Senior Osteopath

Being an osteopath combines Caroline’s love of health and helping people.

“Osteopathy was a way in which I could combine my desire to help people and study human anatomy, physiology, pathology and biomechanics. I was especially drawn to osteopathy given the widespread application of treatments for all age groups and focusing on finding the root cause of someone’s pain rather than just treating the symptomatic area.”

Caroline particularly enjoys treating headaches and neck pain. “There are so many factors that contribute to headaches which makes the process of diagnosing, treating and managing them quite a challenge. Utilising a wide range of techniques such as soft tissue massage, joint articulation and joint manipulation, it’s always rewarding to see a change in these headaches knowing that you have made a difference to someone’s everyday life.”

Lower back and pelvic pain for patients going through pregnancy, in desk workers and trades people are also areas of interest. “In the future I would like to expand further development into complex pain conditions to better understand those living with chronic health conditions and the way it impacts musculoskeletal pain.”

Caroline also appreciates the influence of other lifestyle and environmental factors that can contribute to pain or discomfort. She utilises a team approach working alongside her patients to establish short and long-term goals both in and out of the treatment room.

The variation in presenting injuries from acute to chronic, from athletes to desk workers, means that no two days as a practitioner are the same.

On her days off, Caroline enjoys going for day hikes (a favourite being the You Yangs), playing mixed netball, cooking and spending time with friends and family.

As a physiotherapist, Peter relishes the opportunity to help his clients return to the things that mean the most to them, whether that’s sport, work or family. “A strong and healthy body maintains a healthy mind, which allows us to perform and work to the best of our ability.”

Peter is a strength and conditioning enthusiast with a unique understanding of the demands of high level competition and performance.  Having previously worked within the National Premier League Victoria (soccer) as well as part of the medical team for Futsal Victoria at their National Championships, he has a passion for treating all aspects of musculoskeletal or sporting pain with a particular interest in shoulders, hips, knees and ankles.

He is also a great advocate for the involvement of children and adolescents in sport, helping them develop healthy habits as they grow.

“It’s so important to stay at the forefront of the industry in terms of latest techniques, advancements, patient care and rehabilitation and use this information to continue to play a key role in patients’ recovery.”

Peter has valuable experience in pre- and post-operative care and has developed expertise in using Clinical Pilates to facilitate optimal recovery and performance.

“The challenge of pre and post-surgery and the journey between physiotherapist and patient to integrate them back into daily activity or sport in an even better condition than before their injury is what drives me.”

Whether it’s an acute injury or simply wanting to optimise performance, Peter has the expertise to diagnose and prescribe a program to get you back on track to achieving your goals. His unique combination of physiotherapy and high level coaching skills is a valuable asset in both the prevention and rehabilitation of injury – particularly in the areas of sports performance in the younger athlete.

Away from CSSM, Peter has developed a keen interest in golf, enjoys attending sports events, training in the gym and keeping up with the latest research and advancements within the physiotherapy industry.

Practice Principal

&

Senior Osteopath

Travis is an Osteopath and the founder of CSSM.

Coming from a family of bean counters, Travis says he chose health as a career because he didn’t want to become an accountant. “The irony now is that as practice principal at CSSM I do spend a lot of time looking at spreadsheets.  So maybe I was trying to avoid the inevitable!”

Travis chose osteopathy because he has always liked the hands-on approach to treatment. “That, together with the high level of study and knowledge in areas such as anatomy and movement, which is inherent within the osteopathy program, really excited me.  I had already done four years of study in health before commencing osteopathy and I had the opportunity to do other things.  But I chose to pursue osteopathy, and another five years of study because of the ability of the skills I learnt to help people in a meaningful way.”

Travis enjoys treating most injuries of the “active” person.  “One of the biggest areas of interest is treating teenagers.  There is a perception that kids and teenagers are just little adults – this is a massive misconception. Growing athletes have a unique set of needs.  We are seeing a lot of kids and teens suffering significant injuries from a young age.”  Recent studies have shown that in Australia, the highest increase in knee reconstruction surgery has occurred in teenagers between the ages of 12 and 16. “The impact of that on their future is scary.”

After working at a few other clinics, Travis found that health care suffered from a lack of direction and, CSSM was born. “Osteopathy was a relatively small profession with just a few hundred of us in Australia.  I saw the opportunity to bring osteo to the masses.”

Ever since, Travis has been keen to make osteopathy accessible as a health service that can deliver a patient focussed approach to care, giving meaningful evidence-based treatment and management to patients.

“We started as a one man show, and have grown to a team of over 20.  As part of this growth and expansion we have added a team of other modalities such as physio, podiatry, myotherapy and Pilates to the clinic – a ‘one stop shop” for the management of musculoskeletal injury.”

Travis describes CSSM as an extension of his family. “I am just as passionate about our team and the people that we treat as I am about few other things.  Doing what we do and doing it well is my biggest objective.”

The CSSM philosophy is to provide a level of care that exceeds the norm and ensures the best outcome for patients.  “Our standard appointment is what most other clinics call an extended appointment. It is a source of amusement to us when we see other clinics promote their guarantees of extended care.  From our perspective, you do not need to guarantee it, if it is what is ingrained in you.”

Just as families continue to grow, Travis hopes CSSM will too and continue to serve the community. “As a larger clinic, we are able to offer more specialised services to our patients, such as our running gait analysis and pre-pointe assessments.  We hope to continue to grow this suite of programs (golfers and cyclists stay tuned).  From there, we also hope to spread our reach to other locations when the opportunity presents itself.”

When he’s not bossing everyone around, Travis looks forward to catching up on some much needed sleep. “CSSM is all-consuming but nothing is more important than watching my kids do their thing and celebrating their achievements. If I get the time, I do enjoy hitting the trails with some mountain biking and trail running through the Dandenong’s. I love the solitude of being out there working up a sweat, lost in my own thoughts.”

Senior Pilates Instructor

After 15 years of intensive dance training and working as on osteopath, Kim was looking for a pro-active way to help people manage their conditions.   “Pilates was the perfect fit.”

Rather than “treat” conditions, Kim says Pilates improves movement and helps to relieve pain.  “I work to help people overcome their back and neck pain, manage restrictions with arthritis, rehabilitate joint injuries,  improve balance, build strength and increase bone mass in osteoporosis.  I also love keeping people strong throughout their pregnancies and beyond.”

According to Kim, clients are surprised at how easily a problem area can be identified. “We have elite athletes coming in who are very strong and fit but have pain or an injury. We can find a muscle not doing its job properly and they are surprised at how quickly that muscle tires and how we can progress exercises to keep Pilates continually challenging.”

“I love that my clients are very pro-active leading to great, long term results.  There is a huge variety in the people and conditions I see, keeping each class interesting.  I also love getting to know people and hearing about their lives.”

Kim has first-hand knowledge in the role pilates can play in pre and post-natal health but also has extensive experience treating and rehabilitating AFL and dance injuries.

Away from the clinic, Kim enjoys spending time with her three boys and getting involved in sports, activities, camping, and bushwalking.  She also loves walking her dogs.

Myotherapist & Remedial Massage

17 years of dance training, 12 years of tennis and 7 years of competitive rock climbing fuelled Kelsey’s interest in sport and associated injuries. “I’d always been interested in health and fitness and Myotherapy was a great transition from Personal Training into the treatment and rehabilitation of a lot of the issues I saw in the gym. It came with a stronger understanding of the human body.”

While sport is her passion, Kelsey believes that creating solid foundations of strength and rehabilitation are key components in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, whether you work in an office or as an elite athlete. “Having participated in a fair few sports over the years it’s given me a better understanding of the demands the body can be put through, the movements required to succeed and the difficult task of taking time away from the sport you love when injured.”

Kelsey employs a hands-on approach when treating muscular pains and joint dysfunction, complementing treatment outcomes with modalities such as cupping, dry needling, trigger point therapy, and taping. “Shoulder joint issues really fascinate me because they can be unpredictable and complex. I really enjoy the process of breaking down why the injury has occurred in the first place and rehabilitating the joint structures.”

Kelsey believes we never stop learning and is currently studying physiotherapy. “I’m keen to incorporate my myotherapy knowledge into what I’m learning as a student physiotherapist. I don’t want to abandon my myotherapy roots, but use them to better my outlook and understanding of treatment and rehabilitation.”

Away from work, Kelsey is an avid participator in rock climbing and has competed in both state and national events. “I can also be a great couch potato when I need some down time and enjoy meeting up with friends.”

Movement

is

Medicine

Kobi is a physiotherapist and a strong advocate for the role of exercise therapy in the prevention and management of musculoskeletal conditions with a particular interest in lower limb injuries.

Kobi understands the importance of tailoring treatment and rehabilitation to each patient on an individual basis when returning to sport and activity. With this in mind, Kobi places high importance on actively involving her patients in the design and implementation of their injury rehabilitation.

“I really enjoy seeing someone through the ups and downs of long term rehabilitation, and get a huge sense of satisfaction when these patients are able to return back to their desired activity.”

In the future, Kobi hopes to continue to evolve armed with the latest research and treatment techniques.

In her spare time you’ll find Kobi at the gym, taking her dog for a walk, or completing DIY jobs around the house and garden.

As a child, Lachlan was injury prone and saw many osteopaths and physiotherapists which sparked his interest in the industry.

“Osteopathy allows me to share knowledge about the body so people can understand themselves better.”

Lachlan has a particular interest in the neck and back and a growing interest in sport-related injuries. “I have grown up playing and watching sport my whole life. I feel as though I can identify with people who have sports injuries as I have had quite a few myself. Injuries can present significantly different from patient to patient which require lots of problem solving.”

In addition to manual therapy, Lachlan incorporates exercises as well as postural and lifestyle advice into his treatment sessions.

Lachlan has previously worked in London and learnt how osteopathy can be provided in a number of settings including hospitals, private practice, children’s clinics and expectant mothers clinics.

In the future, he would like to specialise in sports injuries and increase awareness and access to health care.

“CSSM is a one-stop musculoskeletal shop for people of all ages, backgrounds and injuries with a personalised and patient-focussed approach.”

Away from the clinic, Lachlan enjoys watching and playing sport, keeping fit and healthy, spending time with family and friends and exploring the world.

Ella has always been interested in the human body and the biomechanics of movement. “I thoroughly enjoy physical activity and sports and wanted to be able to help others recover from injury or pain so that they could return to doing what they love.”

Ella has a keen interest in sports injuries, neurological conditions such as stroke and post-surgery rehabilitation. Prior to joining CSSM, she worked in an acute hospital in Sydney where she further developed her interest in neurological physiotherapy. “I am fascinated by the nervous system and how it interacts with the musculoskeletal system and the entire body. It’s an area I would like to specialise in.”

Tailoring exercise and rehabilitation programs to suit each client and their goals is central to Ella’s approach to physiotherapy.  She believes in educating clients to help them understand their condition and encourage them to take an active role in their treatment and prevent further injuries. “I love working with people who are motivated to return to sport or a certain activity.”

Working with such a close team of practitioners at CSSM, Ella says the team consults and learns from each other to provide the most appropriate care for patients.

Away from the clinic, Ella enjoys playing netball, basketball and tennis, running, getting out of the city and catching up with friends and family.

Senior Osteopath

Emily has always been interested in the human body and leading an active lifestyle. “In learning about the different types of manual therapy, I really liked the concept of treating the person as a whole through osteopathy and aiming to solve the cause of someone’s pain or problem rather than just offering short term, symptomatic relief.”

Patient education and advice, in addition to hands-on treatment, is key to Emily’s treatment approach.

Emily is particularly interested in treating headaches/migraines, neck pain and pre/post-natal care using dry needling, Pilates and pain management strategies.

“Headaches including migraines are such a common and often debilitating condition and I’ve always found treating these conditions particularly satisfying as patients have often tried many different approaches with limited success prior to seeing an osteopath. I find the holistic and multi-faceted approach of osteopathy really well suited to treating these complaints.”

Emily has undertaken extensive training in dry needling. “I find it to be a very effective technique particularly for more complex cases and when other treatment modalities have been unsuccessful. I use this in conjunction with other forms of manual therapy as part of a treatment and very rarely in isolation.”

Since becoming a mother, Emily’s interest in pre and post-natal care has increased. “I understand the importance of not just pain relief during pregnancy but in optimising health and wellbeing during pregnancy for the best chance of an optimal birth and recovery.”

Having worked alongside experienced practitioners of many modalities, Emily has a broad understanding of the limitations of manual therapy and when referral and co-management may be necessary in order to achieve the best patient outcomes. In addition to manual therapy, Emily incorporates exercise prescription, postural and lifestyle advice into her management strategies, having undertaken further studies in Clinical Pilates and Nutritional Medicine.

In the future, Emily hopes to undertake further study in pain management strategies. “There’s growing numbers of patients dealing with persistent pain. These complaints form a significant part of our patient load and it is an area of research that I believe warrants further understanding.”

Away from CSSM, Emily enjoys being outdoors, spending time with her young family, drinking coffee and most recently, baking cakes!