bodytonic clinic and James Gill

“I have a real passion for helping people,” explained James Gill, who runs bodytonic clinic in Canada Water, near Deptford SE8 & New Cross SE14. “I want to create fantastic environments where members of the public can come and get treatment, advice or rehabilitation or even just relax and de-stress.” James and I met to talk about the clinic and his practice in Dock Offices on Surrey Quays Road.

“I grew up on a farm in Norfolk,” says James, “but when it came to deciding on a career, my dad encouraged me to follow my own dreams. I thought a medical degree would fulfil my love of biology. My mum and I had been involved in a car accident in my childhood, and visiting an osteopath really helped her rehabilitation, but it was when I saw an animal Osteopath at work during a placement as a zoo keeper that I realised osteopathy was my passion.”

“…we want everyone who comes here – patients, staff and practitioners – to enjoy a really positive, relaxing setting…”

Developing the practice

“I moved to London in 2002 to study my Bachelor of Osteopathy at the British School of Osteopathy, and over the four-year intensive course clocked up over 1,000 clinical hours. When I graduated I started treating as a sole practitioner in Canada Water, so when the opportunity arose, it made perfect sense to set up a clinic here. I’ve lived in Canada Water for 14 years and it’s a fantastic place to live and work; a central London location with great transport links, and as a bonus it’s close to the river Thames and local parks. Since setting up, the business has gone from strength to strength; bodytonic now has 3 clinics, one in Canada Water, near Deptford SE16 & New Cross SE14, another in Stratford and a third in Wapping, and having a team of 12 practitioners means we’re able to offer cranial osteopathy, 121 Clinical Pilates, sports, deep tissue and pregnancy massage, and health and beauty treatments as well.

“…Everything we offer is holistic so we are always keen to make the experience supportive and engaging…”

Sports therapy

“All our osteopaths offer both sports massage and osteopathy, which means that sportspeople – whether they are running a marathon, playing team sport or using the gym regularly – benefit from both a medical diagnosis and understanding of a specific injury or issue and the practitioner’s skill as a manual therapist. In the clinic we see all types of injuries from general low back, hip or knee pain to running related injuries such as plantar fasciitis. Our therapists are able to help treat these injuries as well as advise on any exercise rehab that will benefit that individual patient. Having the in-house sports massage allows the team to follow the patient through their full journey. Really we should have an appointment with the osteopath as we do one with our dentist; a regular check-up means that an active lifestyle can be maintained with less likelihood of strain, injury or pain.”

bodytonic clinic Canada Water - Osteopathy & Massage Canada Water SE16, Near Deptford SE8. Rotherhithe Bermondsey & Surrey Quays

bodytonic clinic, 10-11 Dock Office, Surrey Quays Road, SE16 2XU

Going forward

“bodytonic clinic is expanding all the time. The area is going to change with all the development plans and new facilities and we aim to grow with these changes as well. We expect to open new clinics soon and to add new services such as MSK Physiotherapy and podiatry, so that we can provide a greater experience for our patients. We are really proud of what we offer at bodytonic clinic and we are all really passionate about what we do. Our ethos is strongly patient-focused; we want everyone who comes here – patients, staff and practitioners – to enjoy a really positive, relaxing setting. Everything we offer is holistic so we are always keen to make the experience supportive and engaging. All our practitioners listen carefully to their patients so that they can use the right interventions to tackle the root cause.

Offers and discounts

To introduce patients to the clinic bodytonic clinic offer a free 15 minute osteopathy consultation, allowing patients to visit the clinic, meet the practitioners and discover how osteopathy can help them. They also offer 10% off a patient’s first massage or health and beauty treatment if they book online.”