Rehabilitation at the Atleta clinic

Post-surgical and musculoskeletal rehabilitation in Erina.

The six weeks after surgery are well covered. What happens after that is where most people stall. Atleta picks up exactly there, with a structured clinical exercise program that rebuilds strength, mobility and confidence under supervision.

Rehabilitation

Post-surgical & musculoskeletal rehabilitation

Recovery is the bridge between surgery or injury and the life you want back. Most people get great care for the first six weeks, then get handed a print-out and told to keep moving. Atleta picks up exactly there. Working alongside your surgeon, GP or physiotherapist, Neil designs a 12-week clinical exercise program that systematically rebuilds strength, mobility and confidence, without the guesswork.

Who it's for

  • Knee, hip, shoulder & ankle reconstructions
  • Back pain, sciatica & disc-related conditions
  • Post-mastectomy & cancer recovery
  • ACL, rotator cuff & meniscus repairs
  • Tendinopathies (Achilles, patellar, gluteal, elbow)
  • Anyone stuck between physio and 'normal' training

What's included

  • 60-min initial assessment with movement screening
  • Detailed report shared with your treating team
  • Personalised 12-week program
  • Hands-on technique coaching every session
  • Reviews every 4 weeks with re-testing
  • Email support between sessions

Funded sessions welcome.

Atleta accepts self-funded bookings and private health rebates. No referral is required to get started, and most extras policies cover exercise physiology.

Private Self-funded sessions. No referral required.
Private Health Most extras cover Exercise Physiology sessions. Check your fund.

Visit the Atleta clinic in Erina.

A completely private studio in Erina, purpose-built for clinical exercise physiology. Functional movement equipment, a dedicated consultation space, and no crowds. Easy access from Gosford, Terrigal, Wamberal, Avoca and Kincumber.

Suite 26 166A The Entrance Rd, Erina NSW 2250

On-site parking · 5 mins from Gosford · Free initial phone chat

The gap nobody covers

Discharged, cleared, and completely on your own.

Post-operative care in Australia is genuinely good for the first six weeks. You get a surgeon, a physiotherapist, a rehabilitation protocol and regular review. Then you hit your final appointment, get told the repair has healed well, are handed a printed sheet of exercises, and the supervision stops.

The problem is that tissue healing and functional capacity are not the same thing. A repaired ACL is structurally sound long before the surgical leg can produce the force the other one can. Most people either stop entirely and lose what they gained, or return to the gym at their pre-injury loads and re-injure. Clinical exercise physiology exists to bridge that gap with progressive, measured loading.

How rehabilitation works here

Four things every Atleta rehabilitation program does.

011

Test, do not guess

Your first session is a 60-minute movement screen with objective measures: range of motion, single-leg strength, load tolerance and functional testing relevant to your surgery. Everything after that is measured against those numbers, not against how you feel on the day.

022

Load progressively, on purpose

Strength returns when tissue is loaded slightly beyond what it currently tolerates, consistently, over months. Your program moves in planned increments with defined criteria for progression, rather than adding weight whenever a session feels easy.

033

Coach every repetition

Compensation patterns are the main reason rehabilitation stalls. The uninjured side quietly takes over and the injured side stops adapting. Neil watches and corrects technique in every session, which is the part a printed exercise sheet cannot do.

044

Report back to your team

Your surgeon, GP and physiotherapist receive a written assessment and progress updates. Rehabilitation works better when everyone treating you is reading the same numbers.

A typical 12 weeks

What the next three months actually look like.

Week 1 Assessment

Baseline testing and program build

Sixty-minute assessment covering range of motion, strength asymmetry, load tolerance and functional capacity. Your program is written from those results and shared with your treating team.

Weeks 2 to 4 Foundation

Restore control and tolerance

Low-load, high-quality work rebuilding movement control and the ability to tolerate load without flare-up. Most people notice the difference in day-to-day function before the gym numbers move.

Weeks 5 to 8 Build

Close the strength gap

Progressive loading targeting the measured deficit between sides. Re-testing at week four determines whether loading increases, holds or steps back.

Weeks 9 to 12 Return

Restore the demands of your life

Work becomes specific to what you actually need to do: stairs, lifting, running, your sport, or your job. Re-testing at week twelve determines whether you continue, taper to maintenance, or progress to performance work.

Is clinical rehabilitation the right fit?

This is a good fit if

  • You are past the acute stage and cleared to load
  • You have plateaued after finishing physiotherapy
  • You have a measurable strength difference between sides
  • You want supervision rather than a printed sheet
  • You are returning to a specific sport, job or activity
  • You have had a previous re-injury and want it done properly

This is not the right fit if

  • You are in the first few weeks post-operation and not yet cleared
  • You need hands-on manual therapy or manipulation
  • You need acute pain management or diagnostic imaging
  • You want a general gym program with no clinical oversight
  • You are unable to attend consistently for at least twelve weeks
Frequently Asked

The questions we get asked most.

What is the difference between an exercise physiologist and a physiotherapist for rehabilitation?
Physiotherapists are the right practitioners for the acute stage: diagnosis, hands-on treatment, pain management and early-stage movement. Accredited Exercise Physiologists are university-trained specialists in prescribing exercise as treatment, which is what the later stage of rehabilitation requires. Most Atleta rehabilitation clients see both, and Neil works alongside your physiotherapist rather than replacing them.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly, and no referral is required. If your GP or surgeon has sent through operation notes or imaging, bring them along, because they make the first assessment faster and more useful.
Can I claim a rebate?
Most private health funds with extras cover exercise physiology, though the rebate amount varies by fund and level of cover. Check with your fund before your first session. Sessions can also be self-funded, with no referral or paperwork required.
How soon after surgery can I start?
It depends entirely on the procedure and your surgeon's protocol. Some clients start at six weeks, others at three months. Neil will not begin loading work before your surgeon has cleared it. Call the clinic and we can talk through your timeline.
What if my rehabilitation is for a work injury?
Workers compensation clients are welcome. Reporting, invoicing and liaison with your case manager or rehabilitation consultant are handled directly. See the NDIS and funded services page for detail.
Where is the clinic?
Suite 26, 166A The Entrance Road, Erina NSW 2250, with on-site parking and roughly five minutes from Gosford. Phone and video consultations are available where in-person attendance is not practical.

Book a rehabilitation assessment.

Sixty minutes, objective testing, and a written program you and your treating team can both follow.