Physiotherapists at Physio Plus
You're in the right hands
Tony Morley
Tony graduated as a Physiotherapist from the University of Sydney in 2001. Since this time Tony has worked in private practice in Sydney and New Zealand prior to returning to his home town of Ballina in 2006 joining the Physio Plus team where his expertise, energy and people skills are highly valued by patients and staff.
He has a special interest in treating conditions of the spine, shoulder, knee, foot and headaches related to the cervical spine. He is an Accredited Practitioner of the Sarah Key Method (APSKM) – an innovative approach to treating back pain and one of the founding members of Ankylosing Spondylitis Special Interest Group (ASSIG) which aims to improve the Physiotherapy management of those with AS.
In addition to his manual therapy and exercise prescription skills, Tony also practices western acupuncture & dry needling and runs spinal mobility classes at Physio Plus. In his spare time, Tony can be found surfing, fishing or spending time with his wife and daughters.
Emile du Plessis
Emile has more than 18 years experience working in private physiotherapy practice treating patients with musculoskeletal conditions.
He has also previously practiced in South Africa and Canada. He has post graduate training in manual therapy & joint mobilization techniques.
Emile practices western acupuncture and dry needling for myofascial pain. He has a special interest in cervicogenic headache, shoulder injuries and post surgical orthopedic rehabilitation. As per Emile pilates bangalow workout involves a series of exercises that can be done in multiple ways.
He enjoys keeping fit with water sports and spending time with his wife and young kids.
Andrew Irvine
Andrew has graduated from a masters of physiotherapy studies at University of Queensland in 2012 and has an undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science.
Andy is a local to the Northern Rivers and has grown up in Alstonville. He is also a qualified sports trainer and has an keen interest in sporting injuries and musculoskeletal conditions.
On weekends Andy enjoys spending his time surfing and fishing.
Judy Blackburn
Judy is joining us from Moon St Physio. Judy graduated from the University of Queensland in 1981 and has gained a wide range of experience in musculo-skeletal physiotherapy both in Australia and England before settling in Ballina in 1987.
She is motivated by helping people gain control of their pain and educating them about their injury to prevent further problems.
Judy has always been interested in sports injuries and with the ageing population she has become interested in providing skills to help manage balance problems, osteoporosis and keeping fit at any age.
Matthew Lean
Matt has a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Charles Sturt University and since graduating he has undertaken a number of diverse roles in both Australia and the UK.
He has a very keen interest in orthopaedic surgery, sports and musculoskeletal injuries and their management. Matt prides himself on getting an accurate diagnosis, developing a comprehensive treatment plan, then progressing to being pain-free and at peak performance. With a strong treatment focus on exercise prescription combined with manual therapy, Matt also uses his training in Clinical Pilates, Sport Physiotherapy and post-operative orthopaedic management to assist you reach your goals.
Outside of work Matt enjoys sports, travel and adventure.
Courtney Burke
Courtney recently completed her Physiotherapy Degree at the prestigious University of Sydney. She has gained experience working with a wide range of patients in both the hospital and private practice setting.
As well as musculoskeletal injuries, Courtney has a particular interest in paediatric physio, women’s health, clinical Pilates and post-surgical rehabilitation. Having grown up in the area, she looks forward to settling into a career back in the beautiful Northern Rivers.
Outside of work Courtney loves to run, practice yoga, cook and travel.
Alison Millar
Alison graduated from a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland in 2009. Since then she has worked in hospital based physiotherapy, including work with neurological rehabilitation and post surgical orthopaedic patients.
Her main area of interest is continence and women’s health, of which she has trained through The Women’s Health Training Associates.
Alison’s main interest are in the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, urinary incontinence, pre and post natal musculo-skeletal pain and instability.
Naomi Mehan, Hand Therapy
I graduated from The University of Sydney as a physiotherapist in 2005. I have worked at Prince of Wales Hospital since, including a few years on secondment to Sydney Hospital Hand Unit, the major tertiary referral centre for hand injuries in the state. I completed the Sydney Hospital Hand Therapy fellowship in 2009. I have a broad range of clinical skills with a particular interest in hand injuries.
We made a spontaneous decision to move our family to the northern rivers at the beginning of 2020 for a sea change. Unfortunate timing has meant that we have arrived in the midst of COVID 19 lockdown. I am looking forward to being able to enjoy the outdoors, and the kids going back to school when this pandemic is over. Home schooling is not one of my strengths.
Lachlan Pappas
Lachlan has an Honours in Physiotherapy from the University of Newcastle, with a clinical background in musculoskeletal and neurological physiotherapy.
Lachlan has practiced hatha yoga for many years and is passionate about posture, strength and balance and how these can improve or disrupt our lives.
Originally from Bondi, Lachlan is a dedicated small wave, fair weather surfer and is quickly getting a handle on the Northern Rivers best spots. When the wind is onshore and the sun's not shining, expect to see him going for a soft sand run, yoga or gym session.
Jonathan Fryga
Jonathan graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland. He began working in the hospital setting where he gained a wide range of clinical experience. With a particular interest in musculoskeletal physiotherapy he later moved into the private practice setting.
Jonathan is passionate about working together with clients toward achieving their physical goals, and places priority on helping people understand their condition. He has a keen interest in running injuries, postural retraining and orthopaedic rehabilitation.
In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys strumming a tune on his guitar and exploring the outdoors.
Henry Pye
Henry is a northern rivers local growing up on a family run sugar cane farm just outside of Coraki.
Henry has completed a Masters of physiotherapy at the University of Sydney. Since graduating Henry has worked in a sports physiotherapy clinic in Sydney and most recently worked as a full time NRL physiotherapist with the Canterbury Bankstown bulldogs supporting their NRL team including acute diagnosis, pre & post injury rehabilitation, return to sport plans and game day management.
Outside of work you’ll find Henry on the golf course (boasting a handicap of 3), doing triathlons or enjoying a cold beer.
Carly Fraser
Carly graduated from Macquarie University with a Doctor of Physiotherapy (Dpt). Prior to this she completed the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science. Carly's skills have developed through working in Sydney hospitals and private practise before returning back to the Northern Rivers.
Carly’s special interest include preventing and treating musculoskeletal injuries through evidence-based exercise programs and clinical Pilates. She also treats common women’s health conditions such as incontinence, pelvic floor dysfunction and implementing a safe return to sport/exercise postpartum.
Outside of work Carly loves to play touch football, cycle and water sports.
Ksenya Masendycz
Ksenya is a Physiotherapist, who completed her degree at Griffith University on the Gold Coast. She has experience in hospital and rehabilitation settings, working in a range of clinical areas including orthopaedics, rehabilitation, community health, cardio-respiratory and musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Ksenya also has a diverse medical background having studied multiple streams of natural medicine and therapies, and also has a Science Degree majoring in Neuroscience & Biochemistry. Ksenya has a passion for health and wellbeing, and is committed to providing goal directed patient care across a broad spectrum of clinical areas.
Originally from Melbourne but now a Northern Rivers local of many years, Ksenya has a background in dance and pilates, qualified with a Certificate of Professional Pilates Instruction, and over 10 years experience in pilates training herself. She is passionate about combining her Physiotherapy and Clinical Pilates knowledge to assist clients of all ages and abilities. She enjoys working collaboratively with patients and is committed to providing individualised care to meet their needs.
Outside of work, Ksenya loves taking her dog to the beach, boxing training classes, and baking cakes.
Thomas Pasch
Thomas graduated in 2018 with a Master of Physiotherapy from the University of Sydney. Since then, Thomas decided on a tree change, moving from Sydney to Kyogle where he worked as a Physio in Private Practice for 4 years before joining Physio Plus in 2023.
Thomas enjoys treating musculoskeletal injuries and post-operative rehabilitation following joint surgeries. He has a particular interest in treating shoulder pain and improving patients posture and mobility.
On the weekends Thomas enjoys watching rugby union and playing golf, Thomas is also looking forward to the arrival of a baby boy.
Stuart Cheval
Stuart is a physiotherapist with 25 years of experience. Initially completing his undergraduate degree in 1998 at the University of Queensland, Stuart went on to travel world for the next five years, before undertaking a Masters of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy in 2004.
In 2013, Stuart started his formal specialisation as a Vestibular Physiotherapist, completing the competency-based course in Vestibular Rehabilitation under the instruction of world-renowned leaders in the field from the USA. In 2017, Stuart undertook advanced training in Vestibular Rehabilitation under the same expert faculty from the USA.
In 2019, Stuart moved to Melbourne to gain further experience in vestibular rehabilitation, and was fortunate enough to work at Neurological Rehabilitation Group, a clinic specialising in the management of complex vestibular disorders and post-concussion presentations. During this time Stuart was also involved in research affiliated with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) looking at the physiotherapy management of concussion in children, and also a similar a study run by Monash Health investigating outcomes in adult concussive injuries.
Stuart has extensive experience in the assessment and management of various vestibular disorders, including BPPV, vestibular migraine, vestibular neuritis/labyrinthitis, Meniere’s disease and bilateral vestibular hypofunction, and uses video infrared goggles to assist with accurate diagnosis and treatment of vestibular dysfunction.