Align Physiotherapy & Pilates

At Align, we cater to every body . Our personalised programs are tailored to your specific needs in order to: increase flexibility, strength and stability, minimise current injuries and weaknesses and help to avert future injuries.
Prior to starting a pilates program, we do an in depth assessment on each client. We use real-time ultrasound which enables us to assess and correct poor muscular recruitment patterns. The combination of manual therapy (which can include physiotherapy, chiropractic and/or remedial massage) with the active correction of inefficient muscle recruitment patterns, maximises injury prevention and increases flexibility and core strength.

Our Team

KERRY ETKINBSc

Physiotherapy, Post Grad Dip Upper Limb Injuries, MAPA
Kerry qualified as a physiotherapist in Johannesburg in 1994, there she worked in a private hospital where she ran the hand therapy unit until 1997. She decided to further her education and immigrated to Perth where she completed a post-graduate diploma in upper limb injuries and hand rehabilitation from Curtin University. From there the bright lights of Sydney beckoned and she moved across where she developed an interest in Pilates. Having completed her certification from Body, Arts and Science, Kerry began her own practice, combining both her Physiotherapy and Pilates knowledge, which enable her to offer a comprehensive rehabilitation option. She went on to complete an Advanced Diploma of Pilates Practice through Pilates International and her studio also is a mentoring studio for Pilates International students. Kerry presents at Post Graduate Pilates courses nationally.

WINNIE WU

Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy
Winnie is from Hong Kong, and has lived in the UK and US before coming to Australia 6 years ago. She graduated from University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy.

As a Physiotherapist, she treats Musculoskeletal conditions and her main area of interest is in dance and back injuries. Trained in Ballet, Contemporary and Salsa, she understands what is required for the body to physically cope with the demands of different movement patterns. She started Pilates in 2004 and has been practicing ever since. As an instructor, she aims to teach you body and spatial awareness; to help you gain movement efficiency; and to recognise the potential functionality of every joint in your body. Movement excellence is not easy to achieve but it is well worth all the hard work you are willing to put in the journey!

In her spare time, she loves travelling, hiking, reading, cooking, and of course, dancing!

LAURA KAVANAGH

Advanced Diploma of Health Science (Soft Tissue Therapy) Diploma of Polestar Pilates Studio and Rehabilitation Method Certificate IV Pilates Matwork Instruction (Pilates ITC) Professional Association Memberships: Australian Association of Massage Therapists (AAMT) Pilates Alliance Australasia (PAA)
Laura completed an Advanced Diploma in Health Science in 2007. She spent the next 7 years honing her skills as a therapist, working in and later also managing a busy soft tissue therapy clinic. An episode of lower back pain led Laura to Pilates, first as a student herself. Noting the wonderful benefits for her own control, power and posture, she became qualified as an instructor – first in matwork and then later in the full studio and rehabilitation method.

Laura believes in an holistic model for physical rehabilitation and health. She enjoys taking her clients beyond core stability, and into movement that is not only robust and efficient, but also joyful and beautiful.

KATHRYN O’CONNORBSc Physiotherapy, MAPA

Kathryn studied Physiotherapy at the University College Dublin, during this time while on a placement in Toronto she was introduced to Pilates as an effective adjunct to treatment and rehabilitation. Following this placement, she completed her teacher training with STOTT Pilates. On moving to Australia in 2010 she continued to develop her skill combining Pilates with Physiotherapy. Kathryn is interested in assessing movement dysfunctions and retraining optimal movement patterns to assist in her clients’ rehabilitation.

LOUISE SAWERS

Bachelor of Applied Science Physiotherapy from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand Polestar Pilates Rehabilitation Certified.
Louise has worked in the private practice setting in Auckland, New Zealand and Singapore, where she gained extensive experience in assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.
Louise also worked at Nelson and Middlemore hospitals in New Zealand where she received training under the guidance of expert physiotherapists, doctors and surgeons, while being exposed to a large variety of orthopaedic and medical cases. Her comprehensive hospital experience has allowed Louise to understand the continuum of care that is required in returning people to work and sport.
Louise has a strong interest in pilates and is certified in Polestar Pilates, She has taught pilates in New Zealand and Singapore and understands the extensive benefits that pilates can provide.
Louise wholly enjoys incorporating her knowledge base of musculosketetal related conditions with her skill base in pilates.
She understands the importance of developing programs that are tailored to each person’s individual needs, in order to help support them through their rehabilitation period, enabling them to optimise their recovery and return to their activity in peak heath.

HADASS SEGAL(BA (Cum Laude), MA (Ed), Grad Dip (Psychotherapy & Counselling), MA (Psychotherapy & Counselling)

Hadass studied psychology and law and attained a Masters in Special Education. She then went to New York University’s Film School and spent 15 years as a journalist and screenwriter before leaving the world of fictional people to embrace the world of real people. She retrained as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist and has experience working with clients encountering depression, relationship breakdowns, addictions, compulsions, anxiety, stress, grief and loss, trauma, chronic pain, sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Her core philosophy is that the therapeutic relationship is collaborative. It is a connected journey that therapist and client take together, with the client setting the destination.
See aligncounselling.com.au for more info.

KATHY MILLERPilates Instructor

Pilates became my passion when I experienced such good results after I had several injuries.

Having done pilates for 14 years, I decided to become an instructor in my sixties, taking two years to qualify as a level 1 Pilates instructor….all with incredible input and encouragement from Kerry at Align.

My aim is to keep us balanced with good core control, flexibility, stability, strength and mobility…and have fun.

SANDY SMUSKOWITZPilates Instructor

Sandy originally studied fashion and spent a number of years in the fashion industry. After having her second child Sandy experienced severe back pain and was advised to take up Pilates. Sandy started practicing Pilates in 2004 and has since embraced Pilates which is an integral part of her life. Sandy is inspired to take the lessons she has learnt over the years and impart that on to her clients. Sandy’s Pilates journey taught her how to stabilise the body from the inside out. Her focus is now to take these lessons of core and posture and translate that into the everyday lives of her clients. Sandy believes in the importance of tailoring programs around client’s individual needs to get the best outcome. Sandy has a Certificate IV Pilates Matwork as well as a Diploma in Studio Pilates from Pilates International Training College (Pilates ITC).In her spare time Sandy likes to walk and loves spending time outdoors with family and friends.

MARTIN CANOVAChiropractor

Martin works closely with physiotherapy and Pilates Instructors to provide a holistic wellness based care model which focused on physical, emotional and biochemical systems of the body.

ANN LEWINSKYNutritional Counsellor

Anne is a medical doctor with a particular interest in the human body and mind and the relationship we have with what we choose to eat.

A graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, she ran an outpatient clinic in Pretoria for 2 years and in 1979 set up a general practice with a focus on Nutrition.

In 2001 she emigrated with her husband and four children to Sydney and within 2 weeks set up a private practice as a Nutrition Counsellor.

She attends to patients of all ages with various health problems including bowel disease, food intolerances, diabetes, heart disease prevention, as well as those requiring weight loss or weight gain.

She is passionate about her work and being able to help people attain a healthier mind and body.

Align Physiotherapy & Pilates in Randwick, Sydney, NSW is listed under the best with expertise in Headache Physio, Sports Physio, Whiplash Physio.

Other services by Align Physiotherapy & Pilates are Sports injury Physio, Clinical Pilates, Pilates Classes, Physiotherapy, Neck Pain Physio, Back Pain Physio, Joint Pain Physio.

Call the staff at Align Physiotherapy & Pilates to receive more information about our services.

Services

Physiotherapy

We treat patients with a holistic hands-on approach using a variety of techniques including; postural assessment, massage, joint mobilisation, active and passive stretching, taping, dry needling, myofascial and trigger point release techniques and cranial therapy.

We prefer hands-on therapy to the use of electro therapy modalities, thereby giving patients a minimum of 30 minutes hands-on care. We also include and encourage active rehabilitation. Our on-going careplan includes home or studio exercise programs for self-management.
Pilates

Pilates is a method of exercise, designed for conditioning and strengthening the muscles that support the spine, pelvis and peripheral joints. In rehabilitation we use Pilates to re-educate and re-balance the musculo-skeletal system by restoring normal muscle recruitment patterns, which are vital for the execution of efficient pain-free movement and prevention of further dysfunction and injury.

Each client is taken through a full Musculo-skeletal assessment which gives us an idea exactly what is or is not working in their body. From there the client has a private session during which the principles of Pilates are explained and the client is introduced to their program with a specific spotlight on the areas of weakness that were identified during the initial consultation. Thereafter the client may either continue with the private sessions or progress into a class. Each class has a maximum of 3 people and the instructor circulates around the class allowing for individual attention throughout the session.
All our instructors have undertaken full certification programs which have been approved by the Pilates
Alliance (National Regulatory Body). The studio is a Pilates Alliance Recognised Studio.
We are all committed to on-going continuing professional education in order to maintain an exceptional standard of Pilates instruction.
Remedial Massage

We are now offering Remedial Massage on a Thursday afternoon with Laura who is one of our Pilates instructors as well as a qualified Remedial Massage Therapist.

We have found that the complementary effects of manual therapies and Pilates provide the most effective results for clients with rehabilitation goals. The combination of positive movement patterns coupled with decreasing pain and increased mobility promotes enhanced recovery and reduces the occurrence of re-injury.
Chiropractic

Specialising in complex cases referred by other practitioners (including dentists, Medical Practitioners, Behavioral Optometrists, Physiotherapists and other Chiropractors), our chiropractor has established a reputation for resolving cases that have not responded to more traditional approaches.
Headache resolution through an emphasis on Cranio-Dental structure and function has led our Chiropractor to work closely with other practitioners within a holistic paradigm. Sports Performance Optimization and Injury Risk Minimisation are also areas of specialisation along with the treatment of pre-pregnancy, post pregnancy and childhood issues utilising effective protocols and established techniques.

Counselling

Anyone can benefit from counselling sessions but clients usually arrive in the middle of a particularly stressful or upsetting situation, when they’re overwhelmed or when they simply feel stuck in a rut. Counselling is an amazing opportunity to better know ourselves, understand our challenges and draw on our strengths.

How can talking help?

The counselling room becomes a safe place where you can truly hear yourself and begin to develop an ability to observe and understand your behaviours with the help of an objective witness. Apart from talking therapy, I use focussing skills, drawing, writing and visualisation to help you make the connection between your thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours, fostering a healthy relationship between your body and mind. My aim is to help get you out of your own way and learn to care deeply for yourself.

In therapy you will learn techniques to access your inner saboteur and work with him or her to achieve your goals. You will be given a space to play out your fears and your hopes and you will discover how to use yourself as a healing resource. Importantly, you will work with your counsellor to create short
and long terms goals that can be assessed and practically applied.

Will the counsellor ‘fix’ me?

Instead, the counsellor will give you the space, techniques and strategies to gain a greater awareness of  how you repeat destructive patterns. You will then be able to make autonomous decisions on what gets in your way and how you need to shift and grow. You will heal you.

 
Nutritional Counselling

We offer Nutritional Counselling to a wide range of patients with various health problems including bowel disease, food intolerances, diabetes, heart disease prevention, as well as those requiring weight loss or weight gain.

Reviews

“Fabulous studio with lovely, knowledgeable instructors who are able to tailor a great program to your needs.”

“Thanks to Kerry and her team of professional physiotherapists and health professionals. I have attended on occasion over the last decade, and can testify to the consistently excellent approach to care giving and highly qualified and expert assistance. Thanks Kerry!”

“Love Align – fantastic instructors who really take the time to get to know you and your fitness/exercise/strengthening needs. Highly recommended.”

“Align offers great Pilates classes, expert physios and Chiro and a great, friendly atmosphere #reviewtowin”