Staff - Central Lakes Physiotherapy

Emma Kingan

Emma is a self professed geek! Her passion for learning was inspired by her mentor Peter Boyle, a fellow kiwi physiotherapist. He challenged Emma to always be at the top of her game in Physiotherapy. He sponsored her to work her final physiotherapy placement at his Physio clinic in Washington DC, USA. There she learned the impact physio could have on changing people’s lives. It was in the good old US of A that her passion grew and she knew she wanted to create a similar clinic back in New Zealand.

Emma has not moved far from the nest where she grew up in Dunedin and worked for her first few years of physiotherapy. She had a great start to her career and became a qualified Pilates Instructor. Central Otago has always been her second home with her family having every summer break in Queenstown. Therefore, moving to Wanaka with her husband Mike was an obvious choice to set up her dream clinic.

Her love of learning and exploring how the body works inspired Emma to go back to University to complete her Masters in Physiotherapy (Manipulation) and just recently her Certificate in Acupuncture (Western Acupuncture). She is forever wanting to know more and this comes across in how she educates her clients and problem solve to find the diagnosis and the cause of a clients pain. Her passion is treating clients with back pain, which is where Emma’s Masters Research was focused.

Emma is now aiming at working at a global level forming a brains trust of Physiotherapists from around the world that can merge a multitude of fields, ideas and concepts to keep innovating what we do as therapists. Watch this space!!!

Catherine Lyness

Catherine is our other adventurous South Island Physio. After growing up in Invercargill she moved to Dunedin to begin her training as a physiotherapist at the University of Otago, graduating in 1998. She worked her initial two years in Dunedin, after which she travelled to England where she did extensive work and study in the fields of Neurology and Musculoskeletal Outpatients in a variety of locations over the course of seven years. Catherine has a passion for exploring the world and seeing new cultures. Her time in the UK allowed her to do that.

On her way back home Catherine spent several months doing voluntary work in India. Catherine returned to New Zealand and chose to base herself in Wanaka near her family. Catherine is an outdoors chick and loves to be out enjoying fresh snow on the slopes and looking for new adventures hiking in the surrounding areas. She recently enjoyed a hiking trip in Nepal with friends.

She has worked at Central Lakes Physiotherapy for 2 years as a Physiotherapist and Pilate’s instructor at Core Strength Pilates. She has a specialist interest in neurological conditions after her extensive work in the UK. Her knowledge as a neuro physio blends well with the private practice musculoskeletal clients she treats at Central Lakes Physio. Her handling and motor control retraining skills are amazing due to this crossing over of fields.

Catherine is continuing her professional development and is working towards a Postgraduate Diploma in rehabilitation from AUT in Auckland. She is enrolled to learn western acupuncture next year as part of her course. Catherine is also highly involved in the local ski community being involved with the adaptive ski programme.

Allison Aspinall

Allison has recently moved to the Wanaka area with her husband Randall to Mount Aspiring Station. Our new country girl joined the Central Lakes Physiotherapy team in June 2010. Allison qualified as a physiotherapist from Otago University in 1999 and has ten years experience working as a physiotherapist, eight in private practice in Invercargill and two in the UK in the musculoskeletal and orthopaedic physiotherapy setting.

Allison has always been interested in learning more about the body and how it worked. This interest fuelled her to go back and study acupuncture in 2003 and is a PAANZ registered acupuncturist. She is a credentialed Mechanical Diagnosis Therapist with advanced training in the Mckenzie method of treatment for back and neck complaints. This approach aims at patient education and teaching people to help treat their own complaints.

Allison also has an interest in work place injuries which is why she went back again to University to complete her postgraduate qualifications in Occupational Health. She believes that as a large part of your day your working environment and set up is very important to helping your recovery. Allison has experience in office, retail and industrial settings in workplace assessment. She works in consultation with companies to help address issues in the work place and provide solutions to prevent new injuries and pains or manage and resolve those that may already there.

Allison has also been a Certified Bradcliff therapist since 2009. This gives her advanced training and special skills to address issues of hyperventilation and breathing pattern disorders. This is an exciting area that can make a significant positive change to those with issues in this area.

Currently Allison is half way through studying for a Diploma in Sports Medicine. This means she is up to date with the most effective treatments for sports injuries.

Vicky Hill

Vicky is our bubbly and friendly winter (and a little bit more) locum. What with covering winters and any other leave that arises, it looks like Vicky is going to be sticking around for quite a while. Originally from Scotland Vicky trained at Queen Margaret University College in Edinburgh. On graduating she worked in The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh gaining valuable experience in all major areas of physiotherapy. Since travelling to New Zealand she has managed to find her niche working in private practice. Vicky’s easy going personality and individual attention makes it easy for her clients to get the most out of their rehab.

Vicky’s other major passion in life is travel. She arrived in Wanaka after extensive travels in South America and a short stint in Wellington. She has long outstayed her initial travel plans here. She has recently spent some time travelling and working in Australia but managed to find her way back to Wanaka. Vicky has completed training in Mulligan physiotherapy and is also trained in the use of Clinical Pilates, she plans to complete her Dry Needling acupuncture courses in the near future.

Wendy Benwell

Wendy has travelled from California, USA to assist the amazing team at Central Lakes Physio during the busy winter season in Wanaka. Wendy has a Masters of Science in Kinesiology and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy with emphasis in Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.

She spent 3 years researching snowboarding and skiing injuries in California and has been coaching runners and triathletes for over 10 years as a certified USA triathlon coach. Her physiotherapy treatment specialties include biomechanical analysis and assessment of runners and athletes, sports injuries,and post surgical rehabilitation. Wendy spends most of her spare time enjoying the beautiful outdoors. Her favourite activities include running, cycling, swimming, snowboarding, surfing and hiking.

Gill Lucas

Gill joined this vibrant practice in July and with this she has brought with her a wealth of knowledge having worked in the industry before. Gill is one multi talented lady, with her experience running a farm, working a 110% at what ever she does plus keep a busy family buzzing along she has all the skills to keep us physiosd in line. Gill has always enjoyed physio, having three very sporty children she understands the importance of being fit, and here in Wanaka the opportunities are endless with its vast playground of sporting pursuits.

Gill is a people’s person who loves being right in the front meeting people and thrives with the buzz of the busy practice. You can’t miss her welcoming smile and friendly face when you arrive. Gill has three very talented children, Krystal, Charles and Olivia and spends her time juggling between her work at Central Lakes Physio, Core Strength Pilates, school and sporting activities. She is the glue in the clinic that keeps us all knitted together and we are lucky to have her welcoming our amazing clients.

Louise Molloy

Louise is the newest addition to our team, working on reception in the afternoon. As a real “people person” she enjoys being part of a busy practise and welcoming you with a big smile when you walk through our front door. Louise loves the Wanaka lifestyle and meeting all the diverse people who visit the area.

Louise lives in Wanaka with her family who all enjoy the sporting lifestyle that Wanaka has to offer. In fact she sees more of her family getting fixed at physio than she does at home! In summertime you will find her on the lake and winter time on the physio bed getting all her own skiing injuries fixed! In her spare time Louise enjoys working out at ProActive Gym and her part time English, Classical History and Accounting studies.