Áine earned her sports massage diploma in 2021 while completing her Physiotherapy degree at Ulster University. Since graduating, she has been working in Northern Ireland, offering massage and pitch-side physiotherapy support to several sports teams alongside her full-time role in the NHS. These hands-on experiences have helped her develop a gentle but effective approach to easing muscular tension, supporting sports-related concerns, and helping people move more comfortably in their day-to-day lives. Sport has always been a big part of Áine’s life. She has competed in camogie, gaelic football, and athletics at a national level, and—like many athletes—has had her fair share of injuries along the way. This personal experience, combined with her clinical training, gives her a genuine understanding of how the body feels under pressure, how injuries develop, and what truly supports a warm, steady recovery.
Get To Know Áine
Nationality:
Irish
Qualified From:
Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage 2021.
BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy from Ulster University 2020 – 2023 >First Class Honours >Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Award: Best Overall Student, Class of 2023 >Dean’s Honours List (2021, 2022 & 2023)
Past Employment:
Sports Massage Therapist & Pitch-Side Physiotherapy Cover – Multiple high-level amateur sports teams, Ireland > Provided sports massage and pitch-side physiotherapy support across several teams competing at the highest levels of amateur sport in Ireland. > Delivered acute injury management, return-to-play decisions, and ongoing performance-focused care.
MSK Physiotherapist – Private Physiotherapy and Pilates Practice, Belfast > Delivered comprehensive musculoskeletal assessment and treatment to a varied caseload, focusing on injury rehabilitation, pain management, and performance optimisation.
NHS Public Sector Physiotherapist – Various acute and specialist settings including regional fracture wards, regional spinal cord injury unit, intensive care, regional acute amputee unit, musculoskeletal outpatients
What do you think are the best skills that you bring to your job?
One of the strongest skills I bring to this role is the clinical expertise I’ve developed through my physiotherapy background. This allows me to approach massage therapy with a deeper understanding of anatomy, movement, and injury mechanisms, ensuring my treatments are both effective and tailored to each individual’s needs. I’m also a kind, empathetic practitioner who listens closely to clients, helping them feel comfortable, heard, and fully supported.
Above all, I’m passionate about helping people return to the activities and sports they love, and I take real pride in being part of that journey.
Favourite Conditions to Treat:
My favourite condition to treat is lower limb DOMS (that deep muscle ache that you get in your legs a day or two after a long day on the mountain/ a hard workout). I enjoy it because clients often come in feeling tight, heavy, and uncomfortable, and massage can provide almost immediate relief. There’s something really rewarding about helping someone transition from feeling sore and restricted to feeling lighter, looser, and more confident. It’s also a great opportunity to educate clients about recovery, training load and how to prevent future soreness, which helps them stay active and continue doing the sport or exercise they enjoy.
What are you happiest doing when you’re not working?
Playing camogie is the joy of my life! Camogie is a native Irish sport, played with a wooden stick and ball. It’s fast, physical and has given me lifelong friendships 🙂
What would be your personal motto?
“Maireann croí éadroim i bhfad”, an old Irish proverb that translates to “a light heart lives long.”
Who is someone you admire and why?
While I was working in an acute spinal cord injury unit, I had the privilege of working with a physiotherapist called Louise Kelly. She is exceptionally skilled clinically, with a meticulous attention to detail and a deep, well-rounded understanding of her specialty. But what stands out even more is how approachable and welcoming she is. No matter how busy she might be, she immediately puts you at ease with her warmth, her sense of humour, and her ability to make the environment feel positive and supportive. She’s constantly looking for ways to improve the service, whether that’s refining clinical processes, supporting colleagues, or introducing new ideas to make things run more smoothly. Her commitment to high-quality care is genuinely inspiring.
On top of all that, she’s a talented sportswoman and manages to balance her professional responsibilities with raising a young family. Seeing how she handles everything with grace, energy and a smile reminds me of the kind of professional, and person, I aspire to be.
Your most-outstanding achievement:
I finished as the top student of my year group in both secondary school and my BSc Physiotherapy degree.
