he prefers to spend his time going vertically up climbing walls, rather than in the horizontal direction), James is the clinic's go-to specialist for ultrasound scanning. Ultrasound can really help diagnose and examine progress in a variety of common running injuries.

The physiotherapy team will liaise with James as to when an ultrasound would be of benefit at the diagnosis and rehabilitation stages.

Emma Clements

Senior Physiotherapist & Clinical Pilates Instructor

Emma is a senior musculoskeletal physiotherapist who has treated many sporting injuries while working in this sector. She understands the importance for runners of keeping running in a safe way, through training plan guidance, hands-on treatment and tailored exercise plans. Emma teaches Pilates at multiple levels and uses it as a functional rehabilitation tool, which is great for runners, with a key focus on building core strength.

Emma combines her enjoyment of swimming and running by taking part in Swimrun events, which involve open-water swimming and trail runs around the Lake District. She runs with a local club and relishes the social aspect of running, taking part in team cross-country events and local parkruns, as well as chasing her Sheffield Half Marathon PB each year.

Dr Roshan Gunasekera

Sports and Exercise Medicine Consultant

Dr Gunasekera has practised in sports and exercise medicine since 2013, with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and an NIHR fellowship, and is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Sheffield. He has worked with Sheffield United, in Super League rugby and at the Commonwealth Games.

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