Our Staff
Our Staff
We have continued to attract the best physios, remedial massage therapists and support staff as a result of our culture and our values. And fine coffee.
We make mentoring our staff and continuing education a priority which increases our own satisfaction and enjoyment with what we do.
Most importantly, we know that it helps the outcomes for our patients.
Russell Mackenzie
Russell graduated from UniSA in 1994.
He was on the staff at TQEH as Orthopaedic and Rheumatology Senior Physiotherapist between 2001 and 2004.
With Tobey, Russell started Adelaide West Physio + Pilates in 2009, with the key principles of hands-on treatment, exercise therapy and education.
Since then, he has become a Credentialed McKenzie Therapist, which means he is one of only three Credentialed McKenzie Therapists in Adelaide.
Russell became a Watson Headache Certified Practitioner in Sydney in February 2014, and is now the one of a handful of Watson Headache Certified Practitioners in Adelaide.
He created Adelaide West Headache Clinic in 2014 to signal his dedication and passion in the cause of helping headache and migraine sufferers.
His other passion is helping patients with persistent pain problems through the use of a ‘whole person approach’ (otherwise known as a biopsychosocial approach). This includes pain biology education and novel therapies like Graded Motor Imagery (GMI).
He is a member of the APA Sports Physiotherapy Group, the APA Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Group and the APA Pain Group.
Lisa Vernon
Lisa joined Adelaide West Physio in 2016.
After graduating from UniSA in 2012 with a Bachelor in Physiotherapy, she spent four years working at a very reputable practice in the north eastern suburbs.
Lisa became a mum in Septermber 2019, and since then she has been excited to share her ever-developing knowledge in post natal management and all the different problems that can arise as a new parent.
Most recently Lisa’s interest has been in Women’s Health and helping female patients with stress and urge incontinence problems.
In March 2024, Lisa was voted the Best Physio in the Western Suburbs in The Advertiser.
She has been inspired by Russell’s passion for managing headaches and migraines and has completed Level 1 training in the Watson Headache Approach.
Having her own experience with low back pain as an adolescent, she is really passionate in management of low back pain and has completed Part A of the Mckenzie Method which focuses on the assessment and management of the Lumbar Spine.
Lisa is also experienced with dry-needling as another treatment tool to address muscle tightness and pain.
Lisa has worked with sporting teams including the Glenelg Football Club League and Reserves teams, Tango Netball Club State League and more recently the Lockleys Football Club.
Professional development / continuing education
- Part A McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, McKenzie Institute Australia
- Part B McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, McKenzie Institute Australia
- Jenny McConnell Approach to Problem Shoulders
Nicole Walker
Nicole joined our team in June 2017.
Nicole has always been passionate about movement and exercise, and loves applying her knowledge to help her patients understand their body and how to move safely and with confidence.
In her career, Nicole has gained wide experience in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy.
She takes an active approach to treatment, and uses a combination of education, purposeful movement and exercise to empower her patients and help them take control of their injury to get the best outcome possible
Nicole also uses hands-on treatment to optimise movement and comfort, especially for helping in acute situations.
Outside of physiotherapy, Nicole trains, performs and teaches aerial silks.
Her experience with aerial silks has reinforced how adaptable and capable the human body can be.
Qualifications
- Masters of Physiotherapy, Flinders University
- Bachelor of Education and Health Sciences, Flinders University
- Certificate IV in Mat Work Pilates, Polestar Pilates International
- Certificate III and IV in Fitness, Australian Institute of Fitness
Kimberley Wilson
Kimberley and Russell worked together just after the turn of the century before they joined forces again at Adelaide West Physio in 2017.
Kimberley has the following special interests in physiotherapy:
- back and neck pain, including disc injury
- persistent pain
- osteoarthritis
- headaches
- stiffness
- nerve pain
- sporting injuries
After graduating from the University of South Australia in 2003, she started her career in the UK working for the NHS.
On return to Australia she continued her physiotherapy career at the Royal Adelaide Hospital working in Orthopaedics, Burns and ICU before branching out into private practice.
It was here that she began to focus on her study of the McKenzie Method, Pilates and pain education.
She believes in a hands-on approach to treatment and also in enabling clients to take control of their injury or pain.
Kimberley was voted the Best Physio in the Western Suburbs in May 2022 in The Advertiser.
Outside of physiotherapy, Kimberley is busy! She lives an active life playing basketball and is currently a mum of 3.
She loves food, coffee and a good red wine.
Matthew Robinson
Matt graduated from Endeavour College of Natural Health in 2010 as a Remedial Massage Therapist and joined Adelaide West Physio in 2019.
He has gained more than a decade of experience, which has included sports injury and post-operative management at Wakefield Sports Clinic and SportsMed SA.
Matt has provided massage for Olympic and Paralympic Gold medallists, travelling sporting teams and national sports carnivals including the National Police Games Basketball Championships 2022.
He has been involved with professional tennis tournaments since 2016. One of Matt’s biggest career highlights was working with South Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis during his run to win his first ATP title in Adelaide in 2022.
Matt played tennis at an elite level as a junior, holding National Ranking Points. To this day, he still competes at a high level of competition throughout the year, and intends to continue this as long as he can.
Off the court, Matt enjoys his time outdoors, either at the beach or the walking trails and completed the Kokoda Track, Papua New Guinea, in 2016.
Matt has provided massage at many sporting events, including;
2023 – SANFL u18 Talent Hub Training Camp
2023 – Adelaide International ATP 250 1 & 2
2022 – Australian Police Academy Basketball Championships
2022 – Adelaide International ATP 250 1 & 2
2020 – Adelaide International ATP 250
2019 – World Tennis Challenge Adelaide Exhibition
2019 – Playford International ATP Challenger 1 & 2
2018 – Playford International ATP Challenger
2017 – City of Onkaparinga ATP Challenger
2016 – City of Onkaparinga ATP Challenger2016 – Australian National Netball Carnival
Whether you need help recovering from an injury, training for an event, or simply looking to unwind at the end of a stressful work week, Matt has the skills to suit your needs.
Madeleine Milne
Maddie joined us from Lyell McEwin Hospital in 2021.
She has brought experience across many areas, including orthopaedics and musculoskeletal physiotherapy.
Before physiotherapy, Maddie trained in dance but she chose a change of direction due to injury and the onset of persistent pain.
Her own experience with persistent pain and her journey back sparked her interest in helping people in a similare situation with ongoing pain.
She loves helping patients experience their own ‘lightbulb moments’ as they learn about their own body and its amazing protective pain system.
In her own pain journey, Maddie uncovered a new addiction for running, which has so far included a half marathon!
She has furthered her knowledge in pain by completing Explain Pain with the Neuro-Orthopaedic Institute (NOI) and starting a Master of Science in Medicine (Pain Management) through the University of Sydney.
Her philosophy with health is based in a ‘whole-person approach’.
She places great importance on education, helping clients understand their condition and believes in an active approach to recovery.
Maddie is always up for a chat, particularly travel stories (and particularly where things didn’t pan out exactly as planned).
Lachlan Sutherland
Lachy joined Adelaide West Physio in 2021.
He has a wide experience in private practice after graduating with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from UniSA in 2016.
Attending a range of professional development courses has helped him to discover what he enjoys.
Lachy has a passion for headache and migraine treatment and management.
Like Russell, Lisa and Rob, he uses the Watson Headache Approach and has completed the Level 2 course.
Another area of expertise is his treatment and rehabilitation of tendon problems, particularly lower limb tendon problems like Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendon tendinopathy and gluteal tendinopathy.
Lachy enjoys helping people return to sport after injury. This means taking people from the acute stages of their injury right up to the ‘end-stage’ rehabilitation as they get back to full participation.
He particularly loves soccer, both watching it and also helping people return to soccer and working through all the unique demands of the sport.
Lachy is interested in cycling and cycling injuries. When the weather suits he always enjoys getting out on the bike (definitely a fair weather rider!)
Robert Benger
We are really chuffed to have Rob join our team at Adelaide West Physio in 2024.
Rob brings with him the wide experience of a physio career that has spanned three decades.
Rob has extensive knowledge in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, orthopaedics, occupational health, and Clinical Pilates.
Though he has worked within many areas of physio, the largest proportion of his career has been spent as the founder, owner and head physiotherapist of Walkerville Physiotherapy from 1999 until 2019.
During that time, Rob worked in the company of Dean Watson, and developed an interest in headache and migraine treatment.
He has completed Level 1 and Level 2 of the Watson Headache Approach.
Rob has a very easy-going nature and easily establishes rapport with all patients and staff with whom he comes into contact.
With a foundation of “hands-on” manual therapy, Rob also uses education and exercise as essential tools to help his patients reach their optimum function and reduce the chance of recurrences.
His recent work has included injury rehabilitation for elite athletes with acute and chronic injuries, as well as being physiotherapist for the Garville Netball Club.
In addition to his Level 1 and 2 Watson Headache training for headache and migraine treatment, Rob has attended an extensive list of professional development courses and conferences. Highlights include:
- Watson Headache Symposium
- ACL rehabilitation
- Tendinopathy
- Swimming shoulder injuries
- Shoulder instability
- The shoulder in sport
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Clinical Pilates with Dance Medicine Australia
Needless to say, Rob has skills over all aspects of injury management and recovery.