As an experienced Chartered Physiotherapist I understand how to protect and treat physical issues and injuries. I am also familiar with the different physical requirements of all sports and the demands placed on the body. I’ll send you a pre-class medical form if you are attending an in person class and a brief questionnaire if attending an online class to give me as much relevant information as you need to make the experience safe, enjoyable and effective for your own individual needs.

I will  teach you so much about your body, using all of the 15+ years of experience as a Chartered Physio, to help you get the most out of your flexibility, stability and finally efficient movement. By default physical issues that may have been holding you back and leading to restrictions or ‘tight muscles’ will change.

In Clonmel, the studio upstairs in Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy Clonmel will have a maximum capacity of 13 people per class, spaced 2 meters apart for personal safety and maximum individual input.

re Covid-19 I provided all the bits and pieces. Post Covid-19 I would like you to bring your own mat to class, 2 small yoga blocks and a yoga strap. You can be lucky and pick these up in LIDL/ALDI/Tesco, or check out https://www.yogamatters.com/ . I have been buying from them for years for the studio and the quality is great. Bring a bottle of water too.

If you are brand new to practice, check out this short video I made explaining what you need for practice. The added bonus is there are 8 beginners level videos for you to try out in the comfort of your own home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gReBHVkGa0&t=4s

YES, absolutely. I got into yoga while injured and unable to run. I, like so many others was experiencing an injury deep into a training season and was stopped in my tracks. It’s a frustrating situation for any athlete. Yoga was recommended to me as ‘something to do while recovering’. That first Yoga class sold it to me and I haven’t looked back. Restrictions were exposed and weak areas were challenged in a safe way. Once the injury healed and my motor control improved I came back to sport stronger than before. All Yoga positions can be specifically modified to protect an injured area to cause it no further harm. As an experienced Chartered Physiotherapist I have the knowledge and expertise to provide medical advice regarding your injury. My experience treating injuries gives you full reassurance that you will work within a safe zone. Email me about the injury prior to joining in and I will modify poses as necessary in the class setting. 

NO. Not at all. I certainly wasn’t when I started and still have tight areas. Following years of running, cycling, desk work you name it I was restricted in all the typical areas hamstrings, back, calves etc. One of the goals of doing Yoga is to increase strength and length in muscles and gain full functional mobility in every joint of your body. We will gradually address any restricted or weak areas with a graded program of Yoga poses. I have yet to meet someone with perfect mobility, stability, motor control and biomechanical efficiency.  I use straps and blocks to modify each pose for the individual. During the poses, you work with the breath to work into your restrictions. I will teach you how to do this and will always describe exactly what you should feel and not feel as you do each pose to get the best effect for your body.

YES. Definitely. Yoga is all about alignment and breathing. Two key elements to address postural issues. Almost everyone with back pain who attends my clinic needs a few tips regarding their posture to offload the painful area. At the centre of every Yoga pose is a neutral spine, a strong active core and biomechanical alignment. Everyone’s spine has a series of S shaped curves when looking at it from the side profile. The spine curves in at the neck, out around the ribs and gently in again at the lower back. Lifestyle tasks such as sitting at a desk, cycling, golfing can have an effect on our posture. If we do too much of one particular thing our backs adapt to this position placing stresses on our spine and muscles nearby. These changes can be taking place for many years before our body will alert us with a signal from the area to our brain.. pain. Often mild pain can be nothing to worry about, but persistent pain can become debilitating and often a change in posture can make the world of difference.  I will notice everyone’s posture at the start of the class using my Physiotherapy skills and ensure that all of your poses will address your postural issues if necessary. If you feel you have had longstanding pain related to your back perhaps speak to me about a one on one assessment to get an accurate diagnosis of your issue and we can integrate your own bespoke rehabilitation exercises into your class. 

I was fortunate to have worked in an outstanding orthopaedic hospital with many of Ireland’s top surgeons in the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry, Dublin. While here I treated 100s of Irish patients who had hip and knee surgery. As a Chartered Physiotherapist I am familiar with all post-operative protocols and would ensure that safety is paramount regarding your care. I have specialised experience in designing and delivering post-operative exercise classes. In general I would recommend a patient following surgery to attend a Chartered Physiotherapist within one week of their discharge from hospital for continued physiotherapy treatment and progression of your individual rehabilitation program. After a specific period of time following surgery you would be very welcome to attend a suitable Yoga class (usually 6 weeks following knee replacement and 12 weeks following hip replacement). All poses will be modified to suit individual requirements. 

Cross training is highly recommended by all coaches and sports medicine experts. Cross training can be anything that challenges your body in a different way to your main sport. For example, if you play GAA cross training for you should be non-impact (eg cycling) giving your joints and muscles a chance to recover in between hard training sessions. Yoga is an ideal mobility and core work out. It also gives you the chance to stop – mentally and take a breather from the intensities of training while doing your body some good. My background as a physiotherapist gives me the advantage of knowing what stresses and strains the body is under during a particular sport. For example, if you are a cyclist you’re likely to require glut and hamstring strengthening exercises and back mobility exercises. Orla’s Yoga is the perfect form of strength and conditioning to address your problem areas. Depending on your activity level different classes will suit different people, chat to me about what level of class you would benefit most from. 

I spent many  years working in the Sports Surgery Clinic with Chartered Physiotherapists who taught Pilates and this is a question we thrashed out a number of times.

Key differences we came up with:

• Yoga has more standing and balance poses, the effects of which carry over very effectively to most sports and everyday life.
• Yoga poses will move all  of your joints through full range. Mobility of each joint is one of the cornerstones of movement.  Pilates focuses on core, central strength. 
• Traditionally, yoga incorporates a very holistic mind/body/spirit approach. Mental well-being is integral to yoga. Concentration and focus is required during classes which can be carried over to everyday life.

Goals of both Pilates and Yoga include injury prevention, control of breathing, core strength. I honestly think the trick is, to find a class, that suits your lifestyle and a class you enjoy going to! Both will help. Personally, any classes I’ve participated in, I realised it wasn’t specifically what we were doing in class that I loved the most, it was the way I felt during and after class that mattered.