Stuart Barton is one of the world’s top physiotherapists. He has practices in Fife and Edinburgh, was for 12 years the physio for the Scotland rugby team, helped rehabilitate hundreds of players, and was in attendance for a record 101 international Test matches.

Stuart left the Scottish Rugby Union in 2009 after a tenure involving three World Cups, several rugby tours and a career highlight of being the British Lions physio during their 2005 tour of New Zealand.

Today he lives with his family in the Fife coastal town of Anstruther where he has his main practice, which has four treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art gym and a rehabilitation suite.
To accommodate increased demand for his services, Stuart recently opened a second clinic at Lundin Links called Physiotherapy Links. All of Stuart’s Anstruther staff now practice at least once a week at Lundin Links to maintain continuity between the two clinics. As the two clinics are just 20 minutes apart and share the same electronic diary, if you cannot be seen in Anstruther we will endeavour to see you at Lundin Links on the same day.
Stuart, who is also a partner in the successful SPACE clinic in Edinburgh, is incredibly proud of his hand-picked, world-class team – several of whom have worked at the highest levels of professional sport, and some of whom have been with Stuart for eight years. Stuart now has a close-knit team of twelve physiotherapists and massage therapists who all practice under his methods and systems of practice but also add their own particular techniques and expertise. All have diplomas in spinal manipulation.

“Whether the patient is a professional rugby player, a world famous footballer or golfer, or just a normal, everyday person, Stuart’s principles are the same. He prides himself on being a very ‘low tech’, hands-on, manual therapist. His treatments are complemented by self-help exercises which help get on top of the problem and stop re-occurrence.”

Stuart believes the most important aspect of any treatment is to secure a speedy and accurate diagnosis. If needed Stuart has immediate access to Scott McKie at Spire Healthcare (www.spirehealthcare.com) should you require an MRI, CT scan, X ray or Ultrasound scan. Patients don’t always need diagnostic imagery, but it is reassuring to know that it is available if the need arises.
Diagnosis and treatment are always closely linked and Stuart believes in both subjective and objective improvements. In his rugby days if he told the Scotland coach that one of his players would be fit for a game in a week or six weeks’ time, he always delivered. The same principle applies today to all his patients: Stuart prides himself on accurate and sensible predictions of the duration of treatment so that patients can plan their lives accordingly.

He and his team appreciate the financial implications of using private medical facilities and offer top-up treatments which cost a fraction of the cost of major interventions.

Stuart’s patients are split between private and self-funded. He and his team appreciate the financial implications of using private medical facilities and offer top-up treatments which cost a fraction of the cost of major interventions. These top-up treatments take place in Stuart’s lunch break or at pre/post-work appointments. This unique service allows patients easy access to the strapping, acupuncture or manipulation services they need between treatments.
A drop-in clinic is also available on a Monday night to assess a fresh injury sustained over the weekend. This has proved to be an amazingly effective early intervention service, with the clinic’s critical diagnosis/intervention allowing many patients to be fit for the vital match the following weekend.

Head to our Meet the Team page where you will find out a bit more about Stuart’s staff – a motley-looking crew, but a great team!