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Alyssa Gordon has returned to Mahurangi to take over the Active + physio centres at Warkworth and Snells Beach.
Alyssa grew up in Kaipara Flats where her parents still live. She says she knew from an early age what she wanted to do.
“I love horses and I always wanted to be an equine physio,” Alyssa says.
“You have to become qualified as a human physio first before moving on to equine. Once I started studying, I realised I loved working with people and the face-to-face interaction.”
Alyssa embraces all kinds of treatments to benefit her patients and isn’t afraid to take an unorthodox approach.
“I think physio needs to move in a more holistic direction, alongside the traditional medical approach. I want to fix your ankle and then start to work on injury prevention. That’s where Pilates can build strength. I don’t always want to be the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. I want to advocate for injury prevention, but that might not be a great business model!”
Alyssa says that if a person wants to stay injury free, then they should take care during sports and gardening. These two activities, along with ‘weekend warriors’, make up the majority of her work. Back and neck injuries are the most common.
Alyssa says she finds her work hugely rewarding.
“For the last year I’ve been working with a patient who had suffered a serious head injury.
“Initially, he also had back, leg and neck pain. He couldn’t bend forward or reach down. He is now back in the workforce, and is even attempting the Tongariro crossing to raise money for mental health awareness.”
Alyssa is also involved in a programme that uses physiotherapy to help rehabilitate cancer patients. The programme is designed by specialist cancer rehab physiotherapists and helps patients heal and function at optimal levels through every stage of their treatment and recovery. Alyssa plans to be the first to bring this programme to the area.
