Surrey Physio at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

August 2026

This summer, the Surrey Physio team had the fantastic opportunity to be part of one of the biggest sporting events of the year, the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Held from 23rd July to 2nd August, the Games brought together around 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories, competing across 10 sports. Glasgow last hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014, where several of us were volunteers, so it was nice to be back in the wonderful city of Glasgow.

For Surrey Physio, being involved in major international sport is something we are incredibly proud of. Our physiotherapists and osteopaths have supported athletes at Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and other international sporting events over many years.

Supporting athletes in Glasgow

We travelled to Glasgow on the train from London, to provide physiotherapy and osteopathy support during the Games, working in a high-performance environment alongside athletes, coaches, medical teams and other healthcare professionals.

Working at a major multi-sport event is very different from a normal day in clinic. Athletes are often competing on consecutive days, sometimes with only a short period between training, qualification rounds and finals. Treatment therefore has to be practical, focused and tailored to the demands of their sport.

Our role included helping athletes manage aches and injuries, assisting with recovery following competition and training, providing hands-on treatment and helping athletes prepare physically for their next event. We have long days! Some days finish at 11pm and start at 7:30am. This is normal during competition time.

It is also about being part of the wider support team. At this level, physiotherapists and osteopaths work alongside doctors, coaches and other professionals, with everyone sharing the same objective, helping athletes perform at their best while looking after their health and wellbeing.

The Opening Ceremony

We were blessed that the King and Queen could attend the opening ceremony. We were sitting about 30m away from the King. The ceremony was superb, with brilliant musicians and there was a strong Royal presence throughout the Games.

Continuing Surrey Physio's Commonwealth Games story

Glasgow also has a special connection with Surrey Physio.

Surrey Physio Director Tim Allardyce was Lead Physiotherapist at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, before returning to the Commonwealth Games at Birmingham 2022.

Birmingham was a particularly memorable Games for the company, with 14 members of the Surrey Physio team, including both physiotherapists and osteopaths, taking part. Members of the team worked across athletics, cricket, volleyball, squash and the Games Villages, while Tim once again supported the Tonga national team.

Returning to Glasgow in 2026 therefore felt like completing a circle, coming back to the city where our Commonwealth Games journey began more than a decade ago.

It was also nice to see former patient Lawrence Okoye get silver in the discuss.

Thank you, Glasgow

Most importantly, the Commonwealth Games are about getting Commonwealth nations and people together. The range of customs, dances, spirited conversations, photos and pin swapping is fantastic. We loved every minute of being here.

We were delighted that Surrey Physio could once again play a small part in Glasgow 2026 and provide physiotherapy and osteopathy support during such a fantastic celebration of international sport.

And finally a huge thanks to Glasgow Commonwealth Games Organising Committee – you did an incredible job. Glasgow was again brilliant. Also thanks to the Commonwealth Games Federation, medical teams, and also huge thanks to TASANOC and management