Rachael completed her Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of South Australia and has since worked in a range of private practice settings in Adelaide. She has experience treating a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including chronic and referred pain, sporting injuries, pain during pregnancy, pre and post-surgical rehabilitation, and Pilates and gym rehabilitation.
She is credentialed in the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), which uses active movements, progressive exercises and hands on techniques to assess, treat, educate and empower patients with back, neck and extremities disorders and pain. It marries well with her DMA Pilates training, which also involves individually tailored exercises using Clinical Pilates principles for both matwork and equipment-based programs.
More recently Rachael has done extensive training in Fascial Counterstrain (FCS). This utilises diagnostic tender points to identify painful, reflexively protected and contracted tissues. FCS then uses gentle techniques that involves slackening or decompression of the involved structures to switch off the reflexive spasm. It is a safe and comfortable option even in the most sensitive cases, and allows for identifying and correcting dysfunction in all regions and systems of the body, not just the musculoskeletal system.
Rachael is passionate about empowering clients to find a new and more functional normal, and giving them the tools to effectively self-manage their bodies. She enjoys a challenge and working alongside clients with complex or chronic conditions that may have struggled with more traditional forms of treatment.
Outside of work, Rachael is busy with her 3 young children. She enjoys catching up with her monthly book club, spending time outside with the kids, cooking up a storm and daydreaming of a time when she can do more travel.
Services
- McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy
- Fascial Counterstrain
- Musculoskeletal injuries
- Sports injuries
- Pre and post orthopaedic surgery
- Pre and post spinal surgery
- Hip and knee arthritis management
- Pregnancy and post-natal physio and exercise
- Obstetric TENS education for labour pain management
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Osteoporosis management
- Balance and falls prevention
- BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) treatment
- Physiotherapy exercise
- Pilates exercise
- Home exercise programs
- Taping
- Dry needling
Special interests
- Pilates exercise-based programs
- Pregnancy and post-natal rehabilitation and management
- Musculoskeletal injury management
- Sport injury management
- Complex and chronic pain patterns
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Physiotherapy
- Credentialed McKenzie Therapist
Further studies
- McKenzie A-D and credentialing exam process
- Fascial Counterstrain: Neural 1&2, Arterial, Visceral, Musculoskeletal Cartilage, (in Feb 2024 - Venous/Lymphatic 1&2)
- Strain Counterstrain: Spinal, Peripheral, Cranial
- DMA Clinical Pilates A&B
- Certified Matwork Pilates Instructor
The Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute
Memberships
- Australian Physiotherapy Association
- McKenzie Institute of Australia
