Claire Jacobs: Senior Physiotherapist and Certified Pilates Instructor
MCSP, HCPC
Claire qualified as a physiotherapist in 2006. Her focus is musculoskeletal physiotherapy, with particular interests in running-related injuries, lumbopelvic pain and Womens Health.
After working in the NHS Claire worked as a physiotherapist at one of the worlds leading physiotherapy and pilates institutions (APPI), and managed its flagship clinic in Hampstead, London. She has presented courses to health professionals on both pilates and Womens Health.
Claire's favoured approach in physiotherapy is to complement manual therapy with a robust and individualised exercise and rehabilitation programme to ensure recovery is maintained in the long term, and also that the client enjoys an overall improvement in their wellbeing.
Claire's areas of special interest come in part from personal experience. She is a former international runner having competed for Great Britain at World and European Cross Country Championships; and completed in her debut marathon in Valencia 2023 in a time of 2:40.22. Her approach in assisting runners is often to utilise movement analysis to understand not just the symptoms but more importantly the biomechanical causes of injury, which can then be addressed.
Claire started developing particular expertise in Womens Health in 2008. She is now also a mum of two. Having faced her own post-natal challenges she is particularly rewarded by utilising her professional expertise to help other mums.
Emily Smith: Physiotherapist
mCSP; HCPC
Emily qualified as a Physiotherapist from The University Of The West Of England in 2017. Since qualifying, Emily has worked in multiple areas within the NHS as well as privately and is able to offer both MSK and Womens Health specific Physiotherapy.
Emily has a specialist interest in pregnancy related back and pelvic girdle pain and is also qualified in pregnancy massage.
Emily has excellent manual therapy skills including deep tissue sports massage and acupuncture.
In her spare time, Emily enjoys spending time with her adored cocker spaniels and riding her horse.
Lucy Bridle: Physiotherapist and Sports Massage Therapist; mCSP; HCPC
Lucy graduated in BSc Physiotherapy from the University of East Anglia in 2023. She also has a diploma in sports massage gained in 2021, since then she has spent lots of time working with patients through injury management and prevention, a highlight of that being her work with premier league referees on a weekly basis in Norwich to ensure injury prevention and optimal recovery.
She currently works in the NHS, and has experience in a wide variety of specialities, but will now be spending the majority of her time in the newly built elective orthopaedic centre in Colchester, rehabilitating people with post-operative hip and knee replacements.
In 2024 she ran the London Marathon which inspired her love for running! In her free time she enjoys going to the gym to support her running, but also trying out different sports such as climbing, pilates and surfing. She looks forward to combining her passion with her career and supporting others through their own journeys.
Testimonials
“Claire is an outstanding and highly professional Physiotherapist who provided me with a perfectly tailored programme that literally got me walking again. Following a sports injury that resulted in a torn calf, Claire worked with me over four months to gradually transition from crutches to learning how to walk all over again. I highly recommend Claire who impressed me greatly with her clinical knowledge, skill in creating and adapting an exercise programme that felt challenging yet manageable throughout the course of treatment, and ability to engage, support and motivate moving on to a full recovery. Truly 5/5 star service!”
“My one-to-one Pilates sessions with Claire were both fun and effective! And after I had shoulder surgery I really appreciated her warm and sympathetic manner whilst administering excellent physio rehab. I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
“Claire’s assistance as a Physiotherapist and Pilates Instructor was a great help to stay in shape and she was much nicer about it than my Marine Sergeant Instructors!”
“As a recreational runner I have been treated and looked after by Claire for over 3 years. During this time, like many runners, I have suffered various injuries and niggles which had the potential to affect training and my race diary.
Claire’s knowledge of how to deal with running specific injuries is second to none and with her background as an elite runner herself she fully understands the intricacies of what is needed.
Claire always used her depth of experience and knowledge to provide excellent treatment in all areas. Prevention of injury and rehabilitation programmes were built upon a variety of her skills including the use of K-tape, specific and advanced strength and conditioning programmes, running gait assessment and analysis along with mat and reformer pilates sessions.
During my time with Claire, I completed many races of varying distances including the Chicago and Brighton Marathons and several multi-day running events. Claire also helped me achieve one of my lifetime running goals which was to complete the Boston Marathon.
Her holistic approach deals with the psychological and physical aspects of health and wellness and has provided me with the confidence to always move forward and progress.
I cannot recommend Claire highly enough and I know that without her help I would not have made the start line for so many races and managed the goals that I have reached over the years.
Apart from my running shoes, Claire is the most integral part of my ‘kit’.
Thank you Claire for everything!!!!”
“Have received excellent treatment and advice from Emily at Fitframephysio. Have always felt comfortable and have made steady progress. An oasis of calmness. Treatment has made a noticeable difference to my mobility. ”
“I went to Emily for a postpartum check up and was suffering with hip/lower back pain. Her expertise made a difference from the first session and I’ve never had something make such a direct and clear impact on my life quite so quickly. She was also able to explain why I was feeling certain things in a way that gave me confidence through knowledge of what was happening in my body. I’d highly recommend everyone to seek out a physiotherapist like Emily for any women’s health issue.”
“My daughter had a sports massage from Lucy this weekend and she was absolutely excellent! Outstanding friendly attitude, made her feel immediately at ease. Great job! Another excellent addition to the FitFRAME team!”