10 May 2023

Permanent physio is good news for Cooktown locals

| Matt Nicholls
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Suzanne Rath from Wellness Embodied in Cairns has brought a permanent physiotherapist service to Cooktown.

COOKTOWN has a new permanent physiotherapist after strong demand in the community.

Cairns-based clinic Wellness Embodied has opened its new permanent Cooktown clinic, located at 32 Helen Street, opposite IGA.

Having delivered a monthly outreach service to Cooktown and surrounding communities since August 2020, director Suzanne Rath noticed a great need for private physiotherapy services in Cooktown.

“We started the Cooktown outreach clinic as an experiment, as I had several clients who would come to see us when I was in Cairns and always told me about the lack of services,” she said.

“I would post on Facebook groups and contacted several local organisations, which was enough to fill us for each trip, but I was still aware of the number of people who didn’t even know we existed.

“Cooktown has a lot of people waiting for, or who have had, orthopaedic surgeries like joint replacements or rotator cuff repairs.

“These people really need ongoing physiotherapy to help them manage pain and get back to 100 per cent strength and function.

“We also see adults and kids with disabilities under NDIS, including people in Hope Vale and Wujal Wujal who’ve never been able to access services before.

“We’ve had people with work-related injuries come to us, who’ve had back pain for three months and gone through all of the scans and painkillers, but not had any physiotherapy – and we’ve been able to help them and get them back to work in a matter of weeks.

“Plus there’s lots of Cooktown residents like tradies, teachers, health and office workers who suffer from postural pain, headaches or sporting injuries and need an early assessment or ongoing care.”

The service will be staffed initially by physiotherapist Monique Hayles, who works four days per week during school hours.

“We have a large team in Cairns that also includes an osteopath, exercise physiologist, naturopath and remedial massage therapists, so we understand the importance of whole person care and tailoring the service to the individual’s need.

“I can see a real need for additional services on a visiting basis in Cooktown and this is something we would love to provide in future.

To book an appointment at Cooktown, call 4231 9777 or visit www.wellnessembodiedcairns.com

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