Having been plagued by a chronic knee problem over many years I decided to visit a new centre hoping for a positive outcome.

The Kerala Ayurveda Centre. Bolton offers herbal therapies to treat problems ranging from back and joint pains to obesity, stress, depression and skin disorders.

The centre has facilities for men and women and everything is segregated. It is set within 3,000 sq ft of premises consisting of four treatment rooms, a consultation room, relaxation/yoga room, making it one of the largest and most specialised Ayurvedic Centre in the UK.

My visit began with a consultation with a doctor who assessed my knee, coming to a conclusion that repeated massages could help alleviate the discomfort.

The consultation is thorough and the doctor was keen to know about how I had got the initial injury.

With the diagnosis complete I headed off to the massage room. The massage itself was for 45 minutes and concentrated on my knee and lower leg area.

The masseuse applied three specific oils to the affected areas.

As part of the massage you are also asked to spend time in a sauna box for ten minutes.

This is a traditional wooden sauna box which literally got me cooking! (This might be perfect for those wanting to lose weight) It is only after the treatment you are able to see the benefits. Yes, the massage does help, but I was concerned that it may take several sessions to really see major changes. I would use this centre in addition to complement other therapies.

Overall the treatment is very good value for money (it only costs £23) for a 55 minute session. The service at the centre is excellent and the staff very polite.

I would advise anyone with re-occurring sporting injuries to give this a try. (8/10 Review by Sidik Patel. Sidik is a keen amateur local footballer and cricketer.