5 MINUTES WITH INTERVIEW 5 MINUTES WITH SONYA MOORE 5 MINUTES WITH… SONYA MOORE, PHYSIOTHERAPIST AT ALPHINGTON SPORTS MEDICINE CLINIC & SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAM COORDINATOR, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE My Doctorate involved projects What is your favourite aspect evaluating water immersion athlete ofyour job? recovery, wavelet analysis of EMG (which differentiates high and low The juggle and variety in my day that frequency motor unit recruitment), comes from working with different critical review of the International people and athletes. I love talking to Federation of Sports Physical people – hearing their stories and Therapy Competencies and supporting their continued story. Standards, and application of It is wonderful to see all athletes, evidence to clinical practice and but particularly young athletes, education. succeed in achieving their goals. Having supported their journey – I currently work in clinical private to watch them win that race, get practice at Alphington Sports that PB, get back on the track – Medicine Clinic and postgraduate those are my favourite moments. sports medicine education at the University of Melbourne. I’m looking What has been the highlight forward to being the Team of your career? Physiotherapist for Guyana at the m 2018 Commonwealth Games on There are a few – working at the Tell me a little about your sports the Gold Coast. Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, medicine background. Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth What does a typical day Games and soon to be Gold Coast I’m a physiotherapist involved in sportfor you consist of? 2018 Commonwealth Games. and exercise at all levels – including Having the opportunity to lead the high performance, recreational and This really depends on which day of development of two new programs foundational skills. For many years my the week we’re talking about! The in sports medicine and physiotherapy “clinic” has been pitch-side, poolside, “professional me” is committed to – Masters in Sports Physiotherapy at courtside or beachside – in jobs with sports medicine education and the the University of Bath and the Sports professional and travelling athletes in clients and athletes I support. I also Medicine program at the University sports including netball, basketball, have four young children and a of Melbourne. It has been a privilege tennis, beach volleyball and swimming. wonderful husband – so my day to be part of two program teams I’ve also worked at various world begins and ends with them. seeking to extend education and championships and major games. This Somewhere I squeeze in some practice for the benefit of us as means my “office” is as portable as my exercise – this could be a cycle professionals, and athletes as users kit bag, and in various places around commute, jog with a pram or tuning of our service. Successfully defending the world I have studied, developed out in our small home gym. This is my Doctorate thesis via video and taught online postgraduate my down time, thinking time and fun conference from Australia to the UK education alongside my practice. time. I like being organised (maybe – given the time difference, I became I am very lucky to have realised my even over-organised), but my Dr Sonya at about 10pm local time “dream job(s)”, which have also come favourite days are those when my after putting my children to bed, and with great responsibility to provide best laid plans are foiled by some realised I still had bare feet (below my best-practice healthcare in exciting turn of events – no two carefully selected outfit). challenging and unique scenarios. days are ever the same. 4 VOLUME 36 • APRIL ISSUE 2018