Aimee Higgs is a chartered physiotherapist who studied ballet at the Royal Ballet School. As a dancer, Aimee battled several very challenging injuries which has motivated her to use her clinical skills to assist others to reach their full potential and personal goals.
Aimee has a special interest in dance-specific injuries and believes in using a client-centred approach, addressing all necessary components of health and wellbeing. Aimee has therefore successfully rehabilitated many different and complex conditions and particularly enjoys treating musculoskeletal/sports injuries, as well as providing post-operative rehabilitation.
Aimee can help with traumatic injuries, overuse injuries, post operative, bone stress, soft tissue injuries, ankle instability and hyper mobility, general MSK injuries. She provides physiotherapy for acute injuries and pain in dancers, strength and conditioning for dancers based on individual needs, technique enhancement and injury prevention guidance and rehab plans, manual therapy and exercise based intervention.
Amy Hunter studied at the British School of Osteopathy and graduated in 2009 with Distinction. She is registered with the General Osteopathic Council and has practised as an Osteopath in various multidisciplinary clinics in Sussex since graduating. Amy also has a first class Anatomy degree from Edinburgh University and until recently, lectured in anatomy to the undergraduate students at the European School of Osteopathy.
Amy has recently undertaken extra training to specialise treating women in their perimenopausal and postmenopausal years, and the extra challenges that this period in their life brings. She has also volunteered with an arthritis charity delivering chronic pain management courses. She is also trained in Dry needling and has a Sports massage qualification. Amy demonstrates anatomy to other Osteopaths and manual therapists at Brighton and Sussex Medical School every now and then, gives talks at Brighton Natural Health Centre to other movement therapists, and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Amy's holistic approach to treatment uses a combination of gentle osteopathic techniques to help ease pain and restore normal movement and function, as well as discussing lifestyle, diet and exercise, and helping people to understand how their body works and what they can do to help themselves.
Amy is experienced in working with musicians and dancers and can help with musculoskeletal issues - joints and tendon problems, muscle tension or weakness, nerve pain or irritation - sympathetic overload (stress), breathing, pelvic floor issues. headaches and jaw problems. She also offers clinical musculoskeletal assessment (standing/ sitting/ lying, active and passive) basic clinical testing (nerve provocation, reflexes etc), massage, manipulation, MET, strapping, exercise advice, lifestyle advice and basic nutritional advice.
Andrea Hughes is an Alexander Technique teacher who has worked as a Production Designer for 25 years. " I understand the mental and physical demands of the media industry on both performers and practitioners. I want to help the people I understand to perform better and feel better".
Andrea has worked with musicians, actors and technicians on issues related to back, neck and wrist pain, shoulder problems and repetitive strain injury. She belongs to the Society of Teachers of Alexander Technique (STAT) and is CNHC registered.
Andrew Keay is a Vocal, Sports & Remedial massage therapist who specialises in working with performing arts freelancers and professional voice users - taking individual needs and requirements into consideration and developing a treatment plan to best suit each client. He discovered the real importance of massage through his work as a professional actor and voiceover artist. After training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he worked throughout the UK and toured internationally for the past 14 years with large scale, physically demanding, theatre productions including War Horse with the National Theatre and voiced characters for productions with Netflix, BBC & STV.
Andrew manages a busy client list at his Glasgow clinics, as well as hosting in-house theatre treatments throughout Scotland with clients including; Dundee Rep, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, Tron Theatre & MacRobert Arts Centre.
"I know what it takes to perform as the highest level physically, mentally & vocally and having massage treatment has 100% helped me maintain my body and mind through long, demanding contracts. I'm really passionate about massage therapy and believe it can play an important role in maintaining proper body function, performance, and health as well as having an overall positive effect on your physical and mental wellbeing".
Andrew Miles is an experienced chiropractor particularly interested in diagnosing and treating more tricky conditions that haven’t responded to other therapies and approaches. He works with patients of all ages. Whilst practising chiropractic in Cardiff, he has successfully treated many Welsh and international athletes, footballers, rugby players, actors, musicians, martial artists, skiers, snowboarders and has previously worked in conjunction with the occupational health department at the BBC when it was in Llandaff.
Andrew can help with issued related to musculoskeletal problems, acute and chronic back pain, disc injuries, sciatica, trapped nerves, neck pain, headaches, migraines, joint pain, muscle spasm and cramp, sports injuries, shoulder pain and complaints, elbow pain and complaints, ankle sprains and injuries, plantar fasciitis, symptoms arising from tension and inability to relax.
Andrew feels that often "patients have put up with an underlying problem for a long period of time and have developed compensation coping strategies but never get rid of the condition. With accurate diagnosis I aim to treat the main cause of the condition and give advice including exercises to reduce reoccurrence."
In 2021, Andrew was appointed to the Professional Conduct Committee of the General Chiropractic Council (GCC). He has served on the National Council of the Royal College of Chiropractors from 2001-2010 and has been Chair of the South Wales CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Faculty from 2001-2012.
Andrew Steed is an experienced physiotherapist treating musicians referred via the BMI Hendon Hospital Adult Musicians' Upper Limb Clinic. He is also experienced working with actors and dancers. Conditions treated include work related upper limb disorders, rotator cuff injuries, shoulder impingements, scapula dyskinesia, cervical radiculopathies, lumbar radiculopathies, low back pain, lower limb muscular strains and tears, tendinopathies, postural, biomechanical dysfunction and Bells Palsy. Based at Syon Clinic, Brentford. Home and workplace visits also possible. Contact via email or BMI Hospitals.
As a dancer and clinician, Ann Coxhead has many years experience of the mechanics of the body, working with singers, actors, dancers and musicians. Her services for performance professionals include Osteopathy, laryngeal manipulation to treat muscle tension dysphonia in singers and professional voice users, breathing techniques, and Floor-Barre work.
Osteopathic diagnosis and treatment is available for a wide range of medical conditions including the spine and all peripheral joints. Treatments are tailored to your specific injuries. Observing and accessing anatomical and postural technique. Including hip knee and ankle alignment at the barre for Dancers. Making tissue specific diagnosis. Hypermobility, scoliosis and differences in speed of growth in young dancers can all be managed. Integrating the injury into the dynamics of the whole body and building self confidence. Using deep soft tissue and muscle energy techniques, facial release, articulation and manipulation if required. Rectifying bio-mechanical faults helps to increase circulation, venous supply and lymphatic drainage speeding up healing time.
Ann sees patients in Brighton, Parsons Green, and monthly at the English National Opera. She is a member of the Osteopathic Performing Arts Care Association (OPACA), the British Voice Association and One Dance UK.
Based at Performance Physiotherapy, Pontypridd, Ben is an experienced physiotherapist providing injury assessment and diagnosis, injury rehabilitation and pain management to sports and creative professionals.
Bethany is a Chartered Physiotherapist (HCPC MCSP) with a Master's in Performing Arts Medicine at UCL graduating with distinction. She spends most of her time running a Performing Arts Specialist Clinic (Flexibility Matters Physiotherapy) in London where she supports performers through physiotherapy, health education and flexibility training whilst working part-time as a Pain Specialist Physiotherapist in NHS for the last 5 years.
Professionally, she has worked with Team England ParaCheer, Gymnastic Commonwealth Games, and BCA Cheer & Dance. Beth is currently the Circus Health Leading Practitioner for the UK’s National School of Circus Arts, where she delivers lectures on circus medicine, supports circus health research and provides health provisions for students. Beth’s research on “Pain in acrobatic performers and athletes” has won the Mike Shipley Award for Excellence in Research. She has presented her physio knowledge and findings at international conferences such as the PAMA symposium (Performing Arts Medicine Association) and the BCA British Coaches Conference (BCA Cheer & Dance). She is passionate about Performer's Health and longevity and is involved in Sport Cheer England's Medical Committee.
She can help with chronic pain conditions, musculoskeletal and rheumatological conditions, hypermobility, sports injuries, exercise prescription, rehabilitation and flexibility training.
"I want to support you to heal and recover quicker with movements rehab/therapy so you won’t need to Google: how long does it take to recover from [Your condition] ” and struggle with the uncertainty around your pain and injury".
Performing arts and sports specialist physiotherapy, acupuncture, specialist vocal physiotherapy. Has experience working at BAPAM and in her own practice with many creative professionals and students.
Dr Catherine Bevington is an experienced NHS Consultant Rheumatologist who sees patients including musicians and performers with musculoskeletal injuries and issues at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmonds. Patients in the local area can be referred to her by their NHS GP. She is used to working in multidisciplinary teams, liaising closely with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other therapy colleagues. She is a keen choral singer and is a graduate of the Performing Arts Medicine postgraduate programme at UCL.
Cathie first had Alexander Technique lessons whilst studying for a diploma in musical directing at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). She found them extremely interesting and beneficial, and after developing R.S.I. through using a computer and playing the piano, she decided to re-train as an A.T. teacher to learn more about what was causing these issues and to eventually help others. She qualified in 2008 from a three year, STAT recognised training course at the Constructive Teaching Centre in London.
Cathie has a music degree, worked as a piano teacher and has played several instruments including the violin, flute and harp. She was Alexander Technique teacher for the European Union Youth Orchestra for five years and she now works with musicians, singers and creative practitioners in schools and colleges and at home.
Cathy Gordon is a jaw (temporomandibular joint), head and neck and vestibular specialist with experience in the management of all musculoskeletal upper and lower limb and spinal conditions in adults and children. She is experienced treating musicians and singers from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and performance professionals around the North West. Cathy uses manual therapy, acupuncture, and personal exercise programmes to support injury recovery and prevention. She is a keen violinist and pianist and plays in several orchestras and chamber groups in the Manchester area. She is based at Romiley Physio, Stockport.
Cathy is one of the leading physiotherapists treating TMD (jaw pain) in the UK. She works with the Maxillofacial Dept at Stepping Hill Hospital and privately takes referrals from specialist experienced TMD dentists in the Manchester area, although patients travel from all areas of the North West up to the Isle of Man to receive treatment. In 2009, Cathy co-founded ACPTMD (the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Temporomandibular Disorders). Cathy also teaches students and musicians/singers/teachers on the management of jaw / facial pain in singers and musicians
Cathy provides physiotherapy treatment and rehabilitation for dizziness and problems with balance, including benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). She works with otolaryngologists or ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) consultants in the NHS and have developed a new role in a Balance clinic working with an ENT consultant and the audiology department.
Chloe Rowlatt is a physiotherapist who has also toured as a dancer with the Ballet West Company, Scotland. She has coached the GB contemporary soloist to the World Cup in Portugal and has taught dance workshops in South Africa in less economically developed areas.
Through her dancing, Chloe has a strong understanding of ballet technique and of its demands on the body. As a physio she does specific rehab towards ballet goals and movement, and deals with dance injuries in all genres. She is currently training as a Vocal Physio.
Chloe uses Manual therapy and works with clients on Pointe Shoe Screening, ESWT, Acupuncture, Dry needling, Therapeutic Ultrasound, Cupping, Exercise prescription and rehabilitation, 1-1 Pilates for dancers, Clinical Pilates, Performance technique, Ballet technique, Dance technique, and specific rehab for a return to class.
"I know the pressures on both mind and body and how these both interact as well as how this is sometimes missed in training and working. Having been a dancer quietly carrying injuries, retraining as a physiotherapist has allowed me to full circle back into the industry and enables me to help other dancers have long healthy careers".
Chloe Spencer graduated from the University College of Osteopathy (formerly the British School of Osteopathy) with a Masters in Osteopathy (MOst). With a background in singing, both in teaching and performance, she specialises in care of the voice, and is a member of two local choirs. She is also a member of OPACA - the Osteopathic Performing Arts Care Association.
Chloe can help in all musculoskeletal disorders, muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) & any physical-based voice issues.
Chris is an experienced Osteopath, specialising in treating musculoskeletal pain and injury. Chris uses a versatile range of hands-on techniques which may include, soft tissue massage, joint articulation, spinal adjustments, low level light therapy, dry needling and light-touch (cranial). He works with various performing artists including professional dancers and acrobat/trapeze artists.
Chris continues to work closely alongside a number of highly specialised practitioners including Osteopaths, private GP’s, orthopaedic surgeons and podiatrists, and has a depth of knowledge which helps address the root causes of pain.
Over the past number of years Chris has a particular interest in identifying health problems that are not yet pathological (indicative of or caused by disease) and has found that internal imbalances (cellular dysfunction, toxic burden, hormone imbalance, immune dysregulation and chronic infections) and external imbalances (air quality, food quality, sleep patterns, external stress) have a huge impact on our overall health.
Chris believes that with early detection, many health problems can be prevented and managed with appropriate diet and lifestyle interventions. This holistic approach allows the patient to understand their pain on a wider scale, helping steer patients away from pain and disfunction, and back towards optimal health.
Dan Turnell specialises in treating performers including instrumental musicians, singers and dancers. He has expertise in pre-hab injury prevention, rehabilitation, vocal problems (including Laryngeal Manual Therapy), minimising risks in puppetry and physical performance. He has worked with many artists, including as the physiotherapist for touring dance companies and West End productions. His practice is based in Manchester and he sees many RNCM and Northern Ballet School students. Dan also runs a regular, free BAPAM physiotherapy clinic.
"We're an elite physiotherapy clinic with our values rooted in the care of professional performers, and the belief that this should be available to all. We aim to utilise our state of the art facilities and injury, treatment and rehabilitation knowledge and skills to provide each client with a personalised and effective treatment plan, which will ensure that you can return to pain free performance quickly, effectively and confidently."
Physiotherapist Darel Evans is a hands-on manual therapist, utilising adept manual skills in mobilisation of the soft tissues and manipulation of spinal and peripheral joints. He combines manual therapy, advanced clinical & gym based rehabilitation, sport taping, cupping and acupuncture to relieve pain, correct asymmetries, improve functional movement and strength and keep performers on track.
"I value patient empowerment through teaching an in-depth understanding of their condition/injury. I believe this is key to successful treatment and management of symptoms and for return to daily activities and performance".
Darel can assist with advanced clinical and gym based rehabilitation, injury management for musicians - managing pain whilst playing/performing, injury prevention courses - raked stage, tour based, track specific, strength and conditioning for dance workshops and 1:1 coaching. His sessions include dance specific education which will improve dance technique through expert body awareness training. Darel is also experienced at laryngeal manual therapy / vocal massage, dealing with loss of range, increased effort, breathy, husky voice quality, pain on phonation, globus, full body assessment/MOT, postural correction and vocal rehab.
Debbie Wilson is a physiotherapist specialising in performing artists, and the lead musculoskeletal physiotherapist for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. She also works with students from local performing arts colleges and universities, and all performance professionals in the Liverpool area, including many dancers.
Debbie treats all acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, postural related dysfunctions, mechanical neck and back pain, overuse/repetitive strain injuries, adverse neural tension, cervical and lumbar radiculopathy, rotator cuff related pain, impingements, tendinopathies, overload and underload related pathologies, stress fractures, acute sprains, ligament ruptures. Debbie also offers post-natal physio checks - Mummy MOT (https://www.themummymot.com/) - and is also an APPI trained Pilates teacher.
Based in Penzance, Dominique Royle has built up many years' experience working with musicians and performers.
She is an HCPC and CSP registered chartered phsyiotherapist who trained at Guy’s Hospital, in London. She worked in the NHS for 25 years before going into private practice.
Her specialist areas include:
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Musculoskeletal conditions
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Musicians’ injuries and Performing Arts Injuries
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Post cancer treatments rehabilitation
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Hypermobility spectrum and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Disorders
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Postural dysfunctions
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Women’s Health
Dominique is a member of:
OCPPP : Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists in Private Practice
BAPAM: British Association of Performing Arts Medicine
ACPOPC: Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Oncology & Palliative Care
APPI: Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Institute
POGP Associate: Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy
Dr Alison Loram is an Alexander Technique teacher working extensively with musicians and performers. She has a great deal of experience helping student and professional violinists/viola players with their set up i.e. the interface of the instrument in relation to supporting/playing it. She teaches at Birmingham Conservatoire, RNCM and privately in both Crewe and Birmingham.
Alison qualified as a teaching member of PAAT in 1992 and has been a part-time lecturer in the Alexander Technique at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire since 1993 and a guest-lecturer at the Royal Northern College of Music since 2016.
Trained originally as a professional violinist at the Royal College of Music, Alison was drawn to the Alexander Technique by a persistent musculoskeletal problem specific to violin playing. Much of her teaching involves helping student and professional musicians prevent and overcome performance-related difficulties, and improve their performance and practise.
Following her Alexander Technique training, Alison has been a registered practitioner with the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine since 2008 and has given numerous talks and seminars at conferences and meetings, and in music colleges and university departments, to academics, healthcare professionals and performers alike. With a BSc and PhD in Biological Sciences and a number of years working as a post-doctoral researcher, in 2013, Alison gained an MSc in Performing Arts Medicine from University College London. Her research thesis “Chronic profession-limiting problems in musicians; Underlying mechanisms and neuroplastic routes to recovery”, undertaken with PAAT colleagues and movement scientists at Manchester Metropolitan University, can be found here.
Alison returned to violin playing ten years ago and, based in Crewe, performs as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and freelance orchestral player in the Midlands and the North West of England. She teaches the Alexander Technique to individuals and groups, in person and online.
Details of Alison’s Thesis (“Chronic profession-limiting problems in musicians: Underlying mechanisms and neuroplastic routes to recovery”) can be viewed here.
Her 2017 presentation to the UCL Institute of Education (“Explaining the Alexander Technique to clinicians and scientists”) can be viewed here.
BAPAM Assessing Clinician and NHS GP experienced advising performing arts professionals and students about all work/study-related problems. Safeguarding lead for BAPAM.
Dr Anne Mitchener is a highly experienced Spinal Neurosurgeon and executive coach (work performance). She practises privately at the Schoen Clinic, Wigmore Street, London and at the BMI Clementine Churchill Hospital where NHS patients can be referred by their NHS GP using the Choose & Book eReferral system.
Dr Mitchener sees performing artists for assessment, advice and conservative treatment measures for back and spinal pain, sciatica, degenerative spinal conditions, pain management, carpal tunnel syndrome. She performs spinal surgery for NHS and private patients offering a complete outpatient and inpatient service. She is a member of the British Association of Spinal Surgeons, Society of British Neurological Surgeons with over twenty years’ experience of spinal surgery.
Clinical Interests
- Cervical Spine microdiscectomy and fusion
- Cervical Disc replacement
- Cervical laminectomy/foraminotomy
- Lumbar Spinal laminectomy/foraminotomy
- Lumbar microdiscectomy
- All spine degenerative conditions - operative and injection
- Carpal Tunnel Decompression
BAPAM Assessing Clinician advising performing arts professionals and students about all work/study-related problems. Also an NHS GP.
Dr Hara Trouli is a highly experienced musculoskeletal doctor who has worked extensively with professionals and student performers. She offers diagnostic assessments and advice for all musculoskeletal performance-related problems. A keen piano player,
In 2011 Hara joined the first Masters degree in Performing Arts Medicine at University College London and graduated with distinction in 2012. Her MSc Research Thesis focused on the Muscular Contraction in the Arms of Pianists. Since 2015 she is appointed by UCL as the Course Lead where she runs and develops the Masters, Diploma and Certificate postgraduate studies. She is involved in multiple academic activities and she also organises the PAM DAY once every year at UCL.
She is a clinician for the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine and has developed a Musicians' Clinic in London where she works together with of a multidisciplinary team looking after musicians' injuries.
Dr James Thing is an expert in the treatment of upper limb injury – including frozen shoulder, impingement, tennis elbow and osteoarthritis – as well as the treatment of lower limb tendon disorders such as Achilles, Patellar and ankle tendons and plantar fascia. He is experienced in non-surgical management of hand, wrist and elbow pathology. He has helped many performance professionals with problems including De Quervain's tenosynovitis, Trigger finger, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, capsulitis, pain and fracture.
He has a special interest in musculoskeletal ultrasound and provides ultrasound guided therapeutic injections and intervention on the NHS and privately.
Private patients requiring ultrasound-guided, musculoskeletal injections can be referred to the rapid-access, consultant-led Joint Injection Clinic in Golders Green or Chelsea. Consultations are also available at Pure Sports Medicine, Canary Wharf, and the Highgate Hospital.
Dr Thing also undertakes a weekly NHS musculoskeletal ultrasound/radiology list at the Royal London Hospital (Barts Health).
Alexander Technique teacher with experience helping people avoid and manage musculoskeletal injuries and pain. Rehabilitation. Hypermobility. Maintaining stable practice regimes. Woodwind instruments. Guitar. Special interest in performance anxiety and pre-performance nerves. Works at the RWCMD, Cardiff and privately in Bristol.
Dr Moira McCormack is a physiotherapist and former professional classical ballet dancer and teacher of classical ballet. Moira has worked with classical ballet dancers, professional musical theatre dancers, vocational dance students of all ages and contemporary dancers.
Moira can help with returning the dancer to technical class and performance through understanding the cardiovascular, strength and technical demands involved. She tackles issues relating to lower limb (including spine), foot and ankle, shoulder girdle and post surgical rehabilitation. She is experienced working with hypermobile patients. She practises at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH) in central London.
Dr Mukul Agarwal is a Consultant Musculoskeletal, Sport & Rehab Physician with extensive experience as an Orchestra and College Medical Consultant and a BAPAM Assessing Clinician, supporting musicians, dancers, and all artist performers.
Dr Agarwal provides services in performance arts, MSK, sports & travel medicine; acute & overuse trauma, internal & rehab medicine; interventional MSK assessment & pain injections/procedures using clinic/bedside ultrasound assistance; image guided spinal interventional procedures; cardio-pulmonary rehab & exercise prescription in health and chronic conditions; and complex cases. He is fluent in Hindi and Urdu.
Dr Rick Seah is an experienced consultant in Sport, Exercise & Musculoskeletal Medicine (SEMM). He has previously worked as a BAPAM Assessing Clinician helping performing artists with a range of musculoskeletal problems. He works with artists from dance, musical theatre and circus, and he specialises in Dance medicine, Sports injuries; Musculoskeletal injuries; Exercise-induced leg pain; Paediatric & Adolescent SEM; Bone stress injuries; Muscle, tendon & ligament soft tissue injuries; Injection therapies; Musculoskeletal rehabilitation; Physical activity and exercise prescription.
His NHS clinic is at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, where he works closely with surgeons, physiotherapists and allied health professionals. Imaging such as x-ray, MRI and ultrasound is available. Patients can be referred by their NHS GP using the eRS system.
Dr Seah was sports physician at the English Institute of Sport (EIS), treating GB athletes at their elite multi-sport clinics in University College Hospital centrally and Lee Valley Athletics Centre in east London. Rick worked as a sports medicine doctor at both London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games. He qualified in medicine from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals Medical School, University of London, in 1999. He is an accredited musculoskeletal sonographer. He has an interest in medical education and is an accredited member of the Academy of Medical Educators (MAcadMEd).
Dr Rikin Hargunani is a musculoskeletal radiologist with an interest in sports and performing arts injuries. Services include MRI, X-ray, CT and ultrasound scans and image-guided procedures. Interventional procedures include ultrasound-guided injections, tendon therapy and CT-guided joint injections for spinal conditions. Has seen many performers, including dancers and musicians with musculoskeletal problems. A GP referral would be needed prior to arranging imaging or injections. NHS service provided at The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore. Private patients can be seen at The London Clinic or Spire Bushey Hospital.
Ross trained in music from the age of 8 playing the clarinet, continuing on to degree level before working in commercial radio production. Since training as a chiropractor, he has helped dancers, actors and musicians, including piano players, guitarists, and multi-instrumentalists. They have mostly presented with low back or neck pain from overuse or poor posture.
Sarah is a Performing Arts Medicine Physiotherapist and Educator, working mainly with instrumental musicians. She has extensive clinical experience in assessing & treating playing-related musculoskeletal injuries in instrumental musicians, and she is passionate about injury prevention, and promoting musculoskeletal well-being in musicians.
Sarah is the physiotherapist at The Purcell School for Young Musicians and well-being lead for the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain. She is an assessing clinician and educator for BAPAM and also works in a thriving private practice near Cambridge (montaguclinic.com).
Additionally, she is in high demand as a teacher and speaker, and has contributed her expertise to school INSET sessions for visiting instrument teachers, INSET sessions at County Music Hubs, the Royal College of Music Junior Department, the Royal Northern College of Music undergraduate and post-graduate wellbeing curriculum, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic 'Careers in the Music Industry' Study Day, BAPAM Healthy Practice training sessions, Musicians' Union 'well-being for musicians' activities and the Benedetti Foundation.
She has a Doctorate of Education from the University of Cambridge, and has had her research findings accepted for presentation at National, International and World Conferences (UK National Physiotherapy Conferences (2012, 2017 and 2019), International Society of Music Education World Conference (Baku, Azerbaijan, 2018), Performing Arts Medicine Association International Symposium (New Orleans, 2020).
Elodie Frati is an Osteopath with clinical interests in dance injuries and hypermobility syndromes. Before becoming an Osteopath Elodie studied to be a contemporary dancer and graduated from Contemporary Dance: BPA (Hons) from Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
Elodie is experienced in treating dancers, musical theatre performers and circus artists. She can help with issues relating to musculoskeletal injuries, post op rehab, ongoing rehabilitation for return to stage, and vocal fatigue. Elodie offers services in manual therapy, rehabilitation and K-tape.
Elodie Gauthier is a senior performing arts specialist physiotherapist working at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, privately, and through BAPAM at our Glasgow clinic. She is also a writer & musician, a yoga teacher and an assistant researcher in psychology. She is also a volunteer postnatal companion with Amma Birth Companions. She enjoys practising and teaching a variety of movement forms, including dance, martial arts, yoga and Pilates. A proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, she offers safer spaces to her patients and students from all walks of life, whether in clinical or educational settings.
Genevieve Tawiah is an experienced Performance Physiotherapist who uses sports massage, medical acupuncture, taping and more alongside a variety of exercise methods. She has experience teaching matwork and reformer pilates and a background in yoga practice which she often applies in sessions.
My goal is to provide you with the tools you need to optimise your wellbeing; learn more about your body and make a safe and efficient recovery from injury - back to the activities you love where possible.
Services and treatments include:
- Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment for injuries
- Video call consultations
- Sports Massage
- Vocal Physiotherapy
- Jaw (TMJ) Physiotherapy
- Medical Acupuncture
- Dry Cupping
- Shockwave Therapy
- Supportive Taping
- Exercise advice: Pilates/ Yoga/ Strength and Conditioning
- Injury prevention talks and workshops
George Tyros is a highly experienced clinical physiotherapist specialising in musculoskeletal, sports and geriatric physiotherapy. He has been treating performers extensively since 2016, seeing many musicians from the CBSO (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) and performing arts professionals working at venues including Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Utilita Arena Birmingham and Symphony Hall plus touring dancers, strings and brass instrumentalists.
For 10 years George was the lead sports physiotherapist for the Greek Swimming Federation (KOE) and the Greek Olympic team (swimming department) where he overlooked the prevention and rehabilitation of sports injuries in elite swimmers. He saw that performers share many of the same attributes and benefit from specialised care from informed health care professionals who understands their specific physical and psychosocial support needs.
He has a special interest in Geriatrics particularly the 80+ group and possesses substantial experience with the pre-and post-operative management of orthopaedic procedures such as joint replacements.
He works with Isaac Tyros (also listed in the BAPAM Directory) at Edgbaston Physiotherapy.
Glenn Sontag is a registered Osteopath with both The General Osteopathic Council (GOSC), The Osteopathic Performing Arts Care Association (OPACA) and RAMP (Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners). Glenn also studied for an MSc in animal osteopathy with The European School of Osteopathy, where he gained a Masters with distinction in 2018.
Glenn has worked with actors, TV news journalists, public speakers / politicians, singers, singing coaches, circus performers, stunt performers, comedians and musicians (mostly wind and string instruments). He can help with issues relating to varied musculoskeletal conditions (not just spinal), non-spinal regions including shoulder / elbow / hip / knee, hands / feet and head / facial, acute / recent strains and chronic strains, repetitive injuries, common presentations for neck / middle back / lower back / pelvic problems, pregnancy (over 3 months) and post-partum. Glenn offers bespoke assessment and treatment, ultrasound treatment and dry needling.
Hannah Marsh is an Osteopath with a background as a professional dancer. She has experience in working with dancers, actors and musical theatre performers.
Hannah can help with musculoskeletal issues (head to toe), injury treatment, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, strength and postural guidance and training, and with biopsychosocial aspects of dance training/performing. Her services cover manual therapy, Pilates, rehabilitation and 'prehab' exercises, performance technique and strength training for dancers.
"I understand the pressures of being a performer and the importance of having a support network to facilitate growth, development and peak fitness within the training and performing environment".
Helen Wither is a registered Osteopath who has been in family practice for over 16 years. Helen has a first class BSc Honours degree in Osteopathy from the College of Osteopaths and has been registered with the General Osteopathic Council since 2007. Helen was the winner of the Reg Oakes Prize for "First in Class" in 2007. She is a member of the Institute of Osteopathy and the Osteopathic Obstetric, Pelvic, Abdominal and Respiratory Association. Since 2009 Helen has been a member of the Cheshire Osteopaths Group and continues to meet regularly with other osteopaths and professionals, both in Cheshire and North Wales, for training and research. Helen has completed Breastfeeding Support certification for Health Professionals through the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers and has worked for a number of years as part of a network of professionals supporting babies and new parents - Cheshire "Pregnancy, Baby and You". Helen has special interests in treating babies, children and during pregnancy; and in treating performing artists (dancers, musicians, vocalists). She continues to provide specialist osteopathic treatment for young dancers and teachers at a ballet school in Cheshire.
Helen can help with issues relating to back and hip pain and restrictions in achieving optimum technique, ankle and foot issues, pointe work issues, postural and technique problems for dancers (including arm placement, breathing, turnout, flexibility, use of the foot), vocal and throat problems, postural problems and pain in musicians.
Howard Maxwell Turner is a physiotherapist, highly experienced in working with musicians and dancers. After gaining his degree in physiotherapy from Latrobe University in Melbourne, he worked in Montreal before settling in the UK.
Howard has worked in the NHS, in occupational health, in private practice and as a consultant to a variety of sporting teams and bodies. He has taught on 6 of the UK’s Physiotherapy Masters programmes for 30 years, on clinical reasoning, disorders of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex and shoulder problems. He has also taught post-graduate training courses to physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors on the management of low-back pain of pelvic origin and hip and groin pain. He has consulted to British Cycling, UK Athletics, British Swimming, the English Institute of Sport, the LTA and LTAA, the RFU, West Ham, QPR, Sale Sharks and London Irish and has provided training to the Physiotherapy departments of many household name sporting clubs and bodies.
Howard’s specialist interest is in chronic neck and back pain, sacroiliac joint (SIJ) and pelvic pain and disorders, headache, and neuropathic pain.
Ian Nicholas is a Soft Tissue Therapist and highly experienced singer and singing teacher with a special interest in voice rehabilitation and vocal massage. As an experienced Estill Master Trainer (EMT), Ian was the first practitioner in the UK to hold both the EMT and the UK’s highest qualification in Soft Tissue Therapy. Ian combines voice training exercises and Laryngeal Manual Therapy (LMT), pioneering an integrated model for the treatment and rehabilitation of Muscle Tension Dysphonia and other issues. He works as part of a Multidisciplinary Voice Clinic team in South Wales, and also works closely with senior laryngeal surgeons in London.
He lectures in Singing at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and was formerly a Vocal Tutor at the Faculty of Musical Theatre at Mountview, London. He has been a visiting or guest lecturer at Arts Ed, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Sibelius Academy, Helsinki and The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Ian holds an Honours Degree in Music from Goldsmiths College, University of London.
Ian is extensively involved with the recording industry, preparing singers for major tours, and coaching in the recording studio. His clients work within Musical Theatre and in Contemporary Commercial Music. He works at How The Voice Works, and supports individual singers in productions at the Helsinki City Theatre. As an experienced choral performer and conductor, Ian has outstanding ensemble teaching skills and gives workshops and classes to theatre companies and choirs including recently working with Theatre Vanemuise, Estonia on their production of Sister Act.
Isaak Tyros is a highly trained physiotherapist specialising in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, a researcher and a member of faculty at the University of Birmingham where he teaches full-time in the Physiotherapy department. He is a semi-professional musician (bass guitarist) who treats musicians and dancers regularly.
Jason is a registered Osteopath with The General Osteopathic Council, an alumnus of The London School of Osteopathy, and co-founder of The Film Physios. Previous clinical experience includes delivering MSK support within the Lawn Tennis Association, Eton College, and The Princess Grace Hospitals in London.
Jason delivers a hybrid approach of osteopathy, osteo-massage and modalities including Extracorporeal Shockwave therapy and medical acupuncture to provide occupational health and injury rehabilitation support to film and TV industry professionals. This includes cast, dancers and performers, stunt performers and crew members across Netflix, HBO, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Sony, and Universal Pictures productions including Wicked parts 1&2, Disneys Snow White, Mission Impossible franchise, HBO's House of the Dragon and the Black Mirror series.
Jason is also a registered Extracorporeal Shockwave therapist and DSE assessor. Jason’s skill set includes osteopathy, strength and conditioning, hands on treatment, rehabilitation of acute and chronic MSK conditions and Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy; with special interests in the treatment of chronic tendon pathologies and performance related injuries, instability and hyper mobility. Jason also offers medical dry needling.
Appointments are delivered at Jason’s clinics at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, St Albans, Hertfordshire and Sky Studios Elstree, Hertfordshire. Jason also travels to other studios upon request.
Osteopathy, Pilates and Sports Massage practitioner with a particular interest in postural and ergonomic factors that affect the way in which the human spine works, especially in the context of dance and the performance arts. Jenefer has a background in dance and movement, plays piano and sings. She has treated instrumentalists, singers, actors and dancers (ballet, contemporary and musical theatre) and is based at Shoreham Osteopathy Centre, Shoreham-by-Sea. Please ask for Jenefer as this is a group practice. Since November 2023, Jenefer is also practising 9am-1pm at Valentine Voice Care Centre, Lewes.
Jennifer Parr is a Hand Therapist with experience in treating acute trauma, surgical and long term conditions affecting the hand and upper limb. Jennifer has spent much her career working for the NHS where she completed her junior core rotations and moved into a role as a specialist physiotherapist in hand therapy. "It is highly rewarding to be a part of clients journey back to a full recovery, whether that is use of exercise and education, splinting to immobilise the painful joints, or post-operative wound and scar care".
Jennifer can help with issues including tenosynovitis, trigger finger, De Quervain's tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel, thumb osteoarthritis and focal dystonia. She offers services and therapies in manual therapy, splinting, home exercise, performance technique, ergonomics, modification and wax therapy.
As a child/young adult Jennifer played piano, cello and violin and was involved in orchestras, string quartets and piano performances. She works with musicians, creative professionals and a wide range of patients with hand and upper limb problems affecting their work and daily life, as part of the team at Six Physio.
Jessica Lee Morgan is an Alexander Technique teacher and singer songwriter and recording artist. Jessica has worked with vocalists and instrumentalists on posture training and psychophysical improvement. She can help with issues relating to voice use, preventing performance related pain and overuse/RSI-related problems, stress and anxiety management, and performance wellbeing.
Johanna Chatelain is an Osteopath graduating with distinction in Master of Osteopathy from the University College of Osteopathy. She enjoys treating people of all ages and backgrounds. Coming from a musical and artistic background herself, she has developed a keen interest in treating performing artists which has led her to complete a postgraduate certificate in Performing arts medicine at the University College of London. Joanna is part of the Institute of Osteopathy (iO) and the Osteopathic Performing Arts Care Association, and is registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC).
Johanna uses a wide range of different treatment methods from soft tissue release, joint articulation, and adjustment, as well as exercise-based rehabilitation. She believes in using a holistic and individualised approach to each patient. Each treatment is therefore customised to the patient’s individual needs, with the aim to reduce pain, remove barriers to recovery and educate patients to promote a greater recovery and reduce the chances of reoccurrence.
She is passionate about providing the best patient care and optimal management to allow the best possible outcome for each patient. Johanna is fluent in French. She has worked with numerous performers including supporting Strictly Come Dancing.
Jonathan Dave is a senior physiotherapist with over 13 years experience. He graduated from Manchester University and began his career in the NHS, working in Outpatients, orthopaedics, stroke unit, intensive care, respiratory wards and most recently in a private North London practice.
Jonathan has worked with a range of professionals, including tennis coaches, cyclists, distance runners, classical singers, actors and dancers. "My aim when rehabilitating these clients is to return them safely to their sport and their profession to prevent the re-occurrence of their problem".
Jonathan's specialty is MSK physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal). He has spent the last 10 years treating a wide range of muscle and joint conditions and he employs a variety of advanced clinical assessment and diagnosis methods. He specialises in various physiotherapy techniques, namely Maitlands, joint manipulation, soft tissue techniques, muscle stretching, pilates, acupuncture and sports massage.
As a Laryngeal Massage Therapist, Jonathan is able to identify and treat any areas of restriction affecting vocal performance. He has worked with numerous classical singers and vocal ensembles. Using non-invasive techniques, he works to address the areas of concern and ensure faults are corrected in a safe and supportive way.
Jonathan can help with overuse injuries and stress fractures, muscle tears, tendon and ligament sprains, knee, ankle and foot injuries, shoulder injuries, tennis/golfer elbow, hand and wrist pain. He can also help with Laryngeal Manual Therapy (LMT) - partial or total voice loss, loss of vocal range, muscle tension dysphonia, decreased vocal stamina and vocal fatigue, increased recovery time after performing, TMJ, globus pharyngeus, pain and soreness. Jonathan offers services in manual therapy, acupuncture, kinesiology taping, exercise rehabilitation and laryngeal manual therapy.
Physiotherapist, Jonny Grimwade, has worked within the performing arts for the last 10 years. He was the Head Therapist of Performance Medicine at Cirque du Soleil 2017-2020, and has also worked with world touring circus shows such as Briefs, circus training centres such as Aircraft Circus and children circus production companies such as Le Petite Cirque.
Specialities include: All musculoskeletal injuries, sports related injuries, manual therapy, performance technique, taping/splinting, advanced rehabilitation programmes, educating/lecturing within performance optimisation, immediate trauma care/side of stage care, workload management/Injury mitigation, injury prevention strategies, performance optimisation.
I am an Osteopath inspired by the voice and experienced helping professional voice users overcome issues related to misuse and injuries. As an Osteopath with nearly thirty years of experience, as well as being a trained opera singer, I have the skill, insight and understanding to help performing artists including singers, actors and dancers. I can help with voice problems including hoarseness, loss of vocal range, vocal fatigue and muscle tension dysphonia. I am experienced with shoulder issues as well as more typical issues such as back and neck pain, knee injuries, foot injuries, ACL injuries, mobility issues that osteopaths are trained to treat. I also have special interests in hypermobility and in hip impingement issues (cam and pincer) and have worked in facilitating diagnosis of labral tears and rehabilitating patients post operatively following hip arthroscopy intervention. Labral tears are often missed, especially in the hypermobile population, who may be more likely to experience impingement due to their increased range of movement, especially if they are dancers or acrobats and routinely flex their hip joints to the extreme.
Judith Kleinman is an Alexander Technique teacher and an experienced performer. Having been a freelance musician for forty years, Judith has played with the English National Opera, The City of London Symphony Orchestra, The LSO and more. Judith has taught Alexander Technique for over thirty years at institutions such as The Royal College of Music The Junior Academy of Music and LCATT Alexander Training School. She has delivered a number of Alexander Technique introductory sessions for BAPAM. Judith also teaches yoga and Tai Chi.
Judith works on the approach to understanding of how we are psychophysical as humans and how to approach that understanding with the thinking that leads to emotional intelligence and embodied awareness.
With musicians, she spends some time on working on intelligent practice leading to powerful performance. Understanding and developing a clear body map for movement and playing or singing.
She works with all performers on finding a quiet strength; a quiet mind and an easy body. She likes to give clear strategies and studies for performance confidence as well as everyday life. Working on finding self-acceptance, which leads to self-development whilst developing skills in practice, rehearsal and performance. Judith uses stillness and movement and is particularly interested in having a healthy approach to being calm, confident and coordinated, being able to focus and be present under pressure, not over worry about making mistakes, that is how we learn. Her work also usually involves balancing and recognizing the work, rest and play of life and in learning.
Kate Valentine is a Sports Massage Therapist who works extensively with singers and professional voice users, specialising in vocal massage, laryngeal manual therapy, vocal health, and injury prevention. Whilst enjoying a successful career as a principal artist on the international operatic stage Kate sustained a vocal injury which sparked her fascination with vocal health, rehabilitation, and the long-term benefits of manual therapy for voice.
In 2023 Kate Founded Valentine Voice Care, a multidisciplinary centre in Lewes, East Sussex dedicated to the care and support of voice, and as well as offering Vocal Health Triage and Vocal Massage herself, now runs a team of 18 cross-disciplinary practitioners between her main Lewes centre, and another smaller centre in Glasgow. She manages a busy client list including English National Opera's Harewood Artists, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Swap'ra, Voces8, and The Dunedin Consort and is a trusted name in the Classical music world.
"It is my mission to help remove the mystery and stigma surrounding vocal wellbeing and injury, and to provide a safe space to help you with your journey – whichever part of that journey you are on".
Kate offers services in Vocal Massage, Manual Therapy for Voice & Swallowing disorders, Laryngeal Manipulation, TMJ management, Myofascial Therapy, VoiceRelease Massage and Sports Massage Therapy. She can help with issues relating to relieving postoperative and post viral tension, globus pharyngeus/globus hystericus (a sense of a ‘lump’ in the throat), muscle tension dysphonia, TMJ, improving vocal function, alleviating acid reflux symptoms, releasing emotional tension, improving vocal stamina, range and flexibility, freeing up the breathing mechanism, jaw and tongue root tension, releasing muscles which have been overcompensating, performance anxiety, vocal pacing, vocal health advice and injury prevention.
Kathy Harris is a physiotherapist experienced treating musicians, dancers and performers. Specialising in manual therapy and home exercise programmes, Kathy has worked alongside the Ulster Orchestra for 7 years and has also worked with Highland, Irish and contemporary dancers, choir and solo vocalists, and students and staff at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Kathy has also trained as a classical pianist and oboist.
Katy Chambers is a highly experienced Physiotherapist with a holistic approach to working with performing arts professionals. Katy supports clients with a broad range of conditions, working with performers, elite athletes and the general population. Katy's areas of specialism include hypermobility spectrum conditions, temperomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, cervicogenic headaches and biomechanical analysis for dance, physical performance, sporting and day to day activities.
With a focus on pain management, reduction of dysfunction and optimising of performance, physiotherapy treatment may include:
Manual Therapy
Acupuncture
Tailored Exercise Prescription
Postural Re-education
Katy has worked with many performing artists and is a specialist within the field. She works with Trinity Laban Conservatoire - as part of the National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science - and is involved in injury screening and support for further industry developments. She is also listed on the One Dance UK directory, is a member of IADMS and presents regularly at performing arts medicine conferences, including IADMS, ISPS and PAMA.
Performing arts specialist physiotherapy, specialist vocal physiotherapy, acupuncture. Extensive experience helping performing artists of all different disciplines including many West End performers with musculoskeletal problems. Expert in muscular tension in professional voice users, injury prevention and treatment in dancers, posture and musicians' health operating in The Midlands with Franklin Physiotherapy Ltd.
Korina has taught Alexander Technique to many performing arts clients. Teaches at drama colleges including RADA, and works with musicians including Hampshire County Youth Orchestra. Worked with musicians such as pianists and violinists presenting with aches and pains, tension when using voices, and performance anxiety. Several practice locations in Hove and East Sussex.
Leanne O'Brien is a Specialist Women's and Men's Health Physiotherapist with experience in treating a wide range of pelvic floor issues and musculoskletelal pain (including pregnancy and post-natal rehab, pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction and post-operative rehab). She has over 13 years experience, and has worked in both the NHS and privately, including work in a gait lab, rehabilitating runners and athletes back to sport.
Leanne works closely with dancers, musical theatre and actors. Having studied ballet, tap, contemporary, jazz and street dance, Leanne has great insight into the demands that dance places on the body. This background has allowed her to rehab dancers back to full fitness following injury, surgery or pregnancy. She offers acupuncture, pelvic floor re-education (kegel exercises, real-time ultrasound, biofeedback and muscle stimulation), pelvic floor manual therapy, a return to sport or performing arts postnatally, massage (including scar massage), and reformer pilates training (including pregnancy and postnatal). One of Leanne's specialist interests is the relationship between the diaphragm and the pelvic floor, which is a key area to address in brass players, including throughout pregnancy and into the postnatal period. She also gives hernia advice pre and post operatively, to patients (both men and women) who've had repairs or are trying to treat their issue conservatively.
"My passion for Women’s and Men’s health started when I realised that my female athletes needed a more in-depth level of care. My passion has spiraled from there and I’ve worked as a specialist physiotherapist in both the NHS and private practice. I’m incredibly passionate about returning people back to activity and enabling them to achieve their goals".
Linda Dixon is an experienced Pilates teacher, teacher trainer, RAD ballet teacher, former professional dancer and examiner. She has over three decades of experience of movement practice; performing, teaching and examining all over the world. She has been practicing Pilates since the mid 80’s and teaching it since 2002. During this time she has developed her teaching methods producing her own unique approach to movement teaching. This approach incorporates the knowledge skills she has accumulated through a lifetime of structured movement practice. Linda teaches at NRG Pilates, and heads up the treatment and performance enhancement department at ‘The Urdang’ in City University of London’s Department of Performing Arts.
Additionally, Linda is a member of the teacher training team for Body Control Pilates specialising in teaching on the studio equipment courses and the level 4 Pilates courses. She has also played an integral part in course development at Body Control, writing their “Adolescent’s Course” and co writing their “Dancer’s Course” with her husband Nathan Gardner.
Linda is experienced in working with dancers and musical theatre performers.
Logan Lefler is a specialist performing arts physiotherapist and the Clinic Manager at NEUROTOUR London. He is experienced providing physiotherapy support for Broadway, West End and touring productions and performers. He has worked with musical theatre performers, musicians on tour, ballet dancers, orchestral musicians and vocalists. Conditions treated include vocal strain, low back pain, disc herniation, sacroiliac dysfunction, joint impingement, neurological disorders, post-operation rehabilitation, ligament tears, strains, pains and tension. He has provided backstage physiotherapy care and worked on injury prevention measures, considering factors such as raked stages, heavy costumes, props, demanding choreography and vocal demands. He is a trained Mental Health First Aider.
Lucie Rayner is a Chartered Physiotherapist and assessing clinician for The British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) and specialises in treating performing artists with a wide range of musculoskeletal problems. She has extensive experience in managing acute and chronic injuries in dancers, musicians, and other performers from amateur to elite level. She currently works freelance in a variety of settings, including supporting West End musical theatre performers.
Lucie initially completed a Sport Science degree before qualifying as a Physiotherapist. She worked in the NHS, school and private sector before starting her own Physiotherapy clinic in 2012. She has been practicing the Pilates Method for over 15 years and gained her teaching qualification through The Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute (APPI). She is also a Level 2 accredited Vocal Health First Aider and has a special interest in hypermobility, injury prevention and health education.
In 2020, she completed an MSc in Performing Arts Medicine at University College London (UCL) and was awarded the Dean's Prize for her research related to hypermobility and dancer health screening. Lucie now an honorary lecturer and module lead on the Performing Arts Medicine programme at UCL.
Lydia Flock (she/her) is a massage therapist, vocal coach, and published researcher. She was endorsed for the prestigious Global Talent Visa (under Exceptional Promise Criteria) by Arts Council England. She has published research in the peer-reviewed academic journals Voice and Speech Review and the Journal of Singing (in press). Her latest research is titled 'Developing a Vocal Manual Therapy Intervention for the Treatment of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux in Professional Voice Users: A Pilot Study of Two Elite Singers'.
She holds an MA in Music Theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and a BA in Drama from the University of Virginia (with honours). She also trained at Ithaca College’s BFA Musical Theatre programme. Lydia qualified as a Holistic & Deep Tissue massage therapist with Jing Advanced Massage Training and specialises in Vocal Massage & Laryngeal Manipulation. She is the founder of her private voice coaching company, Flockstars Coaching and works as a vocal massage therapist at the Voice Care Centre in London. Lydia highly values continued professional development and is in the process of completing her Certificate in Advanced Clinical Massage with Jing Advanced Massage Training (exp. 2022).
Lydia works with vocalists, actors, singers, speakers, and patients with any musculoskeletal voice-related issues, such as globus pharyngeus or a sense of a ‘lump’ in the throat, freeing up belt voice quality, muscle tension dysphonia, laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms, loss of range or smooth transitions between vocal registers, difficulty swallowing or swallowing disorders, jaw and tongue root tension (including TMJ), vocal tiredness or fatigue. Lydia also offers assessments in manual therapy, myofascial release, advanced stretching techniques, laryngeal manipulation and self-care exercises.
Mairead Haswell is a physiotherapist experienced in manual therapy, movement assessment and exercise prescription. She works with musicians, dancers and actors, including students and staff at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD), treating them for musculoskeletal conditions such as joint, muscular or neural pain and dysfunction. Mairead supports performers in caring for themselves and their bodies, enabling them to enjoy long careers.
Mairead has experience in managing a range of musculoskeletal conditions from acute and traumatic injuries, orthopaedic conditions and chronic or degenerative conditions. Mairead has been integral in the delivery of virtual self-management courses developed for osteoarthritis. Mairead has a particular interest in treating shoulder pain and dysfunction as well as in advanced rehabilitation for the return to performance and high level activities.
She also has considerable experience as a sports physiotherapist, including at Cardiff City FC, where her focus was on young people and women. In the NHS, she worked as a Senior Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist for Cardiff and Vale UHB where she gained further experience in treating trauma patients, occupational health patients and in the use of hydrotherapy and rehabilitation treatments. During this time, Mairead qualified in acupuncture therapy which she uses as an adjunct to her extensive rehabilitation exercise programmes to optimise patient care.
Chiropractor working with many professional and amateur musicians, dancers, actors presenting with pain and musculoskeletal problems.
Mary Monro is an Osteopath registered with the General Osteopathic Council with over twenty years experience in treating musicians, actors and crew with all sorts of health problems. "I use gentle, hands-on techniques, including cranial osteopathy to help you achieve better health".
Mary offers osteopathy, cranial osteopathy, vocal osteopathy and paediatric osteopathy, and she can help with issues relating to difficulties or limitations with the voice e.g. jaw, sinuses, palate, neck, diaphragm issues, physical aches and pains related to performance and anxiety and stress related issues.
Michael Gale is a highly experienced NHS physiotherapist with a special interest in dance, circus and singing performance. He has a background as a contemporary dancer, having trained at The Place and worked with various choreographers over several years. He combines his insight as a performer with clinical expertise, understanding performers’ need for specialist care and rehab.
Michael provides NHS services at Guy's Hospital - referrals can be made by NHS GPs via eRS for the attention of Michael Gale.
Conditions managed include persistent pain, musculoskeletal injury, post-operative rehabilitation, spinal problems, Upper and lower limb problems.
Michael has expertise in manual therapy, exercise therapy including Pilates, acupuncture and aquatic therapy. For patients with a Lambeth or Southwark GP, imaging, diagnostics and onward referral to medical/orthopaedic services is available.
Brittany Wawryk is performing arts specialist physiotherapist, specialist in vocal and jaw physiotherapist and clinical Pilates teacher. She has over 11 years experience in working with performers, including singers and professional voice users, musicians, dancers and actors. She covers all musculoskeletal injuries sustained by performing artists including but not limited to hand and wrist injuries, knee, hip, shoulder, back, nechk, ankle and foot; she also specialises in jaw and voice related conditions.
Lisa specialises in treating performing artists such as dancers, choreographers, musicians, circus performers, singers, and actors, and has experience working with a wide variety of patients including elite athletes, youngsters and the elderly. Her expertise includes post-operation rehabilitation, overuse injuries, traumatic injuries, advice regarding posture and overuse, environmental effects on pain - stool type/height, music stands, props etc, adapting practice schedule, return to play/performing rehabilitation specific for dancers, musicians and circus performers.
Lisa has experience working with American Ballet Theatre, and Alvin Ailey Dance Company in New York City. She was a dancer for 15 years and has played 7 different instruments throughout her life. She was also the first American to be accepted and to complete the MSc Performing Arts Medicine course at University College London in 2017.
Sophie is a Specialist Performing Arts and Sport Physiotherapist, who has been providing Physio management to film, production and the performing arts since 2013. She has worked with professional performers based in the West End (inc. War Horse, Matilda, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Wicked and Billy Elliot), on Tour with Dirty Dancing and The Lion King, and for Strictly Come Dancing, the TV series. She spent 2 months at the beginning of 2017 in Austria with channel 4's 'The Jump'. Before this she worked alongside Saracens Academy RFC, and set up a Physiotherapy practice up in the 'Portes Du Soleil, Switzerland' where she worked during the winter season, with skiers/snowboarders. In private practice, Sophie can be found working at The Centre of Health and Human Performance on Harley Street, London. She also lectures at University College London (UCL) on the MSc programme in Performing Arts Medicine.
Lead clinician at Metro Physio in Salford. Works with many performers at the highest level - musicians, dancers, actors and athletes, as well as many Royal Northern College of Music students.
Charles Ward is a former professional session singer who trained as a Massage Therapist who continues to be a keen songwriter, guitarist and singer. He has a special interest in working with voice users including singers, actors and public speakers. He has been treating high profile singers since 2014 and has treated artists on tour at music venues around the UK. Charles provides vocal massage and Laryngeal Manual Therapy (LMT), and has helped many performers with problems including vocal fatigue, muscle tension dysphonia, physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, poor breathing and technique, as well as general maintenance and injury prevention. Charles has published articles for the Voice Council and presented for various Music Colleges and Universities, as well as for The British Voice Association in relation to LMT. He understands the importance of vocal health, how precious and essential the voice is, and the impact that it can have when things go wrong. Charles is also expert at diagnosing and treating sports and musculoskeletal injuries and is a keen cyclist.
David Propert provides Osteopathy, including Cranial Osteopathy, for athletes, performers and creative professionals. He is based at Calmer Clinics, Dolphin Square.
Osteopath, Duncan Webster is a martial artist, pianist, French horn and guitar player. He works with performers - musicians, actors, dancers, singers - presenting with musculoskeletal pains linked to performance activities. Has a grounding in posture and biomechanics, pain physiology and stress.
Ed Blake is the Director and Lead Physiotherapist at PhysioEd Medical.
Ed founded Physio Ed Medical Ltd in 2004 following a successful stint as a sole clinician in private practice. Prior to this he had completed a BSc in Physiotherapy in Perth Western Australia and an MSc in physiotherapy at University College London. He has pioneered physiotherapy treatments for vocal patients and has vast experience in the management of dance and performance related injuries.
He lectures regularly on the academic circuit on the above topics and has many publications to his name in prestigious medical texts and journals. Ed is also an Honorary UCL lecturer and co-leading MSK module for the MSc in Performing Arts Medicine. His primary area of interest is in the management of spinal pain in addition to his vocal work. Outside of work he is a keen skier, runner and swimmer.
Mr. James Chan is a Consultant Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. Outside surgery, Mr. Chan enjoys playing the violin and piano. Clinical interests include hand surgery, trauma and elective conditions including arthritis, nerve compression (carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel syndromes), tendon problems, ganglions, trigger fingers, Dupuytren’s disease, musicians' hands. Reduced fee private appointments are available to BAPAM patients and NHS referrals can be seen at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Wycombe General Hospital and the National Spinal Injuries Centre of the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
Mr. Chan believes in delivering the best evidence-based care tailored to the individual needs of his patients, whether this is surgical or non-surgical, to enable them to get on with their lives.
Following his medical qualification from Cambridge University in 2004 and junior posts in East Anglia and London, Mr. Chan completed his Higher Surgical Training in Plastic Surgery on the Oxford rotation. Subsequently, he was awarded a Travelling Bursary by BAPRAS to undertake further subspecialty training in Reconstructive Microsurgery at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, one of the foremost plastic surgery centres worldwide. This comprehensive training has provided him with the skillset to deal with common as well as complex surgical problems.
Mr. Chan holds a Clinical Lecturership at Oxford University where he was Senior Scholar and awarded a PhD. He has worked as Fellow at Cochrane UK where he focused on the synthesis and dissemination of Evidence-based Medicine. He has published widely in medical journals as well as the standard plastic surgery textbooks and contributed to national guidance on traumatic limb reconstruction. He has held awards and grants from institutions including the Wellcome Trust, Academy of Medical Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and BAPRAS.
Dedicated to the next generation of surgeons, Mr. Chan is a GMC-recognised trainer and member of the Education and Training Committee of BSSH, and interviews for National Selection for entry into higher specialty training in Plastic Surgery in the UK. He serves as a peer-reviewer for the top plastic surgery journals, runs a national microsurgery training course for surgical trainees, presents at national and international conferences and hosts ‘Stoke Mandeville Plastics’, a popular international webinar series for plastic surgeons which focuses on cutting edge Plastic Reconstructive Surgery.
Has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company since 2000 and seen many hundreds of performers, helping with injury prevention, safe lifting and handling on stage, raked stages, exercise, warm up, musculoskeletal problems.
Lazarus trained as a classical dancer before becoming an Osteopath in 1997, and is very experienced working with dancers and all performance professionals. Can help with dance technique advice from an anatomical point of view to rehabilitation. Discussion and planning on performance optimization strategies. Lecturer at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine. Completed the UCL Masters in Performing Arts Medicine. Practices at Shades Clinic, Ealing is a BAPAM Assessing Clinician at our London clinic.
Mr Mark Phillips is a Hand and Upper Limb Orthopaedic Surgeon specialising in musicians and other performing artists. He is an expert on hand, wrist and upper limb conditions including pain, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, stiffness of joints, focal dystonia, joint instability, arthritis, Dupuytren's contracture and fractures. Mark employs a holistic approach and a low conversion rate to surgery. He is a keen player of trumpet and guitar. Private appointments are available at London Sports Orthopaedics, Old Broad Street (Musicians' Hand Clinic). Free consultations for performing arts professionals and students are available online via BAPAM.
Osteopath and Pilates Rehabilitation Instructor. Clinician at BAPAM and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Very experienced treating singers, musicians, actors and dancers. Expertise includes movement, jaw issues, neck and laryngeal tension affecting singers, exercise, injury prevention and rehabilitation. Private practice at Hermes Health, Chiswell Street, London.
Nikos Reissis is an Orthopaedic Consultant who advises on performance-related musculoskeletal problems, particularly upper and lower limb, and spinal problems. He is Honorary Associate Professor at University College London (UCL) and lectures on the UCL Performing Arts Medicine MSc programme. He has worked with artists including dancers, actors, musicians, gymnasts. Holds a free online BAPAM clinic monthly (contact us directly for appointments), and also provides private Musculoskeletal and Performing Arts Medicine assessments at the Blackberry Clinics, both online and face to face. Blackberry Clinics can be contacted at 01908 604666 and reception@blackberryclinic.co.uk.
Patrice is a former professional French horn player with much experience in the field of Performing Arts Medicine: all instrumentalists/instrument groups, and singers with musculoskeletal disorders. He set up his Performing Arts Clinic in 2002. He is also an MSK Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner in the NHS. He has published and presented research into the evaluation and management of focal dystonia in musicians, and musculoskeletal pain affecting musicians. He developed and validated the Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for Musicians (MPIIQM), which has since been translated and validated in several languages. He is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), and of the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP). He works regularly with the all the professional orchestras in Scotland, and with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Clinics are held in Bearsden.
Royal Opera House Occupational Health Adviser. Works with performers from all fields. Pilates, osteopathy and acupuncture. No appointments are currently available privately.
Richmond Stace is a Specialist Pain Physiotherapist who works with performance professionals and others who are struggling to overcome persistent and chronic pain and movement problems or disorders. He is experienced working with multidisciplinary colleagues to address complex physical and psychological support needs. His approach combines coaching and clinical care to support clients through a pain management programme tailored to their needs. Richmond's practice is most relevant to people who:
- have had pain and problems for a long time
- have seen many doctors and therapists
- can’t live the life that they want - home, work, play
- have pain that they don’t understand
- are not getting better
- have pain that won’t go away
- are scared of their pain
- feel stuck and miserable
His aim is to help people:
- understand their pain
- know how to get better
- focus on the ways of overcoming pain
- learn the skills of well-being
- perform in life - at home, at work, at play
- get better and live meaningfully
Richmond is a Chartered Physiotherapist and registered with the HCPC. Originally training as a Registered General Nurse (Brighton University) in the early 90’s, he developed an interest in pain whilst observing the varying responses in recovery after operations. He continued to train as a physiotherapist (Kings College London), and has a further degree in Sport Rehabilitation (University of Surrey) and a Masters Degree in Pain Science (Kings College London).
Sunil Auplish is a shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist surgeon (trauma and orthopaedics) with a strong interest in treating professional musicians and performance artists. Consults on problems including arthritis, ganglion, Dupuytren's disease, contractures, wrist instability, nerve entrapment, carpal tunnel syndrome, numbness and weakness, posture-related muscular problems, fractures, tendonitis, joint and ligament injuries. Can see both NHS and private patients. Sunil's NHS practice is based at the York District and Bridlington Hospitals. He consults privately at the Nuffield Hospital and Clifton Park Hospital in York.
Zoltan Zavody is a musician and martial artist who understands the range of injuries, impediments to joyful play(ing), and pain that can result from soft tissue conditions and muscular imbalances. He specialises in helping performers with pain and tension release, injury rehabilitation, pre- and post-performance MOT, and structural alignment. Zoltan sees clients in Central and South-East London – Monument, Rotherhithe, Canada Water and Clapham.
"I'm a fully qualified, professional Clinical Massage Therapist. I am a member of the Institute of Sport and Remedial Massage (ISRM), the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), and the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM).
I treat muscles, tendons, ligaments, and the connective tissue that binds these all together. Treatment may be to address a specific pain or injury; an area of tightness or inflexibility; or a more structural issue of constriction or misalignment. It may also be in preparation for an event or performance, for example to ensure that muscles are all working smoothly; or after such an event, quickly to flush out waste products and relax stressed muscles, for rapid recovery.
Through an understanding of the daily reality of trying to train and perform with pain or injury, I can support you with a realistic rehabilitation programme to return you to performing at your best.
I believe in continuity of professional healthcare. So we will not just give you a massage and send you on your way "hoping it worked". First we will look at the cause of any muscular or structural imbalance, and afterwards we will develop a potential rehabilitation programme that may involve exercises, stretching, or just subtly different ways of moving. I will support you with any rehabilitation work in between sessions. And where massage alone is not enough, we will discuss other treatments you might usefully explore."
Deep tissue massage, neuromuscular techniques, myofascial release, relaxation. Stretching, body maintenance, posture. Pre and post-performance massage and stretching. Musculoskeletal dysfunction, muscle imbalance, tension, weakness or tightness. Rehabilitating tendinopathies and repetitive strain injuries, assessing the ergonomics of playing a musical instrument. Graded Motor Imagery, Mirror therapy for Focal Dystonia. Plays clarinet and bassoon. Based in Cuffley, Hertfordshire.
Alison Judah is a consultant osteopath who practices in Hammersmith, West London and in Hove East Sussex. She qualified in 1992 from the London School of Osteopathy with a Diploma in Osteopathic Medicine and then from Kingston University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Osteopathy. She undertook a Post-Graduate Diploma in Paediatric Osteopath at the Osteopathic Centre for Children. Alison has undertaken further training in the specialist area of caring for performing artists including the voice.
SPECIALIST OSTEOPATH TO THE PERFORMING ARTS
MUSICIANS
Alison helps many musicians by diagnosing the cause of their injuries, assessing them with their instrument rehabilitating them back to fitness and advising on furture injury prevention. Where it is possible musicians should bring their instrument with them to the appointment. Ergonomic assessments can also be carried out in a performance space. Musicians have busy schedules and she can arrange private MRI scans and xrays where necessary so as to get a diagnosis quickly and get them back to performing as soon as possible.
OSTEOPATHY FOR THE VOICE
Singers, Actors, Teachers and other Professional Voice Users
Performers need their voice to be agile, the delicate muscles surrounding the vocal cords need to be balanced as do the muscles of breathing. The voice can also be affected by other mechanical strains in the body. Alison will do a full assessment to establish the cause. If it is due to a mechanical strain then osteopathic treatment can help or osteopathy can help with rehabilitation back to fitness after other treatment is necessary such as surgery. Alison works with both Professional and Amateur Singers and Actors to help them carry on working without injury. She has undertaken specialist training in Laryngeal Manipulation and Performing Arts Medicine. With a busy schedule and often a stressful environment teachers and public speakers often aren't aware that they are straining the voice and body and teachers in particular often end up damaging the voice.
Symptoms of Voice Problems May Include:
Tightness in throat
Voice cutting out at points
Restriction in chest
Back or neck pain
Alteration in quality of voice
Breathing Problems
It is of course always important to check that voice problems are not due to a more pathological cause for which further medical investigations may be necessary. Alison always carries out a full examination and will assess your condition if you need further examinations or medical tests she will refer you to the most appropriate specialist.
ACTORS
Actors often have to wear heavy costumes, work in awkward poses and carry heavy props all this can cause strain. Alison can help with treating the cause of the injury and with advising on injury prevention.
CAMERA OPERATORS AND OTHER PRODUCTION TECHNICIANS
The use of cameras can cause strain to the neck and back leading to nerve impingement, pain and tingling in the shoulders, arms and hands. Any symptoms experienced should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent long term damage.
CLINICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL
Alison has been working in private practice for over 25 years. She has also worked with GPs in Sussex and London and worked as a Paediatric Osteopath at the Osteopathic Centre for Children in London seeing very complex cases. The experience she has gained allows her to diagnose and treat extremely complex problems and Alison is often referred cases where people have previously seen many health professionals. She has clinical experience in treating the specific needs of performing artists and the specialist area of voice problems. Alison also advises companies and organisations on injury prevention and carries out clinical ergonomic assessments in many different environments.
ALISON OFFERS:
Consultations for Advice on Posture and Injury Prevention
Understanding of the needs of Performing Artists
Advice/ Treatment for professional and Amateur Performers
Treatment for singers with muscular / joint strain affecting the voice
Specialist Laryngeal Manipulation for voice problems
Speedy referrals for MRI scans and xrays where necessary
Trained as a professional dancer. Student Health Adviser and Physiotherapist for Guildhall School of Music and Drama. BAPAM physiotherapy clinic in London.
Osteopathy and Cranial Osteopathy experienced working with performers and creative practitioners.
Hannah Dsouza is a First Contact Practitioner/Physiotherapist experienced in working with musicians, vocalists, musical theatre, dance and circus artists. She helps performing artists with issues relating to sprains, strains, ligament injuries, fractures, dystonia, soft tissue injuries and vocal tension. She also offers services in strength & conditioning, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, soft tissue mobilisation, manual therapy, vocal massage and instrument/dance specific rehabilitation. She is based in Hemel Hempstead and is able to arrange home visits/onsite physiotherapy. In her NHS work she is a first contact practitioner, providing specialist physio assessments for patients attending their GP surgery with musculoskeletal conditions.
Hannah is a singer and instrumentalist playing keyboard, guitar and ukulele and is also a freestyle, Bollywood and Kathak dancer. "Being a musician and a member of a musical band, I can very well empathise with fellow performers who perform despite being in pain. I realised that I want to work with performers at a very early stage while studying physiotherapy. I strongly believe in the biopsychosocial framework of management while dealing with any patient, especially performers".
Hidemi Hatada is a professional soprano singer and harpsichord player, and experienced Alexander Technique teacher working with instrumentalists, singers, actors and dancers. Since 1996 has taught professional and student performers, privately and at institutions in both the UK and Japan. Hidemi teaches at various locations including Pimlico Centre for the Alexander Technique, and the Haelan Centre in Crouch End. She also practices in London N4.
Online and in person Alexander Technique lessons, for performers and instrumentalists. Trained at Royal Ballet School; professional dancer 10 years. BA Psychology. Qualified as Alexander teacher in 1987. Has taught musicians and performers both privately and in colleges. Visiting teacher at LCATT, Alexander Technique teacher training course.
Holistic Massage Therapist with professional experience as a stage manager and arts administrator. Has worked with actors, comedians, dancers, musicians, singers, stage managers, props makers and wardrobe personnel. Helps with conditions including carpal tunnel, RSI, muscle fatigue, frozen shoulder, arthritis, postural issues, back pain, sciatica, joint problems, knee & hip issues, stress, anxiety, insomnia, pregnancy. Jennie is also a meditation practitioner and works holistically to 'help reduce stress levels, generate both physical and mental balance and enable you to lead a relaxed and more productive life'.
Specialist treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of musicians' hand and upper limb injuries. Katherine's clinical experience has focused on plastic and orthopaedic surgery patients with hand and upper limb injuries, burns, and rheumatological conditions. She has lectured and published widely, established two hand therapy units, worked as a research therapist and is currently performing doctoral research in the area of Focal Hand Dystonia affecting musicians. Having completed her Associate Music Diploma in Flute performance in 1997, Katherine enjoys combining her love for music and knowledge of the hand and upper limb. She has invaluable insight into life and the related pressures of being a musician.
Louise is a specialist musculoskeletal, sports and performing arts physiotherapist. She graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy from Keele University in 2004 and furthered her professional development by completing an MSc in Performing Arts Medicine at University College London where she was awarded a distinction in 2015.
She holds a clinic at BAPAM and at her own practice, Rejuven8 Physiotherapy, Louise treats a varied musculoskeletal caseload that includes athletes and performing artists of all ages and levels - dancers, gymnasts, ice skaters, musicians, rugby players, swimmers, vocalists and more.
Louise’s extensive experience and postgraduate studies have provided her with a wealth of knowledge in screening, movement analysis and advanced injury rehabilitation. This experience ideally places Louise to offer effective assistance with queries regarding optimal recovery from injury and surgery, performance enhancement and minimizing future injury risk.
Chiropody and podiatry. Considerable experience working with performers since 1984.
Advanced neuromusculoskeletal physiotherapy and orthopaedic manual therapy. Cranio-mandibular, cranio-cervical and facial pain physiopathology. Very experienced working with dancers and musicians. Works at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Guest lecturer for MSc in Dance Science. Dancer and musician.
Provides physiotherapy, acupuncture and Pilates. Worked with many dancers including Northern Ballet Theatre and Phoenix Dance Company. Holds BAPAM clinic at University of Leeds School of Music. Very experienced with all performing arts work/study-related musculoskeletal problems.
Neil treats a variety of performance professionals and students including actors and dancers (including ballet and ice) presenting with problems in areas such as lumbar spine, cervical spine, upper and lower limb. He is based at Step Forward Physiotherapy. Locations include Merthyr, University of South Wales, Cardiff and Abergavenny.
Experienced sports and exercise physio working with performers including students at RWCMD, based at Agile Therapy, Cardiff.
Nicky trained at the Arts Educational School, Tring Park and the London Contemporary Dance School. She performed professionally for 15 years with many leading international choreographers including Aletta Collins, Charles Linehan, Martin Lawrance and Jasmin Vardimon. Nicky performed at Sadlers Wells’ first ever Breakin’ Convention, and appeared in BBC2’s Dance for Camera film, The Lift. During her professional dance career she was described as ‘mesmeric and fascinating’ by the London Evening Standard, and ‘powerful and stately’ by The Times.
Nicky has taught at many of Britain’s leading dance institutions including The Royal Ballet School (White Lodge), Central School of Ballet and Elmhurst Ballet School. She led the Contemporary and Choreography courses at English National Ballet School between 2005 and 2009, with her students winning several international contemporary dance prizes under her tutelage, including The Prix de Lusanne & Beijing International Ballet Competition. The Dancing Times declared her a ‘superb teacher’.
In 2005 Nicky qualified as an osteopath at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine. After graduating Nicky accepted the job of Anatomy Lecturer at the London Contemporary Dance School, a post she held for seven years, and she continued to be their in house osteopath for a decade. As well as running a busy osteopathy practice Nicky is also regularly in demand by international dance and theatre companies; she was lead therapist on both series of the BBC’s So You Think You Can Dance and ITV’s Let’s Get Gold, and is Richard Alston Dance Company’s osteopath. In March 2016 Nicky had the honour of being invited to be part of a group of ‘Inspiring Women in Dance’ at Sadlers Wells theatre.
Aside from dance, Nicky has experience in martial arts, circus skills, climbing, running and gymnastics. She has a vested interest in optimal biomechanical functioning and myofascial release techniques (including myofascial dry needling) and always focuses on identifying the cause of pain opposed to simply treating symptoms. Nicky is also part of the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) team at the London Contemporary Dance School where she has been instrumental in devising screening protocols, training and treatment for elite level adolescent dancers.
Watch an interview with Nicky about hypermobility at Dance UK’s The Future: New Inspirations conference 2015, here.
Nicola Cherry is a Chartered Physiotherapist specialising in musculoskeletal assessment and treatment, with a particular interest in the upper limb. Prior to qualification as a Physiotherapist in 2005, Nicola worked as an Occupational Therapist in hand therapy, qualifying in 1997. She is a keen amateur harpist, and also plays clarinet. She has an interest in treating performance artists, especially musicians. Her post graduate training includes qualifications in Pilates and acupuncture. Nicola is a Registered Practitioner and Assessing Clinician with the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM), is a member of the British Association of Hand Therapists and the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists.
Nicola Goldsmith is a specialist Hand Therapist who has been working in the field of trauma, orthopaedics, plastics and rheumatology since 1991. She has expertise in the management of complex hand and arm problems, musicians' hands, arthritis, rehabilitation following trauma such as finger and wrist fractures, and working with persistent pain. Thorough assessment guides the use of manual methods of treatment for musculoskeletal issues (exercises, taping, splinting, massage etc), coping strategies and mind changing methods for pain, postural analysis, and techniques to recognise neck to fingertip connection. Together with Kathryn Johnson, Nicola's hand therapy practice can assess for, measure for and fit Silver Ring Splints for hypermobility, pain and arthritis.
Nicola is highly experienced in coordinating teams of Hand Therapists and other colleagues, managing service development for large hospital groups, teaching and clinical leadership. She works closely with Orthopaedic Hand Surgeons including BAPAM clinician, Mr Mark Phillips, and helped to establish the Musicians' Upper Limb Clinic for BMI. Nicola runs workshops on injury awareness and prevention for musicians (as delivered at RAM).
“My philosophy is to empower my patients with knowledge and skills to be able to self manage and therefore see me as little as possible!”
Nicola is registered with the HCPC and a member of the British Association of Hand Therapists.
Nicole Leow is a performing arts specialist physiotherapist, highly experienced treating dancers, actors, singers and musicians. She has previously held a physiotherapy clinic for performers at BAPAM and currently practises at Mayfair Physiotherapy (Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, and Wilbraham Place, Chelsea).
Nicole has been trained in Pilates, dry needling, rehabilitation and exercise programmes. She has worked in the West End, on touring productions, and in the TV and film industry. She has specialist training in laryngeal physiotherapy, which is used to assist vocal health for those who may be struggling with symptoms such as vocal fatigue, loss of range, or breathy tone among others.
Performing arts specialist physiotherapy, specialist vocal physiotherapy, acupuncture. Extensive experience helping performing artists of all different disciplines including many West End performers with musculoskeletal problems. Expert in muscular tension in professional voice users, injury prevention and treatment in dancers, posture and musicians' health operating in The Midlands with Franklin Physiotherapy Ltd.
Nonica Papageorgiou is an osteopath who has experience working with people of different ages, treating a wide variety of neuro-musculo-skeletal conditions. She graduated with Distinction in Masters of Osteopathic Medicine from The University College of Osteopathy.
She has extensive experience working with dancers from amateur to elite level. In addition to that, she has experience working with musicians. She herself says: ‘I am very passionate about educating my patients to create a healthier environment in the world of performance. My treatment is tailored to the individual's needs. I work closely with other professionals to provide a multidisciplinary management.’
Prior to her career as an osteopath, Nonica was a professional ballet and contemporary dancer. She trained at the Greek National Ballet and London Contemporary Dance School and performed internationally for 11 years.
Nonica specialises in treating dancers and other performing artists, and is a member of the Osteopathic Performing Arts Care Association and One Dance UK Healthcare Directory. Furthermore, she is registered with the General Osteopathic Council and is a proud member of the Institute of Osteopathy.
Paul Carter is a physiotherapist with experience helping with performers and crew with musculoskeletal conditions caused by or affecting their work. As a physiotherapist he provides manual therapy, acupuncture, exercise and rehabilitation. He has significant experience treating dancers and has provided support to productions including Dancing on Ice, Starlight Express and Strictly Come Dancing. He is part of the multidisciplinary team at Agile Therapy in Cardiff.
Pete Robinson is an Alexander Technique teacher who has also worked as a professional musician, both as a performer, musical director and piano teacher.
He teaches Alexander Technique at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) as well as privately in Manchester and Stockport.
He is experienced working with varied clients including Vocalists, instrumentalists, desk-based workers, actors and musical theatre performers.
Problems and conditions worked with include unhelpful habits in posture and movement, musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive/overuse injuries, dystonias, balance related issues and anxiety-related problems such as stage fright and excessive tension.
“The Alexander Technique helped me to recover from injury and also to improve the way that I performed as a musician and in many other areas of my life.
I have been fortunate to be able to give lessons, courses and workshops in the technique since graduating. My pupils come from a wide range of careers and interests and I have also specialised in working with musicians. I continue to teach many professional and student musicians from the Jazz, Classical and Popular Music world.”
Physio Ed Medical was established in 2004 to provide professional physiotherapy services to the general public and entertainment industry. The clinic specialises in manual therapy techniques which optimise and accelerate injury recovery.
A large gym and rehabilitation space are available for specialist rehabilitation needs.
Specialist physiotherapy services are provided for all dance, sport and general musculoskeletal injuries. Physio Ed Medical are renowned for their work with the entertainment industry, particularly stage, music and television, and for vocal physiotherapy for both professional and amateur voice users.
About Companies and Group Practices listed on the BAPAM Directory
Professor of Genomic Epidemiology and Consultant Rheumatologist, Frances Williams leads the NHS Musicians and Performing Arts clinic at St Thomas' Hospital, London. Patients can be referred from anywhere in the UK by their NHS GP to the ‘GSTT Musicians and Performing Arts Clinic’ using the eReferral system. This NHS clinic has been established for many years and offers expert diagnosis and treatment for musicians and performers with musculoskeletal problems. Please note that this clinic does not accept referrals for EDS/hypermobility assessment.
Roz Neale is a senior hand therapist and physiotherapist who sees many musicians and creative professionals with hand and upper limb conditions including pain, fractures, soft tissue injuries, nerve problems, posture related pain, focal dystonia, tendonitis, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, hypersensitivity. Physiotherapy practice includes: managing musculoskeletal problems, occupational health advice, sports massage, and acupuncture. Experienced working as part of a multidisciplinary team including orthopaedic hand and upper limb surgeons and other clinicians.
Remote virtual consultations for patients or face to face appointments are available at her private practice in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire. Roz also provides NHS care at Northwick Park Hospital (Hands and Orthopaedics).
Sam Matheson is a physiotherapist working with elite sports athletes, dancers and actors. He is experienced in manual therapy, acupuncture, exercise, musculoskeletal problems and rehabilitation.
Musicians' physiotherapy: Sam has several years experience working with professional and student musicians from the West End, touring musical productions, freelance players, the Halle, BBC philharmonic and the Royal Northern College of Music. Together with his clinical work, he has provided lectures on posture and playing, alongside conducting specialist musician injury assessments, providing specific diagnosis and treatment plans.
Dance physiotherapy: Sam has accumulated several years of physiotherapy experience across all genres of dance, having previously managed the company of ‘Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake' and some of the largest shows in the West End and UK tours, such as ‘Wicked’, ‘Kinky Boots’ and ‘Matilda’. Sam also treats a range of students at Performing Arts colleges in London and the North West.
Sandie Ennis is an Osteopath with extensive experience in working with dancers. Sandie has followed postgraduate studies including cranial and classical Osteopathy, pain science, rehabilitation, women’s health, and training in paediatrics at the Foundation for Paediatric Osteopathy in London (aka Osteopathic Centre for Children – OCC). Sandie completed her UK training and certification with Body Control Pilates (BCP) in 2000.
Sandie works on performance enhancement and injury support in dancers. She provides manual therapy, splints, equipment modification, exercise and health education.
Serena Morgan is a massage therapist with over 10 years' professional experience in dance and performance. Her own experiences of massage treatment while touring as a performer taught her the importance of tailoring treatment to each individual's specific physical, emotional and psychological needs. She has experience working with dancers, singers, musical theatre, circus, musicians and stage technicians. She can help with Soft tissue Therapy/Manual Therapy and tackles issues relating to hypermobility, tendonitis, joint mobility, strains, sprains, chronic pain, acute pain and exercise rehabilitation.
Serena Woolf is a teacher of Alexander Technique, specialising in voice and breathing, musculoskeletal and chronic pain, neuropathies, joint hypermobility syndromes, chronic fatigue syndromes (CFS/ME type spectrums) and anxiety and stress. She is also an independent researcher in motor control with a particular interest in performing arts.
Her clinical interests include:
- Dystonia
- Polymyalgia, and types of inflammatory and infectious arthritis
- Kyphosis, lordosis, and scoliosis
- Back, neck, shoulder, and pelvic pain
- Persistent migraine
- Post-operative rehabilitation (particularly following musculoskeletal trauma)
- Parkinson’s disease and tremors
- Stress, trauma, and anxiety related disorders
Serena is a trained double bassist who plays the piano and works with musicians, vocalists, actors, dancers and gymnasts. I have an affinity with working with musicians, who are always very receptive to my approach and who respond very well.
Sherry has a background as a singer herself and has treated many performers including acrobats, singers, dancers and musicians. She's provided care backstage at events and festivals including Glastonbury. Special Interests: Neck restrictions affecting affecting singing, Lower back and spinal pain, Foot function and the optimisation of foot biomechanics, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Post Operative Orthopaedic, Ergonomic assessment and advice, Feldenkrais Technique.
Siân Winstanley is a CNHC registered holistic massage therapist, professional singer and singing teacher whose work encapsulates mindfulness, performance technique, massage and rehab exercises. Siân works extensively with performers including professional and elite voice users who have been diagnosed with Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD) or require help in the use of their voice for work. She also works with musicians, actors, dancers, teachers and the general public. She is based Glasgow and Helensburgh and sees clients both in person and online. She works closely with multidisciplinary colleagues including Speech and Language Therapists and ENT Consultants. She has a wealth of experience of life as a performer and vocal care specialist, and is qualified to advise, treat and rehabilitate voice users with MTD, post-injury or post-surgery, in spoken and sung voice. Siân uses a holistic approach and works in a blame-free environment, believing injuries result from circumstance, not fault.
Stephen Garvey is a chartered physiotherapist working with performing artists and elite athletes. He holds clinics with performers from the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera House, and has insight into the physical and psychological demands placed on professionals in the performing arts. He also supports athletes including the Team GB sailing team, weightlifters and paralifters, and England Hockey underage team.
As a highly skilled practitioner, he treats broad and complex injuries, using evidence based research to guide his assessment and treatment. He strives for results through performance based strength and conditioning principles for patients recovering from injury. He places great emphasis on accurately diagnosing and effective treating his patients. He has a special interest in sports injuries and specialises in lower limb pathologies, where has a particular interest in patella-femoral conditions and ACL rehabilitation.
Stephen is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP) and the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine (ACPSEM).
Sudhir Daya (he/him) is a physiotherapist experienced in treating athletes, performing artists and office warriors, enabling them to get back to doing the activities that give meaning to their lives. Sudhir believes in a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to health, and his training and practice reflect this belief. Sudhir offers emotional stress assessments (HRV).
After graduating with distinction as a chartered physiotherapist (MCSP), Sudhir turned to acupuncture and ergonomics. Sudhir is a believer in the re-education of healthy movement patterns.
“Clients ask me to fix their bodies – in most cases, their bodies are in fine working order, but they’re not using their bodies correctly. I tell them to think of their body as their car. They don’t need a mechanic, they need driving lessons.” – Sudhir Daya
Sudhir also is a qualified yoga and Pilates teacher and in his spare time, trains in circus arts (flying trapeze, silks, rope, static trapeze), gymnastics (trampolining, tumbling, handstands) and dance (South Asian dance, ballet, contemporary). He is currently training in traditional in the traditional martial art form of Jujitsu and is working towards his black belt.
Sudhir has an interest in equity, diversity and belonging and currently sits on the CSP’s EDB Committee and was the previous chair of its LGBTQIA+ network. He is certified Life Coach (ICF PCC) and uses cutting edge technology to help clients with stress management and performance anxiety. Under his business name of “Integrated Health”, he tried to move away from siloed healthcare to more whole person wellbeing.
Physiotherapy and acupuncture. Sees musicians from the RNCM and Manchester University. Grew up competing in Irish Dancing and learnt violin for 6 years. Trauma and orthopaedics. TMJ Physiotherapy. Vestibular Physiotherapy. Nowadays, she also practices also an additional specialism in Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
Thanh Thi Tran is a performance specialist physiotherapist with expertise in dance medicine, musicians' musculoskeletal injuries and vocal massage. She has seen many arts professionals and has previously worked at Perform Health (circus specialists), and is familiar with injuries specific to pole dancing. She is familiar with aerial equipment and performance environment considerations. She works with West End performers and students at RADA, and is based at Sông Physiotherapy on Harley Street.
Trevor England is an Osteopath and member of the Institute of Osteopathy and the Osteopathic Performing Arts Care Association (OPACA). He has worked with the body all of his life, firstly as a performing artist. In 2004 he retrained in Sports and Remedial massage, Orthopaedic/Medical Acupuncture, Pilates and Osteopathy. Since then he has helped many people who have experienced pain, joint and mobility problems. Trevor also offers vocal and cranial osteopathy.
Along with his clinical practice, Trevor is a qualified teacher, mentor and coach. He teaches Sports Massage, Sports Rehabilitation and other CPD workshops for manual therapists at a variety of colleges, private institutions and at an Osteopathic University in London.
Victoria Reboredo is a senior physiotherapist, first trained in A Coruna in northern Spain, she has specialised in performing arts, paediatrics, sports and respiratory physiotherapy. She currently practises at HCA The Shard, and also works as a Clinical Educator at King’s College London University, supervising trainee physiotherapists, where athletes and performers can obtain free treatment.
Victoria has worked as a physiotherapist with the Royal Academy of Dance and treats performance professionals including dancers, musicians and physical performers, helping manage and overcome all musculoskeletal injuries, including:
She has helped patients with problems including snapping hip syndrome, hip impingement, labral tears, hip flexor tendinopathy, hip bursitis, SIJ dysfunction, achilles tendinopathy, trigger toe, posterior ankle impingement, ankle sprains, Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome - Runner's Knee (PFPS), stress fracture, arthritis etc both in female and male dancers, musician's focal dystonia.
Victoria has expertise in Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) physiotherapy, paediatric physiotherapy, scoliosis physiotherapy and respiratory physiotherapy.
Virginia Harvey is a Physiotherapist with over 10 years' experience of working as an Extended Scope Physiotherapy Practitioner in Cardiff and Vale NHS. She also practises privately and is based at Physio AtOne in Cardiff. She has developed expert diagnostic, hands on treatment and in-depth rehabilitation skills in the musculoskeletal setting.
Virginia is experienced in rehabilitation, pre-habilitation, consultant orthopaedic clinics, minor injuries, occupational health and hydrotherapy. She can help performing artists with hypermobility issues, post-fracture or soft tissue rehabilitation, knee and ankle foot pain in dancers, postural pain with string and wind instruments. She offers musculoskeletal assessment, joint mobilisation, soft tissue treatment, strength and conditioning, motivational interviewing and breathing techniques.