It was time to sit down with Kayla Whinray, our newest member of the Sports & Spinal Albury Wodonga team
Kayla, where did you grow up and what did you enjoy so much about it that it made you come back after uni?
I grew up on a farm just out of Yarrawonga in a place that hardly anyone has ever heard of. I honestly enjoy everything about living rurally, I spent 6 years down in Melbourne and was so ready to move home by the end of it (too many overcast days for my liking!) I missed the relaxed lifestyle and spending time outdoors with the Murray River on my doorstep. I’ve secretly been counting down for the chance to come home since I first packed my bag and moved away for first year uni.
The classic – what got you into Osteopathy?
I did elite level kayaking when I was in high school and tried out a heap of different treatment options like myotherapy, physiotherapy ect. and going to see the Osteo was my favorite of the lot! I also naturally developed an interest in the way the human body moves and how to optimise that movement. When I picked my preference for University I only had Osteopathy on the list, I’m honestly not sure what I would’ve done if this hadn’t panned out.
Any serious injuries you have had Kayla?
Ugh. Injuries, I’m lucky enough to say I’ve only ever suffered from one major injury but it was enough to push me into early retirement from kayaking at the ripe old age of 21. It’s a little bit of a long and boring story but basically I was getting pain while I was kayaking and no one could seem to work out exactly what was causing it. This was also another reason I wanted to be an Osteopath because I really wanted to help people get back to doing the things they love pain free because I remember how frustrating it was.
What rehab did you do, what are you doing now to prevent it and it’s importance?
My injury saga went on for a while and I spent probably 5 years doing rehab programs on and off over that time with little success. These days the things I do for rehab are focused around being able to stay fit and healthy to continue doing the things I love like hiking, bike riding and being able to walk from pub to pub on a Saturday night. I do a lot of targeted rehab that is based around injury prevention rather than management depending on what fitness adventure I’m tackling next.
What you have enjoyed about your brief time thus far at Sports & Spinal Albury Wodonga?
There is so much that I enjoy about the clinic so I’ll try not to write a huge essay on it! At the previous clinic I worked at I was the only Osteopath so joining the team here has been a welcome change of pace. The entire team has made me feel so welcome by being supportive and putting up with all my questions. For me working at Sports & Spinal Albury is the definition of a good team environment (and I promise no one forced me to say that.)
Kayla, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
In my spare time I’m obsessed with my border collie Ziggy and spend way more time than I care to admit fussing over how cute she is. She keeps me active and we spend plenty of time out the river, hiking and playing ball (of course!) I also love the outdoors and like to go camping and fishing when I get a chance. On a day to day basis I enjoy being in the gym, cooking and spending time with my family.
Favourite sport?
My favourite sport is naturally kayaking since I lived and breathed it for such a big part of my life, I still enjoy watching from the sidelines and screaming the house down when the Olympics is on.
Is there anything else we should know about you?
Yeah, I put pineapple on my pizza and I’m not ashamed of it
