Foot and Ankle Specialist | Sports Physio | Clinical Practice Founder

In elite sport, performance and recovery go hand in hand. Few people understand that better than Darren Finnegan, Specialist Physiotherapist and founder of a leading sports rehabilitation practice in Newcastle.

With a career spanning international travel, professional sport, and private practice, Darren has built a reputation as one of the North East's leading experts in foot and ankle injury rehabilitation and sports performance physiotherapy.

Global Experience: From Tropics Rugby Sevens to Great Britain Basketball

Before establishing his specialist physiotherapy practice in Newcastle, Darren's career took him across the world, working with elite athletes who demanded the highest standards of care.

One of his early career highlights came with the Tropics Rugby Sevens team, an international invitational side featuring top-tier players from around the globe. Travelling and competing across continents gave Darren first-hand insight into the physical and mental demands of high-level sport.

"Rugby sevens is relentless. The pace, the travel, the turnaround between games. It taught me to think proactively about injury prevention and recovery, not just treatment."

That global experience laid the foundation for his clinical philosophy: combining sports science, hands-on expertise, and evidence-based rehabilitation to create lasting results.

Darren later joined the Great Britain Under-20 Basketball Team, where precision and professionalism were everything. Working within a multidisciplinary environment alongside sports scientists, coaches, and doctors helped refine his approach to rehabilitation under pressure, where marginal gains often determine performance outcomes.

Specialist Focus: Foot and Ankle Rehabilitation

While Darren's experience covers the full spectrum of musculoskeletal and sports injuries, his specialist area lies in the foot and ankle. These regions often dictate how an athlete moves, jumps, and performs.

He has extensive experience managing and rehabilitating conditions such as:

• Ankle ligament sprains and chronic instability

• Achilles tendinopathy and ruptures

• Plantar fasciitis and heel pain

• Stress fractures

• Post-surgical foot and ankle rehabilitation

• Return-to-sport testing and performance reconditioning

"The foot and ankle are the foundations of movement. When they're not right, everything up the chain compensates. My goal is always to restore confidence, strength, and control from the ground up."

Through objective testing tools such as VALD ForceDecks and Dynamo, Darren and his team quantify progress and track performance improvements throughout recovery. This brings a professional sports environment into every client interaction.

Professional Standards, Local Impact

Darren's Newcastle-based physiotherapy practice was founded on one clear mission: to bring professional-level sports injury rehabilitation and performance care to the wider community.

Operating from two clinics in Ouseburn and South Gosforth, the practice combines manual therapy, exercise rehabilitation, and performance testing to help clients recover faster and perform better.

Whether it's an athlete returning to competition or a patient recovering from surgery, the philosophy is simple: every client deserves elite-level care.

Working with the Newcastle Eagles: Performance in Practice

Today, Darren continues to apply his sports physiotherapy expertise at the top level of professional sport as part of the medical and performance team for the Newcastle Eagles, one of the UK's most successful basketball organisations.

His dual role (supporting professional athletes while leading a growing physiotherapy practice) reflects a deep commitment to clinical excellence, performance outcomes, and education within the physiotherapy profession.

Looking Ahead: Leading the Way in Sports Rehabilitation

Darren's journey from global rugby circuits and international basketball to the heart of the North East demonstrates how experience, precision, and passion can redefine what quality physiotherapy looks like.

Through his specialist clinic, he continues to raise the standard of foot and ankle rehabilitation in Newcastle, helping clients rebuild stronger foundations, improve performance, and move without limits.