About Me.
My career as a Physiotherapist started as a student at Curtin University. Since graduating I have had one of the most varied careers of any physiotherapist in Australia. You could loosely describe my career as happening in three phases....
Phase One - the "Apprenticeship"...
Immediately following graduating as a physio, was working in private practice, treating a range of people and ailments. I worked with the Canberra Royals Rugby Union Club - a semi professional organisation that had Australian Wallabies past and future. I also worked with a number of Canberra's best distance runners - who were full tilt into training for the Sydney Olympics and beyond. When Dick Telford OAM, asked me to travel with the AIS distance runners to a training camp prior to the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth games, the next phase of my career started.
At those Commonwealth games I met a number of people, and was "lucky" to treat the owner/manager of arguably the biggest management company in World Athletics. I must've done something right, as he asked me to stay following the Commonwealth games and treat his athletes in London.
Phase Two - The running Physio, and learning phase...
So, after Manchester, I finished up work in Canberra and started my work as physio to some of the very best athletes in the world. I soon found myself working all around the world, travelling extensively to training camps and races with athletes (one year I was at home in my own bed in Australia for a total of only 35 nights!). I was responsible for treating Olympic champions and World Record holders in events from the 100m to the marathon, and also representing Australia as the Team Physiotherapist at IAAF World Championship events. I call it my learning phase as I was exposed to ideas and things that they just don't teach at university. Different cultures, more pressure, dealing with outside agencies, managers, coaches, media. Pressures of performance, learning about the mind side of performance... I'm still proud of the achievements of the athletes that I helped - who still hold world, area and national records. The medals and championships that they won will also never be taken away.
Phase three - Back to private practice, and much more learning.....
Phase three commenced with my move back to Perth. I've moved back into private practice, and also consult to some government agencies and corporate bodies. I teach physiotherapy students Anatomy at the University of Notre Dame. Primarily though, I am a clinician. I am passionate about the bodies ability to heal. Sound advice is critical when dealing with an injury. Massage, stretching and dry needling can help to provide pain relief to help you with your rehabilitation plan. A rehabilitation plan should be tailored specifically to your goals, and injury minimisation advice is also important to reduce the chance of you coming back!
Somewhere along the way I also completed a Masters of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, as a result of which I was able to become a member of the Australian College of Physiotherapists.
Last but not least, I am a partner and a father of two great boys, who keep me on my toes!
