Newtown Physio is an ACC accredited physiotherapy clinic on Riddiford Street in the heart of Newtown, Wellington — just past the emergency department at Wellington Hospital, opposite Newtown School and right at the beginning of the Newtown shops. The practice was established in 2003 by principal physiotherapist Louise Sloman and has since built a large, loyal client base, while always keeping provision for new patients. Every physiotherapist on the team meets their continuing professional development requirements and holds a current annual practising certificate.
The clinic provides musculo-skeletal treatment and acupuncture for both ACC and private patients, and no referral is necessary — you can come directly or on advice from your doctor, with ACC claims registered and managed right at the clinic. ACC subsidised care covers sports, home, recreational and work injuries, while private treatment addresses joint and muscle conditions, arthritis, chronic pain and exercise programmes. When further investigation is needed, the team can refer you for an x-ray or ultrasound scan.
Acupuncture is a genuine point of difference. Patients can choose Chinese acupuncture, with needle insertion and/or moxa, or Japanese Toyohari, performed without needle insertion — either of which can be combined with physiotherapy for all injuries and conditions.
Acute appointments are available, and the team encourages seeing a physiotherapist as soon as possible after an injury or the onset of a problem for the best management and results. Alongside treatment, the clinic stocks useful supports for patients — strapping tape, wheatpacks, anti-inflammatory creams and braces — with knee braces, moonboots and crutch hire subsidised by ACC.
On the busy stretch of Riddiford Street that marks the beginning of the Newtown shops — just past the emergency department at Wellington Hospital and opposite Newtown School — Newtown Physio has been caring for Wellingtonians since 2003. The practice was established by principal physiotherapist Louise Sloman and remains an ACC accredited clinic built on a simple proposition: affordable prices, experienced physiotherapists, and a genuine choice of physio and acupuncture.
It is a neighbourhood clinic in the truest sense. Newtown Physio has developed a large, loyal client base over the years, yet the doors stay open to new patients, and every physiotherapist on the team meets their continuing professional development requirements and holds a current annual practising certificate.
Newtown Physio provides musculo-skeletal treatment for both ACC and private patients, and no referral is necessary. You can come directly or on advice from your doctor, and ACC can be registered right at the clinic, with the team managing the claim for you. ACC subsidised treatment covers sports injuries, home injuries, recreational injuries and work injuries, while private treatment addresses joint and muscle conditions, arthritis, chronic pain and exercise programmes.
The list of conditions they see day to day is long: back pain including disc injuries, lifting injuries, postural pain, sciatica and muscle spasm; neck pain from whiplash, poor posture or arthritis; headaches; sprained ankles; knee injuries; muscle strains; tennis elbow; Achilles strains; sacro-iliac pain from lifting or running; hip and groin strains; arthritis pain and stiffness in all joints; postural problems; chronic pain; and gradual process pain such as OOS/RSI. Where further investigation is needed, they can refer you for an x-ray or ultrasound scan.
Sports injuries are a particular strength. The physiotherapists have a long association with various sports teams and are experienced with individual sports people, offering a provisional diagnosis and early management that supports a more rapid return to the field. A graduated exercise programme guides you back to your sport, with a special interest in targeting the root of the problem to help prevent recurrence. For work-related injuries — covered by ACC or your accredited employer or insurer — treatment may include soft tissue massage, nerve stretches, muscle balance training, strengthening, acupuncture and postural advice, with workplace assessments available by referral. They also have considerable experience with gradual process injuries like RSI/OOS, which must be lodged with your doctor first.
Acupuncture here can be used in combination with other physiotherapy treatments for all injuries and conditions. Patients choose between Chinese acupuncture, which involves needle insertion and/or moxa, and Japanese Toyohari, performed without needle insertion and/or moxa — a gentle option for those who prefer to avoid needles. An additional charge applies for acupuncture on top of a physiotherapy appointment.
One message comes through consistently: it is advisable to see your physiotherapist as soon as possible after injury or the onset of a problem. Acute appointments are available, and whether your accident happened on the sports field, at work, out and about or in the garden, you can ring and register it at the clinic, with ACC applied for at the time of your first visit. Early treatment helps reduce swelling so the injured part can heal more effectively, and helps prevent secondary problems and re-injury.
The clinic stocks what patients need for recovery: strapping tape, wheatpacks and anti-inflammatory creams, with braces ordered as necessary. Knee braces, moonboots and crutch hire are subsidised by ACC.
Hours are Monday to Wednesday 8:00am to 4:00pm, Thursday 8:00am to 3:00pm, with the clinic closed on Fridays. Free parking (up to 2 hours, P180) is available on Colombo St, Rintoul St, Adelaide Rd and Kenwyn Tce, and a disability carpark sits behind the Lychgate Centre via Hall St. Buses on the Wellington Hospital route stop nearby, with a north-bound stop just up from the mall. One note from the clinic itself: they do not have the facility to treat wheelchair-bound patients.
For nearly twenty years, Newtown Physio has combined straightforward, affordable treatment with the extra option of both Chinese and Japanese acupuncture — a trusted choice for anyone in Wellington's southern suburbs recovering from injury.