Ailsa Small

Having competed at a high level in sport from a young age I developed a desire to understand how the human body works – inside and out and decided to study Anatomy for my undergraduate degree. This then led me to study physiotherapy to develop the knowledge and skills to rehabilitate the body when it is not working as we would like it to. I believe a key part of rehabilitation is ensuring individuals understand their condition and the rationale behind their rehab plan, empowering them to take an active role in their recovery. Whether it is an acute sporting injury or a condition affecting daily tasks, I aim to support individuals in achieving their goals and maintaining lasting physical well-being.

Expertise

With experience in sports and the NHS setting, managing chronic injuries or post-operative care Ailsa’s treatment approach focus on thorough clinical assessment and discussion of individual goals. With the aim to create realistic rehab plans to facilitate individuals back to sports or better health. Ailsa juggles her physiotherapy career and playing Scottish premiership hockey. She appreciates the importance of strength-based rehabilitation and injury prevention, focusing on resilience and long-term success rather than just short-term fixes. Ailsa utilises a number of techniques, whether that be manual therapy, load management or strength-based rehab to manage a range of acute and chronic injuries.

Experience

Ailsa has worked as a rotational physiotherapist in the NHS for 4 years and has developed clinical experience across a range of physiotherapy specialties – Neurosurgery, Musculoskeletal, Orthopaedics, Trauma, Stroke, ICU, Elderly Care. Alongside this, Ailsa has worked with Stewarts Melville RFC for 4 seasons, honing her expertise in sports rehabilitation and injury management. Her journey into physiotherapy was supported by work as a sports massage therapist, where she built hands-on skills while completing her studies. This combination of clinical experience and acute sporting injuries has equipped her with a well-rounded, patient centered approach to rehabilitation.

Life outside work

Outside of work, I play Premiership hockey for Watsonians Ladies 1st X and over the last few seasons have enjoyed success in Scotland and Europe.

My favourite thing

Going out for a run or a bike ride with friends or my Dad – ideally in the sun!