Meet Sarah

Sarah is dedicated to empowering the next generation of dancers, performing artists and performance athletes to achieve long-term success by focusing on their physical wellbeing. Drawing on her competitive background in dance and sport, she offers a unique blend of personal insight and professional expertise. Holding an APA Title in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy, Sarah’s experience spans a broad spectrum of sports and demographics. However, her primary focus lies in the care of artistic athletes, including those in commercial dance, full-time and pre-professional ballet, acrobatics, gymnastics, cheerleading, aerial and circus arts.

Her method combines evidence-based practices with a deep empathy for her clients, tailoring treatments to their individual needs, goals and art form. Continuously engaging with the latest research and innovation, Sarah’s infectious passion for her work and commitment to her clients shines through in every interaction. Whether working with young beginners or professional performers, Sarah’s approach is characterised by a relentless drive to support each client in achieving their best, both in their careers and in their personal health journeys.

Driven by her diverse personal experiences in the world of dance, competitive cheerleading, and as a World and Australian gold medallist in Surf Lifesaving, Sarah has a firsthand understanding of the physical and emotional demands associated with pursuing a career in the performing arts and succeeding in high-performance sport. Her own experiences, coupled with the insights gained from over 12 years of teaching dance have been her driving force in becoming a dance physiotherapist and have deeply influenced her approach and philosophy as a practitioner.

Determined to reshape the perceptions around dance, Sarah advocates for recognising dancers as performance athletes, meriting the same respect and meticulous attention as their counterparts in traditional sports. Her philosophy promotes the safe development of flexibility, strength and technique, aiming to guide dancers toward successful and sustainable careers in the performing arts. Sarah’s goal is to support dancers in becoming both informed and in form, capable of advocating for their needs and navigating the demands of their careers with confidence and resilience.

Sarah was nominated for the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) Dance Educator Award in 2020 for merging physiotherapy with safe dance practice and high performance within local dance studios. This includes her work in teaching anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, pain science and dance technique in studios, implementing dancer load management and injury prevention programs during COVID-19, and working with teachers and students to improve their injury management knowledge.

Sarah has also taken her unique skill set and expertise and translated this into professional and elite sporting environments. She served as a Physiotherapist for the Gold Coast Suns AFLW Team during Seasons 6 and 7, supported the Queensland Academy of Sport and National Centre of Excellence Australian Sprint Kayak Program athletes and para-athletes as a Pathways Physiotherapist, contributed as the Physiotherapist for the Australian Jackaroos Opens and Para-Athlete Squads at the 2023 World Bowls Championships, and held a position as an Intern Physiotherapist for Surfing Australia in 2022.

Masters of Sport Physiotherapy
University of Queensland, 2021-23 

Masters of Physiotherapy 
Griffith University Gold Coast, 2015-16

Bachelor of Exercise Science
Griffith University Gold Coast and University of Leeds, UK, 2012-14. 
Sir Samuel Griffith Academic Scholarship and Griffith Honours College Scholar

Level 1 Strength & Conditioning Coach
Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA)

Western Acupuncture + Dry Needling 
Combined Health

Clinical Pilates Equipment and Matwork 
Pilates Institute of Queensland

Level 1 Sports Trainer & Advanced Spinal Care
Athletic and Sports Trainers Association

First Aid and CPR
First Aid A&E

Enhancing Skills in Paediatric Physiotherapy (Monash University)

The Difficult Foot and Ankle (SPORTSMAP)

QLD Symposium- Paediatric Athletes: Illness, Injury and Training Load (Sports Medicine Australia) 

Anterior Hip and Groin Pain: Contemporary Diagnostic and Management Strategies (Dr Alison Grimaldi)

Mastering Movement of the Hip and Pelvis (Dr Alison Grimaldi)

Hypermobility for Physiotherapists: Its Types and Its Management (Sharon Hennessy, Not Just Bendy)

Physiotherapy Management of Hypermobility Disorders and Gait Abnormalities in Children (Natalie Bennett-Bremner, Kidz Clinic Physiotherapy)

ACL Injuries in AFLW (AFL Healthcare Team) 

Dance Practitioner and Teacher Training Level 1 and 2 (Lisa Howell, Perfect Form Physiotherapy)

Hip Joint In Dance (Sue Mayes, APA)

Integrated Solutions for Head and Neck Pain (Shaun O’Leary, APA)

Certificate in Spinal Manual Therapy (Manual Concepts)

Titled Member of the Australian College of Physiotherapists (ACP)

Member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) and the Sports and Exercise National Group

Registered Practitioner under Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

Member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS)

Member of Australian Society of Performing Arts Healthcare (ASPAH)

Member of the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA)

Inspired by her clients and her love for the performing arts, Sarah dedicates herself to not just providing compassionate, empathetic and comprehensive care in the clinic but also to supporting the broader dance community. She collaborates closely with dance studios, leading workshops for both adults and young dancers, as well as working with local pointe shoe fitters to enhance their understanding of pre-pointe preparation. Beyond the studio, Sarah shares her knowledge as a podcast guest and connects with studio owners and industry professionals, aiming to create a network of support that elevates and champions the standards of wellbeing in the performing arts.