The Compassionate Physio
Amsterdam-based physiotherapist and exercise rehab coach with a background and specialisation in dance.
About
I’m a physiotherapist from Dublin, Ireland. My own experience with injury and recovery sparked my career in physiotherapy, along with my passion for exercise rehabilitation, strength & conditioning, and sports science.
I moved to Amsterdam in 2018 to complete my BSc in Physiotherapy, followed by an MSc in Dance Science in London in 2024. During my studies I completed a strength and conditioning placement at the Royal Ballet School and was a health volunteer with English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s programme.
Since returning to the Netherlands, I joined the artistic healthcare team, as a physiotherapist, at the Dutch National Ballet. I am dedicated to optimising health and performance, managing injury, and supporting career longevity and quality of life beyond it. Alongside this, I work at two private practices in Amsterdam — The Physio Boutique and Movement Clinic Merlijn — treating a broad range of clients, from dancers and runners to the general population.
My approach is patient-centred and collaborative. I individualise treatment to your unique needs and goals, building long-term strategies that put you at the centre of your own recovery and performance. Whether you’re returning from injury, managing niggles, or looking to optimise movement, I’ll work with you to build sustainable, lasting solutions.
Services
Pilates-Based Exercise Rehabilitation
Pilates-informed rehabilitation combines physiotherapy with targeted movement retraining to restore strength, control, and confidence after injury.
Each programme is individually designed following an assessment of movement patterns and load tolerance. Sessions focus on:
- Core and lumbopelvic stability
- Postural alignment and movement efficiency
- Progressive strength and conditioning
- Injury mitigation and return-to-activity planning
Using both mat and Pilates props, rehabilitation is structured and progressive, bridging the gap between early-stage recovery and full return to sport, work, or daily activity. This approach is particularly effective for pain, hypermobility, recurrent injuries, and post-surgical rehabilitation.
Dance Physiotherapy & Performance Support
Dance places unique and complex demands on the body. This service is tailored specifically to dancers across all styles.
Assessment and treatment consider the technical requirements of dance, including turnout, pointe work, extensions, jumps, floor work and repetitive load patterns. Management may include:
- Dance-specific injury rehabilitation
- Pointe readiness and return-to-dance planning
- Hypermobility management
- Strength and conditioning for performance
- Screening
The aim is not only to resolve pain, but to optimise efficiency, resilience, and performance quality, supporting dancers to train and perform safely at their highest level.
Locations
Location 1
Location 2
Location 3
Assessment and treatment consider the technical requirements of dance, including turnout, pointe work, extensions, jumps, floor work and repetitive load patterns. Management may include:
- Dance-specific injury rehabilitation
- Pointe readiness and return-to-dance planning
- Hypermobility management
- Strength and conditioning for performance
- Screening
The aim is not only to resolve pain, but to optimise efficiency, resilience, and performance quality, supporting dancers to train and perform safely at their highest level.