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 in Melbourne, like most others, playing lots of sports and loved being active. Being the youngest I was always trying to keep up and catch up to my older siblings. Some of my favourite memories as a kid were going up into the high country so when the opportunity came up to move to Albury and be closer to the hills it was a no brainer.
The classic question – what got you into Osteopathy?
Right place, right time. After completing a bachelor of Science, living overseas for a few years and working in construction I wasn’t completely satisfied with the direction I was going in. Growing up watching family members working in healthcare which gave me the inkling that it is something that I would enjoy.
I discovered Osteopathy as many do, by a word of mouth referral from a close friend after a back injury. Blissfully unaware of what it was, I discovered it covered a broad scope of practice, contained many treatment modalities for people in pain or with injuries with wonderful opportunities to learn, grow and develop a career.
Any serious injuries you have had?
General soft tissue injuries were a normal part of life when I was playing rugby, being the one of the smallest at 100kg and 6 foot 4 didn’t help my cause but I had been lucky enough not to do anything major.
The most concerning injury I’ve had was a disc bulge in my neck that caused pain and weakness into my arm and hand, thankfully that recovered well.
What rehabilitation did you do with your injuries and what are you doing now to prevent recurrence? Why is this so vitally important?
Regular Osteopathy treatment for the first few months as my disc recovered included nerve flossing to reduce sensitivity, specific movement exercises to maintain normal function, range of motion and prevent pain. These are all important for me to self-manage my disc bulge to prevent me from requiring any additional treatment. Understanding that disc bulges are normal, heal slowly (sometimes many months) and can resolve with time and regular treatment.
What have you enjoyed about your brief time thus far at Sports & Spinal Albury Wodonga?
The team is the best part about working at Sports & Spinal Albury Wodonga, wonderful people that make coming to work great every day.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Snowboarding, cycling, motorbike riding, exploring the countryside with my dogs as a start. Finding new breweries, wineries and distilleries is always fun. Finding great hidden gems with delicious food. Going camping with friends is always high on the priority list. I’m always up for any high adrenaline activities.
Favourite sport and/or sporting team?
Snowboard racing would have to be my favourite sport to compete in. Live ice hockey is my favourite sport to watch. The sports teams I support are Richmond in the AFL, Melbourne Rebels in the Super Rugby & the Wallabies, Storm in the NRL and I suppose the Blues in State of Origin now that I live in NSW.
Anything else we should know about you?
For someone who is fairly tall I am terrible at basketball.
