Physio practise run by ex-England Rugby man strikes deal with property giant
Physiotherapy practice Altius Healthcare has secured a deal to provide its Sit Strong corporate wellness programme to customers of property company Bruntwood.
The deal means Hale, Greater Manchester-based Altius, headed up by former England Rugby and Sale Sharks physiotherapist Doug Jones, will deliver a weekly programme of physiotherapy services, strengthening and conditioning classes, and wellbeing therapies to firms located across the Bruntwood portfolio.
The initiative will launch in three of Bruntwood’s flagship buildings – Trafford House, Booths Park in Knutsford, and Neo in Manchester city centre.
Jones, who was head physio at Sale Sharks and London Wasps, left his career with England Rugby in 2014 after discovering he had a brain tumour.
Following successful treatment for a benign tumour, he went on to set up Altius Healthcare alongside his wife and fellow physiotherapist Anna, applying lessons learnt from 17 years in elite sport to treat people from all walks of life.
In its first year of business, Altius won contracts to treat athletes from Team GB Tae Kwon Do and Red Bull UK and Trek Factory Racing and grew its private practice to sustain 12 physiotherapists and health practitioners.
Bruntwood sales director Andrew Butterworth said: “Our focus has always been to create places where companies can succeed and prosper. We aim to put the health and wellbeing of all our customers at the heart of what we do and partnering with Altius to offer a programme specifically designed for office-based businesses fits that philosophy extremely well.”
The Bruntwood deal is the latest in a string of contracts won by Altius to deliver its Sit Strong programme to employees at Northwest firms. Altius already delivers the programme to companies including Stockport-based Ossur , which develops prosthetics, blades and braces for athletes, and Manchester digital agency Code Computerlove.
Sit Strong was developed by Jones and his team using elite sports science techniques to help employers cut health problems associated with prolonged sitting and improve the physical health and wellbeing of desk-based workers.
“In sport, we focus on preventing injury by identifying risk factors and using treatments that address physical weakness,” said Jones.
“The same philosophy is completely relevant in the corporate world where desk-based working practices are storing up major physical and mental health problems for employees.”
