Meet The Team
Dr Barbara Hungerford PhD. B.App Sci (Physiotherapy)
Barbara Hungerford, Director of Sydney Spine & Pelvis Physiotherapy Centre, has been a physiotherapist for over 35 years. Her inspiration to improve people with back, neck, hip and pelvic pain are treated has come from the many patients she has seen whose daily symptoms have overtaken their capacity to enjoy life. Her own research led her into teaching, and she founded Advanced Manual Therapy Associates P/L in 1995 as a vessel to provide educational courses for physiotherapists and medical practitioners. Barbara continues to provide these courses both in Australia and overseas. In 1997 she undertook a PhD that investigated the alteration of pelvic biomechanics and muscle recruitment in association with pelvic dysfunction. This was accepted in 2002 and she has since published this research in International Peer reviewed journals. Please visit the AMTA website for more information. Barbara is also regularly asked to present her research, and ideas about treatment of back and pelvic pain, to medical conferences and physiotherapy groups internationally.
The opening of Sydney Spine & Pelvis Physiotherapy Centre in 2003 was a major achievement for Barb, as it provided an opportunity to create a centre of excellence in which the latest science of treatment could be combined with the passion to heal and help people regain control of their life and ease their pain. Clinically, she provides assessment, diagnosis, ant treatment for neck pain and headaches, upper back, thoracic and referred arm pain, low back and pelvic pain, hip pain, pregnancy related issues, visceral and cranio-sacral therapy.
Vanessa Barnes. B.App Sci (Physiotherapy), B.Sc (Psychology)
Vanessa Barnes is one of Senior Muscul-skeletal physiotherapists. She graduated in 2002 from Sydney University. She is also a qualified psychologist and a member of the Australian Physio Association and British Ballet Association. Vanessa has worked in private practice for 15 years and has a strong background in sports Physiotherapy and musculoskeletal injuries that has focused her interests into treatment of low back and pelvic pain, treatment of difficult hip, neck & thoracic and cranial injuries, pregnancy related injuries and sports related injuries. She combines her advanced skills in Muscle Energy techniques, McKenzie, Maitland, Diane Lee's ISM and cranio-sacral approach to improve articular mobility and reduce joint pain and stiffness. Vanessa has also undergone extensive training with Barb Hungerford to develop her diagnostic skills and approach to manual therapy and approach to patient care. She has trained in Lumbo-Pelvic Stability retraining and Pilates approach to exercise rehabilitation and therefore combines manual therapy with exercise rehabilitation to assist each patient with full recovery. Vanessa has studied the Alison Grimaldi Hip rehabilitation protocols and has extensive experience in creating specific progressions in exercise rehabilitation programs for lumbo-pelvic, hip, neck, and thoracic rehabilitation and is involved in running the Specific Exercise Classes provided at Sydney Spine and Pelvis Physiotherapy Centre.
Vanessa has attained her Level 3 Sports Certificate in 2012 and previously worked for a number of sports teams such as local rugby and soccer squads. She is also involved in treatment of ballet related injuries, including hip, knee and ankle injuries.
Ness Ade. Dr Physiotherapy, Masters Ex. Physiol., B. EX Sci., Dip Massage
As one of our Senior Musculoskeletal & Sports Physiotherapists, Ness brings a depth of experience to the practice - having initially trained as a massage therapist & Exercise Physiologist before studying a Doctor of Physiotherapy. She has also studied and trained extensively with Barb Hungerford and Diane Lee (Canadian specialist physiotherapist) in Integrated Systems Model Assessment plus the hip academy training programs (Dr Alison Grimaldi). Ness therefore combines her skills in Myo-fascial releases, Muscle Energy technniques & Manual therapy with detailed diagnostic evaluation based on Diane Lee's Integrated Systems Model Program to provide the best possible care for her patients with Sacro-iliac joint & pelvic inuries, pregnancy & post partum issues, hip inuries such as labral tears & gluteal tendonopathy, & Thoracic/ rib and low back issues. Her experience gained while working with teams such as the Kings, GWS, and Swifts means she can provide excellence in treatment and specific rehab for Sports injuries such as Knees, ankles and shoulder injuries. Ness represented Australia in the Rhythmic Gymnastic team as a teenager and understands the rigours of elite sports, plus the struggles that comes with injuries. She is passionate about retraining lumbo-pelvic and hip muscle control and stability and is involved in running both our "Core" Retraining classes and Pilates classes at Sydney Spine & Pelvis Centre.
Christine Potter. B.App Sci (Physiotherapy), Certified GLAD Knee Rehab Instructor
Christine is also a Senior Muscul-skeletal physiotherapist who graduated in 1996 from Sydney University. Christine has worked in both community and private practices for 25 years and has a strong background in musculoskeletal injuries, sports injuries, Womens Health and Exercise rehabilitation. Chrisitne has undergone extensive training with Barb Hungerford and Diane Lee PT Canada) in the past 2 years to develop her diagnostic skills and incorporate the Integrated Systems model of assessment into her manual therapy and rehabilitation. This has led her to focus her interests into treatment of low back and pelvic pain, plus treatment of neck, thoracic and cranial injuries, pregnancy related injuries and sports related injuries. She combines her advanced skills in Muscle Energy techniques, McKenzie, Maitland, ISM approach to improve articular mobility and reduce joint pain and stiffness. She is fully trained in retraining core muscle and Lumbo-Pelvic- hip muscle control following back and pelvic injuries
Christine is a Polestar rehabilitation and Pilates Instructor and runs Studio Pilates classes at SSP Physiotherapy. She is also a Certified GLAD knee rehabilitation practitioner and has a keen interest in helping people through knee injuries, plus pre- and post- knee surgery rehabiliation.
Prachi Bhanushali B.P.Th (Physiotherapy)
Prachi graduatied in 2009 and has worked in both India and Australia. She is a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and also the Women’s Health Training Associates (WHTA) and has a dedicated focus on women’s pelvic health issues, with a particular interest in:
- Incontinence: She can help manage and improve bladder and bowel control.
- Antenatal and Postnatal Care: Prachi offers support throughout pregnancy and postpartum recovery, including pelvic floor strengthening, pelvic pain, and exercise prescription, plus assessment of pelvic floor function ready for childbirth or return to sports post partum.
- Prolapse and Pelvic pain: treatment may include pelvic floor myofascial release, biofeedback, TENS and relaxation techniques and pelvic floor muscle re-education
- Mastitis
Amy Greenlees. Masters Physiotherapy, Masters Ex. Sports Sci., Womens Health & Continence Physiotherapist
Amy has worked extensively in private practice and has a strong background in sports Physiotherapy and musculoskeletal injuries as well as having a passion for Womens Health and Continence Retraining for both men & women. She has also undergone training in the ISM approach for holistic assessment & diagnosis of altered body function with Diane Lee and also trained extensively with Barb Hungerford to further progress her diagnostic skills and approach to manual therapy and patient care. She therefore has a depth of experience with treatment of low back and pelvic pain, treatment of difficult neck & thoracic injuries, pregnancy and post-partum related injuries and sports injuries. She combines her advanced skills in Muscle Energy techniques, ISM, rib ring approach and Watson techniques to improve articular mobility, and reduce joint pain and stiffness.
As a Womens Health Physio Amy provides treatment for:
• Breast problems from feeding – Mastitis
• Assessment & muscle retraining for Diastasis Rectus Abdominis (DRA)
• Pelvic Floor Muscle (PFM) assessment
• Prolapse assessment
• Postural and Pelvic / lumbar spine assessment
Amy is now living in Orange but is continuing a few clinics at Sydney Spine and Pelvis Physiotherapy Drummoyne.
