Are you a dancer who strives to be the best in Brisbane, or just love a little weekend cha-cha-cha?
Whatever your level, you can take your dancing to new heights and move better than before with The Health Collab’s dedicated dance physiotherapy.
The sport of Dance requires specific movement patterns, joint range of motion and postures, placing unique demands on an athlete’s body. The assessment of readiness for progression (Pre-pointe assessments), screenings for injury prevention, post-surgical rehabilitation or acute injury management requires a practitioner trained in Dance Physiotherapy.
Vanessa Alvaro, our APA Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist, has an in-depth knowledge across a variety of dance styles, from ballet to hip hop and Latin. She has experience conducting Pre-pointe assessments, Tertiary Dance Assessments and dance screenings, as well as prescription of tailored rehabilitation, conditioning and injury prevention programs.
A pre-pointe assessment is a formal objective examination conducted by a Physiotherapist with dance specific training. The purpose is to determine a dancer’s readiness to commence Pointe work.
The pre-pointe assessment takes approximately 1 hour to complete. Students will be provided with a Pre-Pointe Questionnaire, whereby dancers can provide details regarding their dance history, current and previous injuries.
During the physical examination Vanessa will utilise a structured assessment form to test dancers across a range of areas, including:
You will receive detailed feedback regarding movement quality, endurance and proficiency. The completed assessment form will be provided to your dance teacher along with recommendations regarding readiness for Pointe and/or specific areas to improve in. Vanessa is passionate about guiding you through your journey to recovery and performance, or helping you to take your dance to the next level! If your dance teacher has recommended a Pre-Pointe assessment, you require a Tertiary Dance Assessment or for a general Dance Screening, please get in touch.
Vanessa is a Titled APA Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist, and completed her Bachelor of Physiotherapy degree at the University of South Australia in 2012, before going on to study a Masters of Sports Physiotherapy through LaTrobe University, graduating in 2021. She was also a member of the SA committee for the Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy group, in conjunction with the Australian Physiotherapy Association, for 3 years.
Vanessa joins the team at The Health Collab after working in large sports medicine practices in Darwin and Sydney, where she practiced in close conjunction with Sports Physicians and Orthopaedic Surgeons. She will also be starting a new part-time role in 2023 providing Physiotherapy services within the QAS Swimming program.
An eager athlete herself, Vanessa has personal experience across a range of sporting disciplines including dance, running, swimming, triathlons, tennis, basketball, volleyball and martial arts. She is a competitive road runner, recently competing in the Sunshine Coast half marathon, but also enjoys trail running.
She has worked across a number of sporting codes including rowing, gymnastics, rugby union, netball and swimming. Most recently she was involved with the Queensland Cricket Women’s pathway state representative teams and the ITF Tennis series. She is also contracted by Rowing Australia to assist with their Underage pathways teams and has provided coverage at a number of large multi-sport events including the World University Games, Alice Springs Masters games and Arafura Games. Additionally, she has travelled internationally with the Australian Blind Cricket Team and Australian Men’s Netball Squads.
With a solid record in private practices, Vanessa loves assisting people of all ages and levels return to their sporting and recreational pursuits. She is passionate about working with clients to achieve their goals, through education, self-management, manual therapy, exercise prescription and training modifications. Vanessa is highly skilled in completing a thorough assessment to determine the most appropriate evidence-based management plan, ranging from acute injuries and post-operatively to persistent injuries or longer-term rehabilitation.
She has the skills and knowledge to guide you through each stage of this process.
Brisbane's best sport physiotherapy clinic.
