Tara O'Reilly

  • BAppSc (Physio)(Hons I) APAM
  • Physiotherapist in Women's, Men's & Pelvic Health
  • Childbirth Educator
  • Prof Cert Conservative Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse (University of South Australia)

Tara has over 20 years’ experience as a physiotherapist with a special interest in Women's, Men's & Pelvic Health and Paediatrics.  Before establishing Physiotherapy Downunder in 2012, she worked for many years as a physiotherapist in Women's Health and Continence within the public hospital system.  During this time she gained extensive experience in working with new mothers and babies on the maternity ward, pregnant and postpartum women with musculoskeletal issues and continence and pelvic floor issues in women.  She continued to enjoy treating babies with musculoskeletal issues during these years, and took on an extra part time role as an orthopaedic paediatric physiotherapist in a major paediatric hospital to further her experience and skills. 

 

She went on to spend several years working in a community health continence clinic, where she was able to branch into treating a broader range of bladder and bowel dysfunction including in men, children, teens, neurological and disability.  During this time she had the opportunity to work with experienced continence nurse specialists who helped her to develop more advanced practice skills including catheter management and continence aid prescription.  

 

Later she began working as an Academic for Western Sydney University, establishing a pelvic floor physiotherapy clinic where she treated men, women and children with complex continence & pelvic floor conditions, whilst teaching medical and allied health students.  She continued to work concurrently as a Senior Physiotherapist in Women's Health & Continence in the public hospital system, gaining a reputation as a passionate and gifted clinical educator and mentor of physiotherapy students and staff.   She had the opportunity to work with several top Urogynaecologists, Urologists, Gynaecologists, Colorectal surgeons and Physiotherapists, which allowed her to gain unique skills and experience including pessary fitting, complex pelvic pain, and vulval dermatological conditions.  She also gained the advanced skills necessary to become one of very few physiotherapists in the country to perform and analyse Urodynamics and Anorectal Physiology testing.  This diverse career pathway has led Tara to develop a unique skill set and a reputation for the diagnosis and treatment of complex pelvic issues in women, men and children.

 

Tara has completed extensive postgraduate training in Women's, Men's & Pelvic Health and Paediatrics, having attended training courses in female urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, male urinary incontinence, pelvic pain disorders, paediatric incontinence, nocturnal enuresis, perineal trauma, bladder urgency, active birth, breastfeeding, pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain, to name a few.

 

In addition to working as a Physiotherapist, Tara has spent many years working as a Childbirth and Parenting Educator, educating expectant parents having their babies in both public and private hospitals.  She is a popular speaker, having presented for many community organisations and national conferences; along with lecturing for the Masters of Physiotherapy and the Masters of Sexual Health programs at the University of Sydney.  She has presented for the Australian Physiotherapy Association in the Women's, Men's & Pelvic Health stream, Geriatrics stream and Undergraduate education stream.

 

Tara has a commitment to ongoing professional development and is an active member of several professional organisations including:

  • Australian Physiotherapy Association - Member of Continence and Women's Health Group, Member of Paediatric Group
  • Continence Foundation of Australia - Member, Allied Health Representative for NSW branch
  • UroGynaecological Society of Australia - Associate Member
  • International UroGynaecological Association - Associate Member
  • Women's Health Training Associates - Member

Tara's patients describe her as a sensitive, easygoing person with a good sense of humour and an ability to put people at ease, even when they are talking about the most intimate of problems.  In her spare time, Tara enjoys travelling, photography, hiking and adventure sports.