Back Pain Rehab: What a Physio Course Involves, NHS and Private
What physiotherapy for back pain involves, the assessment and follow-up fees physiotherapy operators publish, when imaging is warranted, and the red-flag symptoms that need urgent assessment rather than rehab.
Quick answer: NHS physiotherapy is free, though waits vary and self-management is often the first step. Private physiotherapy is priced per appointment, with the initial assessment and follow-ups charged separately. Urgent or red-flag symptoms need clinical advice, not shopping for treatment.
What private back-pain physio involves
| Cost item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Initial assessment | History, movement assessment, plan |
| Follow-up session | Exercise progression and manual therapy where appropriate |
| Rehab package | Some clinics sell multi-session plans |
| Imaging | Only where clinically appropriate; most back pain does not need a scan |
| Consultant review | Usually separate |
Fees physiotherapy operators publish
Each table is one appointment type. Fees are the operator's own, with its label, the region it prices for, the fee page and the date read.
Initial assessment: published fees
30 fees from 7 operators, each under the operator’s own label, length and region or clinic. Not averaged: the operators price different appointment lengths, regions and clinics.
| Operator | Label as printed | Length as printed | Region or clinic the operator prices it for | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Express Initial Assessment (30 mins)” | 30 mins | Greater London | £83 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Initial Assessment (45 mins)” | 45 mins | Greater London | £93 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Express Initial Assessment (30 mins)” | 30 mins | Home Counties | £73 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Initial Assessment (45 mins)” | 45 mins | Home Counties | £83 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Express Initial Assessment (30 mins)” | 30 mins | South of England | £60 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Initial Assessment (45 mins)” | 45 mins | South of England | £70 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Express Initial Assessment (30 mins)” | 30 mins | South West | £55 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Initial Assessment (45 mins)” | 45 mins | South West | £65 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Express Initial Assessment (30 mins)” | 30 mins | The Midlands & North | £55 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Initial Assessment (45 mins)” | 45 mins | The Midlands & North | £65 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Nuffield Health | “Physiotherapy initial assessment” | Not stated | London (including Greater London) | £79 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Nuffield Health | “Physiotherapy initial assessment” | Not stated | Outside of London | £72 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Initial Assessment: Senior MSK Physiotherapist” | Not stated | 2 clinics, each on its own page | £50 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “MSK Physiotherapist Initial Physiotherapy Assessment” | Not stated | 3 clinics, each on its own page | £47 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Senior Physiotherapist Initial Physiotherapy Assessment” | Not stated | 4 clinics, each on its own page | £50 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Advanced Physiotherapist Initial Physiotherapy Assessment” | Not stated | Newcastle Physiotherapy Clinic on Saville Place | £92 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “MSK Physiotherapist Initial Physiotherapy Assessment” | Not stated | Newcastle Physiotherapy Clinic on Saville Place | £50 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Senior Physiotherapist Initial Physiotherapy Assessment” | Not stated | Newcastle Physiotherapy Clinic on Saville Place | £57 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Advanced Initial Assessment (30 minutes)” | 30 minutes | Norwich Sports Physiotherapy Clinic on City Road | £54 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Advanced Sports Physiotherapy Initial Assessment (45 minutes)” | 45 minutes | Norwich Sports Physiotherapy Clinic on City Road | £75 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Senior Initial Assessment (30 minutes)” | 30 minutes | Norwich Sports Physiotherapy Clinic on City Road | £50 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Senior Physiotherapy Initial Assessment & Treatment (60 minutes)” | 60 minutes | Norwich Sports Physiotherapy Clinic on City Road | £75 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Senior Sports Physiotherapy Initial Assessment (45 minutes)” | 45 minutes | Norwich Sports Physiotherapy Clinic on City Road | £57 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Sports Medicine | “Advanced Physiotherapy Initial Appointment (60 mins)” | 60 mins | Not stated | £190 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Sports Medicine | “Initial Appointment (60 mins)” | 60 mins | Not stated | £157 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Sano Physiotherapy | “Assessment (45-60 minute)” | 45-60 minute | All Other Clinics | £65 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Sano Physiotherapy | “Assessment (45-60 minute)” | 45-60 minute | Physiotherapy price for our York clinic only | £75 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Sano Physiotherapy | “Assessment (45-60 minute)” | 45-60 minute | Physiotherapy prices for Pudsey, Chapel Allerton, Mansfield, Hinckley and Arnold | £75 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Six Physio | “New patient physiotherapy assessment and treatment | 1-hour” | 1-hour | Lindfield | £89 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Ten Health | “Physio initial assessment” | Not stated | London | £130 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
Follow-up session: published fees
25 fees from 6 operators, each under the operator’s own label, length and region or clinic. Not averaged: the operators price different appointment lengths, regions and clinics.
| Operator | Label as printed | Length as printed | Region or clinic the operator prices it for | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Follow Up (30 mins)” | 30 mins | Greater London | £85 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Follow Up (30 mins)” | 30 mins | Home Counties | £75 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Follow Up (30 mins)” | 30 mins | South of England | £63 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Follow Up (30 mins)” | 30 mins | South West | £58 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Bodyset Physio | “Physiotherapy - Follow Up (30 mins)” | 30 mins | The Midlands & North | £58 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Nuffield Health | “Physiotherapy follow-up session” | Not stated | London (including Greater London) | £52 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Nuffield Health | “Physiotherapy follow-up session” | Not stated | Outside of London | £49 | Fee pageRead 4 October 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Follow up: Senior MSK Physiotherapist” | Not stated | 2 clinics, each on its own page | £50 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “MSK Physiotherapist Follow-up Treatment” | Not stated | 3 clinics, each on its own page | £47 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Senior Physiotherapist Follow-up Treatment” | Not stated | 4 clinics, each on its own page | £50 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Advanced Physiotherapist Follow-up Treatment” | Not stated | Newcastle Physiotherapy Clinic on Saville Place | £67 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “MSK Physiotherapist Follow-up Treatment” | Not stated | Newcastle Physiotherapy Clinic on Saville Place | £50 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Senior Physiotherapist Follow-up Treatment” | Not stated | Newcastle Physiotherapy Clinic on Saville Place | £57 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Advanced Follow-up Assessment (30 minutes)” | 30 minutes | Norwich Sports Physiotherapy Clinic on City Road | £54 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Physiotherapy | “Senior Follow-up Assessment (30 minutes)” | 30 minutes | Norwich Sports Physiotherapy Clinic on City Road | £50 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Sports Medicine | “Advanced Physiotherapy Extended Follow-up Appointment (60 minutes)” | 60 minutes | Not stated | £215 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Sports Medicine | “Advanced Physiotherapy Follow-up Appointment (30 minutes)” | 30 minutes | Not stated | £130 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Sports Medicine | “Extended Follow-up Appointment (60 mins)” | 60 mins | Not stated | £176 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Pure Sports Medicine | “Follow-up Appointment (30 mins)” | 30 mins | Not stated | £103 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Sano Physiotherapy | “Treatment (Up to 30 minutes)” | Up to 30 minutes | All Other Clinics | £52 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Sano Physiotherapy | “Treatment (Up to 30 minutes)” | Up to 30 minutes | Physiotherapy price for our York clinic only | £54 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Sano Physiotherapy | “Treatment (Up to 30 minutes)” | Up to 30 minutes | Physiotherapy prices for Pudsey, Chapel Allerton, Mansfield, Hinckley and Arnold | £52 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Six Physio | “Follow-up physiotherapy | 30 mins” | 30 mins | Ashley Cross | £69 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Six Physio | “Follow-up physiotherapy | 30 mins” | 30 mins | Lindfield | £67 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
| Six Physio | “Follow-up physiotherapy | 30 mins” | 30 mins | London | £98 | Fee pageRead 6 November 2026 |
7 of 24 UK physiotherapy operators tracked publish a fee schedule we can read.
Fees last read 6 November 2026. Most physiotherapy clinics publish no fee, so these are named operators’ prices, not a typical cost. Every published physiotherapy fee, and what each tracked operator’s fee page showed →
If a scan is recommended
Most back pain does not need imaging. Where a clinician recommends an MRI, these are the one-area MRI prices named private operators publish, and the NHS wait for the test.
NHS wait for the test
MRI scan, NHS in England: 357,356 people were waiting for this test at the end of August 2026. The median wait so far was 3.0 weeks, and 22.0% had waited six weeks or more (NHS England, “Magnetic Resonance Imaging”).
NHS England diagnostic waiting times (DM01): patients waiting at the end of the month for this test, and how long they have waited so far for the test itself. This is the wait for the test, not for treatment. NHS-funded patients only, England only. Source: NHS England diagnostic waiting times and activity, published 8 October 2026, read 26 October 2026.
Self-pay wait: Not tracked. No private provider’s waiting time has been read.
MRI, one body area
One anatomical area (one "part"), standard closed-bore scanner, without contrast unless the operator says otherwise.
3 of the 8 operators listed print a fixed price for this scan — fewer than the 4 needed for a range, so each figure is named instead. Lowest published starting price: £290 (Unirad).
| Operator | Figure and what it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Health | From £366starting price As printed: “• 1 part MRI scan £366” — “£366” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| LivingCare | From £350starting price As printed: “MRI - 1 body part (same day appointment)” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| LivingCare | £425includes a consultation As printed: “MRI - 1 body part (includes Private GP consultation for imaging referral and follow up with Private GP)” — “£425.00” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| London Sports & Rheumatology Imaging | From £375starting price As printed: “At LSRI, a private MRI scan costs from £375 per body part. That includes the scan at a partner imaging centre, a report from a consultant MSK radiologist, us…” — “£375” On the report: “At LSRI, a private MRI scan costs from £375 per body part. That includes the scan at a partner imaging centre, a report from a consultant MSK radiologist, usually within 24 hour…” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Nuffield Health | £589 As printed: “One anatomical area” Median across 33 Nuffield Health hospitals that publish this scan (£400–£620). Guide price, excludes consultant fees, prosthesis and drugs. | hospital schedules read 5 November 2026 |
| Practice Plus Group | £350 As printed: “MRI scan – one body part” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Ramsay Health Care UK | £551 As printed: “One anatomical area” Median across 27 Ramsay Health Care UK hospitals that publish this scan (£325–£609). Guide "from" price, inclusions not stated by Ramsay. | hospital schedules read 26 October 2026 |
| Scan.com | From £320starting price As printed: “Single Part” — “£320” Single-part diagnostic MRI; the card states one body area and a pre-scan consultation | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
| Unirad | From £290starting price As printed: “Most single-area MRI scans start from £290 . Specialist scans such as Cardiac, Prostate, Breast and Small Bowel are priced differently. Our team will confirm…” — “£290” On the report: “At Unirad in Glasgow, single-area scans start from £290 — with a full consultant radiologist report included in the price.” | fee page read 6 November 2026 |
Rows are in operator-name order, not by price. Scan prices read 6 November 2026; each row links to the page it was read from. Every MRI scan price we track →
NHS vs private
The NHS route is free and appropriate for many people. Private physiotherapy may be considered where timing, continuity or sports or work goals matter, but it should still be grounded in proper assessment.
See private physiotherapy clinics and the fees operators publish.
Compare physiotherapy pricesRelated guides
Important context
TreatCompare uses public data, provider-published information, official datasets, structured research and analysis. Figures can change and may not be complete in real time. Use this page for research and comparison only, then verify directly with the relevant provider.
- Source type
- Named public and provider sources
- Primary source
- NHS back pain
- Reporting period
- 2026-10-26
- Last updated
- 2026-10-26
- Figure type
- Mixed sources
- Use
- Research and comparison only
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Frequently asked questions
How much does private physio for back pain cost?
Physiotherapy operators price an initial assessment and a follow-up session separately. The fees the operators that publish a fee schedule print are shown on this page, each with the operator's own label, the region it applies to, the fee page and the date read. No national average is given.
How many sessions might I need?
It varies. Simple episodes may need a few sessions; persistent pain may need a longer plan. The clinician should explain the expected number of sessions and when progress will be reviewed.
When should back pain be urgent?
Severe symptoms, numbness or weakness, bladder or bowel symptoms, fever, trauma or unexplained weight loss need urgent medical advice rather than price comparison.
Sources & further reading
- NHS back pain — NHS back-pain information.
- HCPC register — Physiotherapist registration checks.
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