Active Health Physiotherapy
Christchurch
Are you looking for a Physiotherapist in Christchurch?
Experiencing problems with an injury, pain, range of movement, muscle balance or function? Physiotherapy is about reaching your body’s potential and the physiotherapy team at Active Health are experts in getting you get back to an active life!
Visit us at one of our four handy Christchurch locations. To book an appointment phone us today, or find a time that suits you on our online booking system. Need help getting started? New to Active Health? Contact us using this form or call on 03 383 6290.
How can we help you?
Acute Injury Treatment & Rehabilitation Programmes
Muscle Balance Assessments
Trying to manage more than one injury? Looking to return to sport or exercise after time off? Are you starting a new fitness challenge? A muscle balance assessment provides detailed insight into your current strength and flexibility. We provide clear exercise-based advice and programs for you to achieve your fitness goals. With this base line muscular audit, you can then be guided on how to lessen your injury risk and develop safe fitness practices, that aim to get you to your goals faster. These plans can be specific for gym work outs; home exercise based; or individualised for your chosen sport.
Pre and Post-operative Rehabilitation
In some circumstances surgery may be the best pathway for your injury or continuing concern. Depending on the severity, acute or elective, it could be a number of months before your surgical date. This lead in time, can be used to improve post-operative outcomes by working with the team at Active Health. Some pre-operative goals and considerations may include; addressing compensations and pain from “favouring” your injury, improving your cardio-vascular fitness and strengthening adjacent muscles in preparation for time off to rest and recover. In some cases simple strapping, bracing or direction on footwear can be used to good effect, in order to offer a greater degree of comfort prior to surgery.
Post-operative rehabilitation is very important and often advised by your surgeon in order to provide better long-term outcomes. The key to this is a graduated and guided rehabilitation plan. This should include functional movements and exercises specific to you and your daily home activities, work requirements and sporting endeavors. Active Health’s clinicians can help develop an individualised and specific rehabilitation plan to help get you back out doing what you love.
Vocational Rehabilitation & ACC Return to Work Programmes
Do you have an ACC related injury that is keeping you from working? Active Health is a leading New Zealand provider of programmes designed to assist injured employees to return to work. In partnership with ACC, Active Health physiotherapists focus on assisting the individual to achieve a managed return to work through communication, consultation and rehabilitation. Patients who are currently receiving weekly compensation, have an ACC injury and who are being managed by their GP, are ideal candidates for these rehabilitation programmes. To find out more about how we can help your recovery click here.
Pelvic Health
At Active Health we have physiotherapists who specialise in the treatment of pelvic health dysfunction, pelvic pain, bladder and bowel dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapse and sexual dysfunction. For more on how pelvic specific physiotherapy could help you click here.
Cancer Rehab
Cancer treatment and detection today is allowing more and more people to survive cancer, however along with cancer treatments, comes a range of debilitating side effects that can affect a person’s quality of life. Physiotherapy plays an important role in assessing and addressing physical and functional limitations in cancer patients, to help you return to those activities important to you, whether they are home, work, social or exercise related. To find out more about how physiotherapy could help you with your cancer rehab click here.
Why Choose Us?
Our physical approach
At Active Health we work to promote, maintain & restore physical, psychological & social well-being as well as fitness, health & wellness. At a consultation you can expect one of our experienced team to assess your levels of pain, range of movement, muscle balance and function.
- We will educate you on your injury, treatment options and self-management strategies.
- Work collaboratively to develop an appropriate treatment and rehabilitation plan designed to achieve your goals.
- All rehabilitation plans aim to provide long term maintenance prevent future injuries.
- Our fully equipped gym means that we can give our clients the best chance to rehabilitate and be fit and healthy.
Need an ACC Appointment?
ACC Physio
Our physiotherapiasts are all qualified & registered. We can offer you ACC appointments subsidised via ACC if your injuries meet the criteria outlined by ACC.
For both ACC and non-ACC related injuries, our initial appoitnment times are are 40 minutes. All subsequent follow-up sessions are 20 minutes.
Physiotherapy Services Christchurch Locations:
Active Health St Albans Christchurch
Phone: 03 383 6290
Clinic Hours: Mon to Fri 8am-6pm.
Gym Hours: Mon to Fri 6am-8pm. Sat 8am – 4pm.
545 Manchester Street, St Albans, Christchurch
Active Health
QEII
Phone: 03 383 6290
Clinic Hours: Mon to Fri 8am-6pm.
193 Travis Rd, North New Brighton, Christchurch
Active Health Jellie Park, Burnside
Active Health New Brighton Healthcare
Meet The Physiotherapy Team
Cath Silvester
Physiotherapist
Dip Phys.
About Me
Cath brings to Active Health a wide range of experience. After graduating in 1991 she spent time working in the UK and the United States specialising in Orthopedics. After returning to New Zealand she worked for a number of years in a leading multi-disciplinary sports practice specializing in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. For the last three years Cath has worked in a Pain Management Practice managing chronic pain conditions and specialising in Vocational Health. Cath is currently completing post graduate studies in Vocational Health. In her spare time Cath enjoys running and has recently taken up mountain biking.
Jess Blair
Physiotherapist
BPhty
About Me
Jess qualified as a Physiotherapist at AUT and has since worked in Cambridge. Recently moving to Christchurch, Jess previously worked as a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist with a varied role including Aged Care (falls prevention and injury management), Management and Private Hospital work.
Jess provides care that is centred around the client, including education and advice on how to reach your goals, manual therapy, and a focus on exercise-based rehab to return you to your previous function and prevent further injuries. Jess enjoys treating a range of musculoskeletal injuries, with a special interest in caring for the Aged Health population.
In her spare time, Jess enjoys picking up her camera, going to the gym, skiing, biking and hiking.
Kate Horton
Physiotherapist and Pilates Instructor
BSc(Hons), certified Matwork Pilates instructor (APPI) UK
About Me
BSc(Hons), certified Matwork Pilates instructor (APPI) UK
Kate has a wide range of physiotherapy experience, having qualified in 2001 from Manchester University in the UK. She has worked in many areas of musculoskeletal physiotherapy both in the UK and New Zealand, from sports teams, to hospital and private practice, and has taught Pilates classes regularly since 2008.
Kate moved to New Zealand in 2009 and has been teaching up to five Pilates classes a week. She connects well with people of all ages, to help to assess, treat and prevent further injury. She has a keen interest in muscle balance problems and postural issues. Kate also enjoys treating shoulder and back injuries, along with post-operative care. She relishes the challenge of working out the problem and treating injuries with a combination of manual therapy, exercise prescription and looking at long term prevention.
In her spare time, Kate is an avid runner and has been a member of Extra Mile Runners in Christchurch for several years, having completed a number of half marathons. Living close to the Port Hills with her husband, she loves having the perfect training ground on her doorstep.
Bevan Lawson
Physiotherapist
BPhty (credit)
About Me
BPhty (credit)
Bevan graduated from the University of Otago in 2006, receiving the Sheila Consuela MacDiarmid Scholarship. He is an experienced clinical physiotherapist in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy with a focus on exercise-based rehabilitation and injury prevention. Bevan enjoys working with all ages, from youth athletes to older adults, helping them rehabilitate from injuries and return to active lifestyles with improved biomechanical efficiency. Bevan has also developed expertise in muscle balance assessment, occupational health, golf-specific physiotherapy and mental strategies to overcome injuries. Bevan competes to a high level in his own sporting endeavours and is the captain of the New Zealand Korfball team. Bevan has also been the physiotherapist to both the New Zealand and Australian Korfball teams.
Ashley Briscoe
Pelvic Health and Cancer Rehabilitation Physiotherapist
BPhty
About Me
Ashley has been working in Auckland since graduating from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and has now returned to her hometown of Christchurch. Ashley has experience working with musculoskeletal injuries and sports teams, as well as having a keen interest in pelvic health. In addition to attending multiple continuing education courses on pelvic health, Ashley is currently studying towards a Diploma in Pain Management with a focus on pelvic pain at the University of Otago. She particularly enjoys working with lower back, pelvic, glute and hip pain.
Ashley believes in individualized rehabilitation and goal setting to empower and motivate her clients back into doing the things they enjoy. She has worked with women soon after delivery at Birthcare in Auckland and has a passion for educating and guiding women on postpartum recovery and safe return to exercise. When she’s not at work, Ashley enjoys going to the gym, playing with her dogs and drinking coffee.
Kath Bull
Physiotherapist
BPhty
About Me
Kath has a wide range of physiotherapy experience, having graduated from the University of Otago in 1994. She has worked in many areas of musculoskeletal physiotherapy in New Zealand, America and the UK. She enjoys treating a wide range of conditions and is dedicated to helping people recover from their injuries through comprehensive assessment, treatment and individualised rehabilitation programmes.
Kath worked for Active Health from 2005-2008 at the QEII location, and then re-joined the Active Health team in 2017 after relocating from Auckland.
Kath has a special interest in cancer rehabilitation, and works with patients before, during and after medical cancer treatments, addressing treatment side effects like pain, fatigue and weakness that may have affect patient’s physical and functional abilities. Kath is a certified provider of the PINC and STEEL cancer rehabilitation programs, which are internationally known physiotherapy and exercise programs for women and men with cancer.
In addition Kath also works on ACC Vocational Rehabilitation contracts, both as a lead provider for these contracts and also providing rehabilitation to help clients return to work as soon as possible after injury. Kath has completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Rehabilitation with a paper in Work Rehabilitation.
In her spare time, Kath enjoys hiking, skiing and mountain biking.
Angela Mackie
Physiotherapist
BPhty PGDip SportsMed (credit), PGCertAcu (NZ)
About Me
BPhty PGDip SportsMed (credit), PGCertAcu (NZ)
Angela is a New Zealand Physiotherapist with 25 years experience and has post-graduate qualifications in both Sports Medicine and Acupuncture. She frequently attends conferences and courses to enhance her skills and knowledge
Angela enjoys the challenge of managing all musculoskeletal injuries. She has a keen interest in lower limb biomechanics + pelvic stability. Following a thorough assessment to understand your specific condition, she uses a combination of manual therapy, acupuncture, breathing re-education and exercises to aid recovery and help you return to the things that are important to you.
Angela has been privileged to work with a huge range of sports teams and individuals including netball, hockey and ice skating to the highest of levels. But by far the sport she’s spent the greatest time on the side-line is rugby – working with both men’s and women’s teams, including seven campaigns the with Canterbury Women’s 15s and 7s teams.
In her spare time, she enjoys running and has completed 20 half marathons, using these as an opportunity to travel and explore the country.
Our Partners
Make an appointment today
Find a time that suits you and book an appointment online using our booking system. If you are not sure who to see, give us a call and we can help find the best clinician for you.