Philippa Sawtell, Physiotherapy - Pilates Courtyard Clinic

Meet Philippa

Quailifications

BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, BSc (hons) First Class Physiotherapy, PgDip Advanced Physiotherapy, APPI Pilates Instructor

Specialist Fields

Physiotherapy and Pilates Instructor

Background

 My passion for physiotherapy began at age 7 after falling off a horse, fracturing my elbow and needing physiotherapy. I paid more attention to my grandmother who was also a trained physiotherapist and highly admired by her patients. She knew human anatomy in great detail. You couldn’t catch her out. She would use this skill to problem solve her patients’ difficulties. This inspired me to work hard and gain a place to study physiotherapy.

I first completed a BSc in Biological Sciences and then went on to achieve a first-class physiotherapy degree at the University of Wales College of Medicine. I began as a junior physiotherapist at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton, London. I progressed to a senior physiotherapist at Kingston Hospital. Here I gained 10 years of valuable experience in amputee, neurological and elderly persons rehabilitation, orthopaedics, medicine, surgery, intensive care and musculoskeletal outpatients departments.

My passion is to be the very best physiotherapist that I can be. I want to make a difference to my patients and give my patients the best treatment that they deserve. This led me to complete a postgraduate diploma in advanced neuromusculoskeletal physiotherapy at the University of Hertfordshire, become an acupuncture practitioner and a Pilates instructor. I thrive on learning and continue to enjoy keeping up to date with the latest research.

More recently I have completed and continue to take part in a couple of mentorship programmes. One is run by David O’Sullivan who is the England Rugby Union and League physiotherapist, another is led by Jo Gibson, who is famous in the physiotherapy world and known for her expertise in the assessment and management of shoulder pathology. It’s a wonderful learning opportunity to be able to discuss the more complex patients with these two experts.

I moved to Cheltenham almost 10 years ago to continue working with the NHS in Worcestershire but also working privately. I now work privately here at the Courtyard Clinic and in a small clinic in Cheltenham. This gives me the opportunity to be part of a varied multidisciplinary team of expert practitioners and help patients throughout their course of treatment, from diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation, to continue maintenance with Pilates.

I love being a physiotherapist and I am really proud of my profession