Quick Q&A with Zara Goodier: Physiotherapist and Manual Therapist at PhysioActive

Today, we want to take the opportunity to welcome physiotherapist Zara Goodier to the PhysioActive team. Originally from the UK, Zara graduated with a B.Sc Management degree before going on to complete a B.Sc Physiotherapy degree from Keele University. Following graduation Zara completed rotations within the NHS as well as working at Manchester City Football Club academy alongside the ladies team.

Prior to joining PhysioActive, Zara worked in Singapore in a private practice, gaining great experience in treating musculoskeletal injuries and post-operative conditions. Zara is registered with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (UK) and the Allied Health Professions Council (Singapore). In her spare time Zara enjoys travel and photography as well as keeping fit by joining every exercise class going. Read on to see what Zara had to say...

How did you come to be in Singapore?

I visited a friend who was living in Singapore in 2007. I completely fell in love with the vibrant city. There seemed to be so much to see and do, a diversity of colour and culture and a hop skip and a jump away from some fantastic Asia adventures. It took me a few years to finally make the move, but in 2014 I did!

Where did you work before PhyisioActive?

I have worked for the past two years at another private clinic in Singapore. Prior to this I was working within the UK NHS, specialising in musculoskeletal injuries in inpatient and outpatient settings. I also provided physiotherapy and pitch side support at the Manchester City Ladies Team games.

What is your specialism?

I am particularly interested in the back, pelvis and lower limbs. Whether a condition or injury has developed traumatically or gradually, I particularly enjoy assessing and discovering the key things the client needs to work on. I find it extremely rewarding guiding someone through the rehabilitation process so that they can achieve their goals. It is hugely rewarding seeing someone leave the clinic stronger, more confident and pain-free.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Not much! I'm definitely a night owl. However, if anything gets me moving before dawn it's the prospect of far off travel, captivating photographs to snap or just a good old sweaty bootcamp!

What do you do with your holiday time?

I know its a cliche to say this living out in Asia, but travel, travel, travel. I love to see all the different cultures and beautiful landscapes that exist. I take an "always say yes" attitude when on my travels; this has resulted in some interesting experiences, terrifying foods, crazy activities and lifetime memories. It also means that I have climbed Africa's biggest mountain, shook hands with the Dalai Lama and skied, scubaed, biked and hitchhiked my way around Asia and beyond.

Do you have any hobbies?

Photography is probably my biggest hobby at present. I find street photography fascinating when visiting different parts of the region. It is a fantastic way to preserve memories. I also enjoy fitness and wellness classes. I have a fantastic membership which allows me to drop into classes all over the island, keeping it fun and varied. It might be yoga one day, zumba the next or morning bootcamp in one of the parks.

Best of luck to Zara in her new role here at PhysioActive - if you'd look to book an appointment to see Zara or one of our other specialist physiotherapists, be sure to get get in touch.

Shooting with Singaporean Superstar Michelle Chia

Michelle Chia is a former MediaCorp actress, Singapore celebrity and TV Host. In May 2012, Chia's contract with MediaCorp expired. She declined to renew it, stating that she wanted to temporarily "take a break" from showbiz. She stopped by PhysioActive on Saturday 30th November!

Everyone was very excited before the video shoot with Michelle - therapists and patients alike!

The film crew and Michelle arrived early morning and after setting up all the equipment we were ready to go. We first started with the treatments of our patients. Since everyone knew exactly what to do from their previous treatments, it all went really smooth. The cameraman only had to remind everyone from time to time to smile a little more. I guess everyone was just nervous that they might do something wrong… 😉

Before lunch break, it was Diana’s turn to shoot with Michelle. Both did an excellent job and after only a few takes the scene was done!

After lunch we finished up the treatment scenes. I must say all patients and therapists did a wonderful job!

Now it was my turn to speak in front of the camera. It is actually quite a multitasking challenge: remembering the lines, not talking too fast, not talking too slow, not talking too loud, not talking too quiet, no mumbling, looking friendly, keeping the exact posture and so on. Surprisingly, it went very smooth, which gave a confidence boost for the next scene with Michelle. But Michelle was so nice and relaxed, it wasn’t that difficult after all. After a few more scenes with Michelle, Diana and me and some shots from the clinic, we were already done, ahead of schedule. I’m sure that never happens in Hollywood.

The whole day went by so fast and we all had a lot of fun. It's amazing how long it takes for a two minute video.

We'd like to extend a big thank you to all of the patients and therapists who did a wonderful job. Also, a big thank you goes out to the very professional crew who helped a lot and who didn’t make us feel like amateurs.

And finally a big, big thank you to Michelle, who was so nice and helpful the whole day. You made us feel as though we'd done this a million times!

If you want to see us in action with Michelle, please check out our homepage.

Quick Q&A with Liam McGinley: Physiotherapist and Sports Therapist at PhysioActive

Today, we want to take the opportunity to welcome physiotherapist Liam McGinley to the PhysioActive team. Originally from Ireland, Liam graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Physiology and Anatomy before going on to obtain his MSc in Physiotherapy from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Before joining PhysioActive, Liam spent his last 2 years working in Singapore’s KK Women’s and Children’s hospital, working in both inpatients and outpatients treating a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries and post-operative orthopaedic conditions. Now that he's here, we thought we ought to ask him a few questions so that you can get to know him more! Read on to see what Liam had to say...

How did you come to be in Singapore?

I'm originally from Ireland. I studied for my degree in Ireland before going on to complete my masters in the UK. I have been living in Singapore for the past two and a half years, having moved over with my girlfriend Maire, who is also a physiotherapist (shown above).

Where did you work before PhysioActive?

I spent two years working in Singapore’s KK Women’s and Children’s hospital.

What's your specialism?

My special interest in physiotherapy is in sports rehabilitation, especially knee and ankle injuries. I'm constantly trying to read up on and to further my knowledge in this area. I've gained experience working with footballers, runners, golfers, rugby players, and many other recreational sports players. I also spent time working with a professional soccer academy in the UK.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

I'm very passionate about my job and about caring for my patients’ needs. I'm also a very friendly person who really enjoys working as part of a team.

What do you like to do with your holiday time?

I love travelling and experiencing new cultures. So far, since moving to Singapore, I've visited Abu Dhabi, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Do you have any hobbies?

In my free time I play Gaelic football with the Singapore Gaelic Lions club (shown below). In 2015, I represented Singapore in the Asian Games in Shanghai and also represented Asia in the World Games held in Abu Dhabi. I'm also a keen runner, and I enjoy attending yoga classes when I can squeeze some into my schedule.

Best of luck to Liam in his new role here at PhysioActive - if you'd look to book an applointment to see Liam or one of our other specialist physiotherapists, be sure to get get in touch.

Quick Q&A with Brigitte Lichtenberger: Physiotherapist for the Singapore Wheelchair Basketball Team

With the 8th ASEAN Para Games just around the corner, we wanted to take the chance to sit down with Brigitte Lichtenberger, one of the physiotherapists here at PhysioActive. As well as working tirelessly with our patients, Brigitte is also the physiotherapist for Singapore's national wheelchair basketball, who will be competing in this year's games from 3rd - 9th December.

Brigitte's hard work has already been picked up by the Straits Times, and we're all excited to see how the team gets on! Read on to find out more about Brigitte and the team...

Do you think that competing in Singapore will give you a home turf advantage?

I'm sure that playing in Singapore will motivate the players a lot, and I hope that lots of people will come along to experience the impressiveness of the game.

You're head coach of the team: What exactly does this role entail?

I plan and conduct most of the training, and I'm working closely with the team's manager and with my assistant coach to organise everything before the games so that the athletes can concentrate on their training and their matches.

Are there any skills that you've learned as a physiotherapist that you can apply to your coaching?

The medical background helps me to understand the capabilities of each individual player and to plan where they can improve.

Will you be taking any time off work during the competition? If so, how supportive have Denis and the team been?

I will have to stay in the games village for the entire event, which means that I can’t work in the clinic. Denis and the team were very supportive in giving me time off to represent Singapore.

Your opponents aren't confirmed yet. Are there any teams that you'd particularly like to either play or to avoid?

The teams we're most likely to play against are very strong, as some of the players in other countries are playing full-time. Our average age is quite high for wheelchair basketball, but my goal is to create awareness of the sport and to motivate other people to join in, as it’s a good opportunity to improve mobility and to get more independent and confident. I look forward to playing against all of the teams, as you can always learn and improve.

How long has the wheelchair basketball team been practicing for the games?

I started to coach them in the middle of August, which isn't much time to prepare them. The team itself has existed for a long time, and they've been training recreationally for several years.

How did you get into coaching the team?

I was coaching them for a while several years back and then stopped, when they just played recreationally. This summer they approached me, when they found out that they'd be participating in the games, and they asked if I'd like to join the team to help them prepare for the event. I started my coaching career about 15 years ago in Switzerland by forming a team in my hometown.

It's half time and your team is losing. You have 30 seconds to give them a pep talk - what do you say?

This is difficult to answer. It depends if we're the attacking team or the defending one. I'd give tactical instructions, but I'd also make sure to motivate them to play until the end, as the game is only over after sure I would motivate to play till the end, as the game is only over after 40 minutes.

Best of luck to Brigitte and the Singapore Wheelchair Basketball team - we'll be keeping a keen eye on the results! In the meantime, if you'd like to book an appointment with Brigitte or one of our other specialist physiotherapists, get in touch.

PhysioActive Featured In Body and Soul Webisode

We’re pleased to announce that we have been featured in a webisode of ‘Body And Soul’, presented by Daniel Martin from 938 Live. The webisode is on the topic of foot care and stars our very own physiotherapist, Joel Bates (left) and podiatrist, Greig Price (right).

Filmed at our CBD (Raffles Place) clinic, Daniel Martin and his production team joined us for an exciting afternoon on 26^th November 2014.

Joel uses the opportunity to highlight the two most common foot problems, before demonstrating a range of exercises including calf stretches, eccentric heel drops and toe curls.

Following on from Joel’s debut, podiatrist Greig discusses the importance of foot support, cushioning insoles and a correct walking technique, as well as discussing the drawbacks of wearing tight fitting shoes.

Click here to view the Webisode on toggle.sg

Behind the scenes:

What did you learn?

Let us know with a comment or tweet (@physioactivesg)!

If you have a podiatry issue that you’d like to address, please get in touch to book an appointment.

Tamara Gerdis Joins The Team

Here at PhysioActive we are pleased to announce the addition of Tamara Gerdis (Physiotherapist B.Sc, Women's Health) to our dedicated Women's Health team.

Tamara graduated with a Bachelor of Science Physiotherapy Degree from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, in 1999. After working as a general physiotherapist for the NHS in London for over 3 years, Tamara began her specialisation in women’s health physiotherapy when she moved to Sydney, Australia in 2004.

She began working at The Royal Hospital for Women, which is a specialist mother and baby teaching hospital with 4000 births per year. There, Tamara worked on the postnatal, antenatal, gynaecology, oncology wards and the outpatient department.

After moving to Singapore with her husband and 2 young children at the end of 2011, Tamara furthered her studies by completing her Graduate Certificate in Continence and Women's Health Physiotherapy through the Curtin University in Perth, Australia.

This has given Tamara a unique set of skills, specific to women’s health and continence conditions. Tamara is registered with the physiotherapy councils in Australia, the UK, South Africa and Singapore.

Tamara enjoys, cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.

Stay tuned for Tamara's valuable contributions to our blog, starting off with an informative post on the topic of 'Returning To Sexual Intercourse After Pregnancy & Birth'.