Nikki started her journey as a Chartered Physiotherapist at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham in 1992. After completing her Basic rotations and a Senior II rotation, she joined a large private clinic in Cork, Ireland. Wishing to consolidate on the experience gained there, she decided to study full time for a further year in Perth, Western Australia where, in 1996, she completed her Post-Graduate Diploma in Manipulative Therapy and thus specialising in musculoskeletal problems at a very early stage in her career.
Returning to Ireland, she opened her own private practice. During this time that she was also head hunted and subsequently employed by the Irish Rugby Football Union as Physiotherapist for Munster RFC and the Combined Provinces Team (Irish B). As a result of the standard and commitment to her work she was approached by the Irish Sports Council to help them fulfil their screening processes for elite, professional and Olympic athletes of many different disciplines.
An opportunity arose to sell her practice in Ireland enabling her return, to her native North Wales. After a stint in the NHS and working as a Spinal Clinical Specialist at BUPA Murrayfield Hospital, she established a small practice in Upper Bangor. Over the years Nikki has re-invested in the business and has been in the present location at Axis Therapy Ltd. for ten years now.
Axis is the culmination of ten years work and provides quality accommodation for small professional therapy businesses. This has provided an affordable platform enabling the development of several new businesses to the area.
Eager to pay some of her skills forward, Nikki played a significant role, both in an advisory and hands on capacity, in the planning and early formation of RGC. The early team winning Rugby World Magazine’s Team of the year award, largely based on the healthcare vision the team promoted.
As Nikki’s practice and skill developed over the years, she specialised in the treatment of spinal pain, neuro-musculoskeletal problems, and sports injuries. Many of which were chronic, longstanding and complicated. Embracing a bio-psychosocial approach stimulated increasing curiosity at the complexity of chronic problems and subsequent research commenced another journey, and in 2010 Nikki also qualified as a Counsellor.
Nikki now supports her daughter as she is on the 470 Development squad. Supporting this campaign has regrettably meant no time for horses, so beekeeping has now filled a smaller gap.
Nikki provides a bi-lingual service – although she admits she’ll not win the Eisteddfod chair or crown (yet!).
Address: Arfon Physiotherapy, 42 Glanrafon, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 1LH
Tel: 01248 360 999
Email: info@arfonphysio.co.uk