WENDY EMBERSON MCSP

Senior Consultant Physiotherapist

Director of Stortford Grange Limited

 

Wendy Emberson qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 1973 following training at the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital, Coventry and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham.

 

She subsequently worked in Ashbourne, Derbyshire where she started as a basic grade physiotherapist and became the Superintendent Physiotherapist in charge of the department having set up a physically handicapped children’s unit and expanded the role of the physiotherapy department in the local hospital.

 

In 1978 she and her husband moved to London where she became the youngest Superintendent Physiotherapist at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and the first to be appointed from outside of the hospital in 25 years.

 

She became an active member of the Association of District and Superintendent Chartered Physiotherapists and instigated the teaching of Orthopaedic Medicine to the physiotherapy staff in the City and Hackney District.

 

Interferential Therapy

 

During her time at St Bartholomew’s Hospital she was involved in the development of the first British Interferential Therapy unit and has continued to work with the research team who produced the unit and who subsequently formed SNS Bioengineering Limited.

 

She has been heavily involved with IFT since then, has lectured across the UK and written a textbook on IFT. She has continued to work with IFT and was involved in 2 undergraduate research projects demonstrating the efficacy of IFT as a bronchodilator.

 

Her work with IFT has led to British, American and South African companies asking for her evaluations of a range of new electrotherapy instruments. She is currently producing the second revision of her textbook as both a CDRom and books for graduate physiotherapists and students.

 

The Independent Sector

 

In 1980, she set up Stortford Grange Physiotherapy Centre in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire where she developed the practice as a Specialist Centre in the treatment of musculo-skeletal conditions and orthopaedic rehabilitation. The Centre has expanded over the last 29 years and has treated nearly 16000 patients. It is now a specialist, multi-disciplinary unit in a purpose built unit and includes digital video gait analysis, podiatry, treatment for sacro-pelvic dynamic disorders and spinal dysfunctions, children’s postural problems, and sports injuries.

Over the last 20 years, she has been a clinical educator for 13 universities and has provided placements for 10 to 14 work experience students from local schools.

 

Research

 

15 years ago, Wendy carried out a research project into Children’s  Postural problems and as a result, has appeared on local and national television and radio.

Together with Diana Brace MCSP, Research Assistant at Stortford Grange, Wendy is currently working on a research project to demonstrate the benefit of acupuncture in dysmenorrhoea.

 

Committees and other professional work

 

Wendy was a founder member and Chair of the Cyriax Foundation; founder member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal therapy and founder member of the Medico-legal Association of Chartered physiotherapists.

She is currently on the Chartered society of Physiotherapy’s list of expert witnesses. She is also a member of the Physiotherapy Pain Association and an Associate member of the Society of Orthopaedic Medicine.

For 27 years Wendy has been an active member of the Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists in Private Practice (PhysioFirst) and was regional Officer, Secretary and lastly Honorary Public Relations Officer for PhysioFirst.

She was physiotherapist for the International Thai Boxing Federation and consultant physiotherapist for the Northern Ballet Company.

She has been a nationally elected member of the Learning and Development Committee of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), a co-opted member of the Communications Group, the Private Practitioner member of the Clinical Interest and Occupational Group together with a variety of short term working parties for the CSP.

In 2008, Wendy was awarded an Honorary Life Membership of PhysioFirst for her services to the Physiotherapy profession.

 

Local Activities

Wendy is currently the Chairman of the Bishops Stortford Business Connections (BSBC) and a Trustee for the Bishops Park Community Centre.