What Sano Physiotherapy does

Sano Physiotherapy Ltd is a UK private limited company headquartered in Pudsey, Leeds, that operates one of the larger independent musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy platforms in England. The company delivers care through three coordinated business lines: a network of 40+ owned clinics plus a 750+ associate clinic network providing standardized private MSK services (assessments, treatment sessions, sports massage, acupuncture, Pilates, and shockwave therapy), an occupational health sub-brand called Back In Action UK supplying on-site and off-site physiotherapy, ergonomic consultancy, DSE assessments, and injury prevention training to employers, and an NHS First Contact Practitioner (FCP) service funded through ARRS roles that places Sano practitioners directly into GP primary care settings. The business sells to four customer segments: self-paying and insured private individuals, NHS primary care, employers seeking to reduce MSK-related absence, and medico-legal case handlers. Pricing is per-session at £52-£75 depending on clinic, with a 10% discount on blocks of four treatments, and enterprise contracts are priced as managed services.

Underlying the clinic network is a relatively standard technology stack built around the TM3 online booking and practice management system, which supports clinic finder, real-time availability, online pre-payment, and a client portal, plus a branded Sano mobile app that delivers personalized post-appointment exercise videos and home rehabilitation programmes. Differentiation claims in the source data are operational rather than technical, resting on geographic reach, chartered practitioner coverage, and a people-and-data orientation. Revenue mechanics blend unit-priced consumer sessions, recurring private medical insurance reimbursement, managed-service NHS FCP contracts (ARRS-funded), enterprise occupational health contracts, professional-services medico-legal referrals, and package pricing, which collectively produce a hybrid payor and channel mix anchored by an in-clinic, hands-on service model.

Name

Sano Physiotherapy

Legal name

Sano Physiotherapy Ltd

Website

https://sanophysiotherapy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sano Physiotherapy is a UK private physiotherapy operator running 40+ owned clinics and a 750+ associate network across England, delivering musculoskeletal care to private individuals, employers, and NHS primary care via its Sano Clinics, Back In Action UK, and First Contact Practitioner services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Physiotherapy Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Multidisciplinary Outpatient Rehab Centers (PT/OT/SLP) (HLADAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Orthopedic & Musculoskeletal Rehab In-Home (HSABADAF), Orthopedic & Sports Rehabilitation Centers (HLAFAFAI), Rehabilitation Return-to-Exercise Training (Non-Clinical) (HSADAAAK)

Keywords

• Musculoskeletal physiotherapy services
• Occupational health physiotherapy
• NHS first contact practitioner
• Sports injury rehabilitation
• Manual therapy treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Private Pay - Self-Funding Clients: Individual clients pay directly for physiotherapy services including assessments, treatments, sports massage, acupuncture, shockwave therapy, and Pilates. Clients can book online and pay in advance or visit specific clinics for treatment at standardized rates.
2. Private Medical Insurance: Clients can access services using private health insurance coverage, with reimbursement handled through their insurance provider.
3. NHS/ARRS Funded Services: First Contact Practitioner services are funded through Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) roles. Sano provides fully managed FCP services with staff and governance for NHS primary care.
4. Occupational Health - Employer Contracts: On-site and off-site physiotherapy services for employers, including injury prevention training, ergonomic assessments, and DSE assessments. Services delivered under contractual arrangements with employers to reduce employee absence and improve wellbeing.
5. Medico-Legal Services: Treatment services provided to clients referred through medico-legal case handlers and insurance companies, often following road traffic accidents or workplace injuries.
6. Block Treatment Packages: Clients can purchase blocks of 4 treatments at a 10% discount, providing recurring revenue and encouraging treatment adherence.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sano Physiotherapy delivers musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy services through 40+ owned clinics and 750+ associate clinics across England, including assessments, hands-on treatment, sports massage, acupuncture, Pilates, and shockwave therapy. Under the Back In Action UK sub-brand it provides occupational physiotherapy (on-site, off-site, ergonomic consultancy, DSE assessments, injury prevention training) to employers, and through NHS contracts it supplies fully managed First Contact Practitioner (FCP) roles in primary care. A TM3-powered online booking system, client mobile app, and client portal support access and post-appointment home exercise programmes.

Product overview

Sano Physiotherapy operates a platform of 40+ owned clinics and 750+ associate clinics across England, providing musculoskeletal physiotherapy services under three main offerings: Sano Physiotherapy Clinics (core MSK care), Back In Action UK (occupational physiotherapy), and NHS First Contact Practitioners. The company supplements in-person clinic services with a Mobile App for post-appointment care and a Client Portal for appointment access. Core services include physiotherapy assessment and treatment, sports massage, acupuncture, Pilates, and shockwave therapy, all delivered by Chartered Physiotherapists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sano Physiotherapy Clinics (MSK Care) Core musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy delivered across 40+ owned and operated clinics and a network of 750+ associate clinics throughout England, providing hands-on treatment, exercise prescription, and self-help advice for self-referring private individuals and private medical insurance clients.
• Back In Action UK (Occupational Physiotherapy) Sub-brand offering occupational physiotherapy for UK employers, including on-site physiotherapy, off-site physiotherapy, ergonomic consultancy, Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessments, and injury prevention training, contracted to reduce MSK-related absence and improve employee wellbeing.
• NHS First Contact Practitioner (FCP) Services Fully managed First Contact Practitioner service supplying Sano clinicians and clinical governance into NHS primary care settings, funded through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), providing MSK assessment and triage to relieve GP workload.
• Physiotherapy Assessment 45-60 minute initial assessment with an MSK specialist covering diagnosis, physical examination, and commencement of treatment, priced by clinic location (£65-£75 depending on site).
• Physiotherapy Treatment Session Hands-on follow-up physiotherapy session of up to 30 minutes targeting muscular or skeletal pain and dysfunction, priced at £52 per session at most clinics and £54 at the York clinic.
• Sports Massage Non-clinical deep massage therapy to relieve muscle tension and support pre- and post-workout recovery, offered alongside core physiotherapy.
• Acupuncture Western acupuncture delivered by specially trained Chartered Physiotherapists, using thin needles at strategic points to address pain and support wellness.
• 1-to-1 Pilates Sessions 1-to-1 Pilates sessions under close supervision of a Chartered Physiotherapist, focused on core strength, flexibility, and body awareness.
• Shockwave Therapy Non-surgical treatment using a specialist device that delivers shockwaves to injured tissue to stimulate blood flow, stem cell activity, and pain-reducing enzymes, used for conditions such as Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and tennis elbow.
• On-Site Occupational Physiotherapy Physiotherapists deployed to employer sites for on-site MSK assessment, treatment, and injury prevention as part of the Back In Action UK employer service line.
• Off-Site Occupational Physiotherapy Occupational physiotherapy delivered off-site via Sano's clinic network for employer clients whose staff are referred out for assessment and treatment.
• Ergonomic Consultancy Workplace ergonomic consultancy service for employers, addressing workstation and task design to reduce MSK risk.
• Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Assessments Display Screen Equipment assessments for employer compliance with workplace health and safety requirements relating to computer-based work.
• Injury Prevention Training Training programmes delivered to employer workforces to prevent MSK injuries and support safer working practices.
• NHS Secondary Care Services Physiotherapy services delivered into NHS secondary care settings as an extension of Sano's NHS commissioned work beyond primary care FCP roles.
• Medico-Legal Treatment Services Physiotherapy assessment and treatment provided to clients referred through medico-legal case handlers and insurance companies, typically following road traffic or workplace injuries, delivered through owned and associate clinics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Client satisfaction rating of 9/10
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NHS EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSano provides First Contact Practitioner (FCP) services within NHS primary care settings. These ARRS-funded roles help reduce GP workload by providing MSK assessment and treatment directly in GP practices. Sano provides fully managed services with their own staff and governance.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ascenti: One of the largest UK MSK physiotherapy providers, operating a national clinic network plus NHS FCP and employer/insurer occupational health services. Directly comparable in mix of private-pay, NHS, occupational health, and digital-led engagement.
• Better-Physio (Better Bodies / PhysioPlus chain): UK MSK physio chain with multiple clinic locations offering assessment, treatment, sports massage and self-pay packages - directly comparable to Sano's owned-clinic, block-treatment pricing model.
• Pure Physiotherapy: Multi-site UK physiotherapy practice focused on MSK injury and pain treatment, with online booking and self-pay packages. Closely matches Sano's owned-clinic, block-treatment, and direct-to-consumer model.

Broad incumbents

• Nuffield Health: UK-wide not-for-profit healthcare provider whose physiotherapy service is delivered across its hospital, fitness, and corporate wellbeing estate. Overlaps on MSK outpatient services and employer occupational health contracts but operates at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Spire Healthcare: UK private hospital group offering outpatient physiotherapy via self-pay and insured pathways. Comparable on private MSK clinic delivery, NHS crossover potential, and pricing tier structure.
• Circle Health Group: Large UK private hospital group offering outpatient physiotherapy across its hospital sites, including insurer- and self-pay pathways. Comparable on private-pay MSK clinic delivery but part of a wider acute care portfolio.
• HealthHero (formerly Doctor Care Anywhere group): Digital healthcare platform providing virtual MSK triage, physiotherapy and employer wellbeing across the UK. Comparable on employer-sponsored MSK access and tech-enabled booking; differs by being primarily virtual rather than clinic-led.
• Ramsay Health Care UK: UK private hospital operator running outpatient physiotherapy services alongside its inpatient portfolio. Overlaps with Sano on private-pay and insured MSK care, with broader acute-care scale and geography.
• Bupa Health Clinics: Operates a national network of health clinics, including physiotherapy and MSK services, alongside PMI products. Directly comparable on private-pay physiotherapy and insurer-funded pathways, with broader brand and capital backing.

Others

• HCML: UK provider of case management and rehabilitation services, including medico-legal referrals. Comparable to Sano's medico-legal revenue stream and its use of HCML as a referral partner for insurance and case-handler work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sano Physiotherapy