Meet our Team
Brook Physiotherapy was established over 25 years ago by the principal physiotherapist and director Ian Cowell and is now a well renowned spinal and sports injury clinic. Over the years we have assembled a comprehensive team with years of clinical experience in the management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions.
We are committed to providing a high quality service and you can be confident in the knowledge that you will be treated by a physiotherapist with specialised skills enhanced by extensive post-graduate study.
Dr. Ian Cowell
Director
Ian is the principal physiotherapist and director of Brook Physio and has over 30 years of clinical experience. He qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 1989 and in 1993 he travelled to Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, where he completed a Graduate Diploma in Manipulative Therapy and was awarded the 'Brian Edwards' prize for clinical excellence. Curtin University is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for musculoskeletal physiotherapy and Ian completed his Masters in Manipulative Therapy there in 2000; researching the effectiveness of physiotherapy in the treatment of cervical spine related arm pain.
He is a current member of the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists, a group of Chartered Physiotherapists who have reached a recognised standard of excellence in neuromuscular physiotherapy (www.macpweb.org).
He acts as consultant physiotherapist for a number of professional football clubs, where his client group includes premier league and elite internationals.
Ian has a particular interest in persistent low back pain and has recently completed a part-time PhD in physiotherapy at Imperial College London where his research focus was on the training of physiotherapists in 'Cognitive Functional Therapy' (CFT), a person centred, body/mind approach to understanding and managing complex pain disorders. Ian is a recognised CFT educator (for more information on CFT go to www.pain-ed.com) and is involved in on-going research projects in collaboration with the CFT research group.
Ian is also actively involved in under-graduate and post-graduate physiotherapy teaching and has published several research articles on the physiotherapy management of low back pain and presented his work at national and international conferences.
George Michaelides
Associate
Having completed a BSc in Sports Science in 2002, George embarked on a career in physiotherapy and graduated in Physiotherapy from Kings College London in 2005. To develop enhanced diagnostic and management skills in sports injuries, George successfully completed a specialist MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine at Queen Mary’s London in 2007.
Over his last 8 years in practice George has worked in the NHS, football academies and the health and fitness industry. With his specialist knowledge in Sport and Exercise Medicine, George combines his experience and expertise in exercise prescription and physiotherapy intervention to facilitate speedy return to sport and enhanced performance.
George has over 8 years experience working as a specialist Personal Trainer and endeavours to formulate training programs not only to achieve the best recovery but also ensuring that other facets of fitness are not lost. Having a fully equipped gym and studio on site ensures in-depth analysis of running and cycling injuries, and assessment of exercise technique to be fully explored.
George's keen eye for detail has enabled him to consolidate his assessment and treatment skills in the field of musculoskeletal and orthopaedic therapy, and as such is in regular contact with patients referred by GP’s and consultants alike. George has a specialist interest in knee pain and persistent back disorders and has completed further courses in applied ergonomics, spinal manual therapy, acupuncture, cognitive functional therapy and manipulative techniques to enhance his practice and effectiveness.
Emma Smith-Taylor
Practice Manager
Emma is the Brook Physiotherapy practice manager and is happy to help you with any queries you may have regarding the clinic. Emma deals with administrative and general account matters and oversees the marketing and promoting of the practice. For appointments or if you have any problems with insurance claims Emma can guide through any necessary paperwork.
What Our Patients Say
In my role as a fitness manager I have many clients that have asked me about various injuries and whether I could recommend a physiotherapist. I always have no hesitation in sending them to Brook Physio and explain to them how friendly and informative the staff are and how they put them at ease giving them a thorough and comprehensive examination compared with other clinics. After receiving treatment with Brook Physio, all my clients have reiterated one common theme, ‘If only I had gone to Brook Physio sooner! Many thanks Brook Physio.