Nicola Powell

Physiotherapist
Sports Rehabilitator
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Treatments offered:
Physiotherapy
Sports Rehabilitation
Cognitive Functional Therapy
Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation

Nicola Powell

Nicola graduated from Teeside University in 2002 and obtained registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. She started her career working for the NHS at Maidstone Hospital and then later Sevenoaks Hospital. During this time, she gained valuable experience with a wide range of ages and conditions.

Nicola found early on in her career that she was particularly interested in spinal conditions. She completed the Certificate in Spinal Manual Therapy and progressed to complete the Certificate in Manual Orthopaedic Therapy at Curtin University, Perth, Australia in 2005. Since then she has completed annual spinal courses in order to keep up to date with the latest research, evidence and treatment techniques.

Having gained these additional qualifications she obtained promotion within the Ministry of Defence. She then spent two years working as the sole Physiotherapist within an Army Regiment. This continued to build on her knowledge and experience of sports injuries, back injuries and other musculoskeletal conditions.

Nicola started working at The Tonbridge Clinic in 2007. She has a special interest in persistent back pain disorders, chronic back pain management, sports injuries and returning people to health and physical activity. She works closely and holistically with patients to meet their individual needs and goals.

Cognitive Functional Therapy

Over the last 14 years Nicola has developed a specialist interest in Cognitive Functional Therapy.

“Cognitive functional therapy was developed as a flexible integrated behavioral approach for individualizing the management of disabling Lower Back Pain. This approach has evolved from an integration of foundational behavioral psychology and neuroscience within physical therapist practice. It is underpinned by a multidimensional clinical reasoning framework in order to identify the modifiable and nonmodifiable factors associated with an individual's disabling LBP.
Peter B O’Sullivan, J P Caneiro, Mary O’Keeffe, Anne Smith, Wim Dankaerts, Kjartan Fersum, Kieran O’Sullivan, Cognitive Functional Therapy: An Integrated Behavioral Approach for the Targeted Management of Disabling Low Back Pain, Physical Therapy, Volume 98, Issue 5, May 2018, Pages 408–423, https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzy022

There is significant research and continuing research to evidence the effectiveness of Cognitive Functional Therapy compared with other forms of physiotherapy, pain management and psychology in helping patients with disabling pain manage their symptoms and improve their life. Nicola often successfully uses this approach after patients have undergone many failed treatments elsewhere, including surgery and has successfully helped many people return to a normal life where pain is not preventing them from doing the things they love.

Sports Rehabilitation

Following three years experience in the NHS working with musculoskeletal conditions, Nicola sought promotion in the Ministry of Defence. She then spent two years working as the sole Physiotherapist within an Army Regiment. This continued to build on her knowledge and experience of sports injuries, back injuries and other musculoskeletal conditions.

Since 2007 Nicola has worked at The Tonbridge Clinic. She has expertise in the complete management of musculoskeletal and sports injuries, from early treatment through to full exercise rehabilitation. She is additionally skilled in sports injury prevention through the use of musculoskeletal screening.

Nicola has a special interest in back related sporting disorders and has completed several courses on “the sporting back”.

Nicola also treats many golfers and has completed a course on ‘Fitness for Golf’. She is able to analyse the biomechanics of the individual’s golf swing to enable her to address any muscular weaknesses and imbalances. She can analyse the balance, rhythm and control of the swing, advising on how to prevent injury. She is able to comprehensively analyse the patient’s individual fitness needs to improve on the strength, power and flexibility required for the optimum fitness for the game of golf.

Personally Nicola competed ponies and horses at National level from the age of five into early adulthood. She has an excellent understanding of the fitness and skill of riding and produced show ponies and three young riders for competition in her early career. Now she keeps fit in the gym, playing tennis, and attending spin classes.

Nicola is recognised by all the major health insurance companies.

Nicola Powell

Testimonials

“Nicola treated me after a hip replacement. At the time I was struggling to move on from crutches. After the session I was confident to move without them, and felt I had turned a major corner. Nicola is a confident, clear, positive motivator.”

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CF
(
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“I’ve made quite a few notes from our appointment and then even managed to walk around the lake (0.85m), something I wouldn’t have dared tackle yesterday. It helped to have such holistic therapy. Thank you.”

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JS
(
)

“Nicola is a fantastic physio. She is friendly, professional and went the ‘extra mile’ to help me understand the causes of my injury and what I could do to alleviate the pain. Her expertise, care, and determination enabled me to get back on track. I would without hesitation recommend Nicola and the Tonbridge Clinic.”

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JD
(
)

Treatments

Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability.

Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice.

Physiotherapy is a science-based profession and takes a ‘whole person’ approach to health and wellbeing, which includes the patient’s general lifestyle.

At the core is the patient’s involvement in their own care, through education, awareness, empowerment and participation in their treatment.
You can benefit from physiotherapy at any time in your life. Physiotherapy helps with back pain or sudden injury, managing long-term problems, and preparation for a sporting event.

Physiotherapy is a degree-based healthcare profession. Physiotherapists use their knowledge and skills to improve a range of conditions associated with different systems of the body, such as neuro-musculoskeletal (back pain, whiplash associated disorder, sports injuries, arthritis) or neurological (stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s).

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“Cognitive functional therapy was developed as a flexible integrated behavioral approach for individualizing the management of disabling Lower Back Pain. This approach has evolved from an integration of foundational behavioral psychology and neuroscience within physical therapist practice. It is underpinned by a multidimensional clinical reasoning framework in order to identify the modifiable and nonmodifiable factors associated with an individual's disabling LBP."
Peter B O’Sullivan, J P Caneiro, Mary O’Keeffe, Anne Smith, Wim Dankaerts, Kjartan Fersum, Kieran O’Sullivan, Cognitive Functional Therapy: An Integrated Behavioral Approach for the Targeted Management of Disabling Low Back Pain, Physical Therapy, Volume 98, Issue 5, May 2018, Pages 408–423, https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzy022

There is significant research and continuing research to evidence the effectiveness of Cognitive Functional Therapy compared with other forms of physiotherapy, pain management and psychology in helping patients with disabling pain manage their symptoms and improve their life. Our practitioners often successfully use this approach after patients have undergone many failed treatments elsewhere, including surgery and successfully help many people return to a normal life where pain is not preventing them from doing the things they love.

Read more

Once you have had a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis from an Osteopath or Physiotherapist a thorough individualised rehabilitation program will be created. This may be led and monitored by the Physiotherapist, Osteopath or Torie, our exercise specialist. You will be guided by your practitioner and your program will build to help you achieve your individual goals, whether that’s hitting a golf ball, running around a football pitch, climbing a mountain or lifting your shopping in from the car!

Your exercises will be tailored to help reduce your pain and improve your function.  Your home exercise plan will enable you to practice before your next session in order to progress.

Please ask your practitioner or reception about the Rehab Plan.

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Other team members

Dr Martin Jones
Medical Acupuncturist
Kate Beynon
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Physiotherapist
Aishling Burke
Physiotherapist
Lucy Sonson
Osteopath