I am a Chartered Physiotherapist who qualified from Guy’s Hospital School of Physiotherapy, University of London.

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be a physiotherapist as I played a lot of competitive sport, badminton being my first love.

When I qualified I worked at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin  taking care of babies with Cystic Fibrosis and pre and post heart surgery. Using my skills as a chest physio./respiratory physiotherapist, which I learnt at Reading Hospital, Berkshire. It was an incredible experience, one that stays with me to this day.

I then moved to Chicago, where I sat the board exams to work as a physiotherapist/physical therapist in the United States. I worked at Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago for 2 years as a basic grade, gaining experience in all the disciplines of which physiotherapy has an influence. I gained invaluable opportunity to learn about the very complex American health care system and gave an in-service once on  gunshot wounds, of which we treated a lot of on the Orthopaedic floor.

I moved to California, where I had the chance to take up the role of senior Orthopaedic physiotherapist at Daniel Freeman Hospital, Inglewood. It was here that all things Orthopaedic/ Musculoskeletal sparked my interest and I knew I wanted to learn more about this area. I also improved and learnt a lot about strength and conditioning whilst working in California and enjoyed this approach to patient treatment.

Working in Los Angeles, gave me a great insight into treating the patient as a whole, not just the physical aspects of the injury but to appreciate and have a sensitivity towards the mental and emotional aspects also. Something I continue to live by in my practice to this day.

I had the opportunity to become a partner in a home health agency, called Pacific Coast Healthcare, Burbank. I treated patients in their homes, from Bel Air to Compton and everywhere in between. Seeing all ranges of ages from babies to the very old, it was an incredible learning experience, you had to think on your feet, create a rehab environment with the setting you were faced with and by the end of my time there, there was not a condition I had not come across. It gave me great confidence to set up my own practice home in Ireland.

I returned to Ireland and completed my Masters in Sports Medicine in UCD. My thesis looked at the difference in shoulder strength between badminton and non-badminton players using Isokinetic testing. The findings showed that badminton players had the greater strength at the faster speeds, not surprising really as it is the fastest racket sport!

I was very fortunate to become the physiotherapist to the Irish Boxing team and the Irish canoe slalom team, had travelled extensively with both. As a result, I have been lucky to treat a lot of athletes from many different disciplines and have loved the challenge of getting people back to their sport.

I completed a 3 year diploma in Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture in 2011 under the tutelage of Dr Vincent Carroll at Lansdown College and I have really enjoyed the great results this extra string to my bow has added to my practice.

I embrace my work wholeheartedly whilst juggling being a Mom. I love my work and would hope to do a PhD someday. I enjoy focusing on my patient, figuring out the problem and hopefully being able to help them, whilst practicing what I preach by keeping fit myself as I teach my Pilates classes to my clients.

I now run a busy private practice from 2 locations, Dun Laoghaire and Blanchardstown with a staff of four.

Fortunately with my experience I treat everything and everyone. From the elite athlete to the patient struggling to ambulate 100m and everything in between. From the 8 year old to the 108 year old. I love the variety of my work and helping my patients achieve their goals whatever they may be, no goal is any less than another’s.

I am lucky to have a wealth of knowledge and experience to feel comfortable treating all issues which present to me and I look forward to assisting to the best of my ability

Chartered Physiotherapist:

Orlagh is a member of the Chartered physiotherapy Association of Ireland