About Us
Dr Ellie Seckold, Face Physio Owner
Dr Ellie Seckold (Frayne) completed her PhD titled "Motor Control and self regulatory fatigue following facial nerve paralysis" at the University of Sydney. She also graduated from Physiotherapy with first class honours, the university medal and young alumni achievement award. Ellie's research explored the position sense capability (proprioception) of the facial muscles of expression and temporomandibular joint (jaw). She also investigated fatigue in the context of face rehabilitation exercises.
Ellie is passionate about delivering high quality evidence-based physiotherapy. She recognises that every face, head and jaw is unique and rehabilitation in this area is so important for good quality of life.
Ellie also remains involved research in the face and jaw. One of her main goals is working towards making facial physiotherapy more widely accessible for both health care practitioners and patients.
Ellie treats all things facial nerve, face, orofacial pain, jaw problems (TMJ/TMD) and complex headache.
Locations:
Abbotsford, Lindfield, POWH facial nerve clinic, occasionally SCENT Frenchs Forest
*Ellie will be phasing back in from maternity leave in Lindfield and Abbotsford from 8/4/24. Her appointments in the next month may be subject to change as she works out the new routine now with 2 small munchkins at home!
When Ellie isn't at work she enjoys spending time with her husband, girls Indie and baby Vaila and golden retriever Luna. Ellie also enjoys sports of all kinds and has competed for Australia in Tae kwon do until 2016 and holds a 4th Dan Black Belt.
Some Publications:
PhD: Frayne, E., 2016. Motor Control and Self-Regulatory Fatigue Following Facial Nerve Paralysis.
Some other Publications:
Fuzi, J., Spencer, S., Seckold, E., Damiano, S. and Meller, C., 2021. Bell's palsy during pregnancy and the post-partum period: A contemporary management approach. American Journal of Otolaryngology, p.102914.
Frayne, E., Coulson, S., Adams, R., Croxson, G. and Waddington, G., 2016. Proprioceptive ability at the lips and jaw measured using the same psychophysical discrimination task. Experimental brain research, 234(6), pp.1679-1687.
Frayne, E., Coulson, S., Adams, R. and Croxson, G.R., 2015. Self-regulatory fatigue after neurological and musculoskeletal injury: implications for physiotherapy management. Physical Therapy Reviews, 20(1), pp.42-58.
Frayne, E., Coulson, S., Adams, R., Croxson, G. and Waddington, G., 2016. Laterality of proprioception in the orofacial muscles and temporomandibular joint. Neuroscience letters, 635, pp.111-116.
Platform Presentations Conferences:
International Facial nerve Symposium - Boston 2013
International Facial Nerve Symposium - LA 2017
ANZAOP meeting- Sydney 2018, 2022
2016. Fechner Day 2016–Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Meeting of the International Society for Psychophysics. Proceedings of Fechner Day, 32(1).
Memberships:
Australian Physiotherapy Association
Sir Charles Bell Society
Rebecca Brown, Vestibular & Face Physio
Rebecca (Bec) graduated from the University of Sydney with a Masters of Physiotherapy following her Bachelor of Human Movement (exercise science) degree at UTS. Following the completion of her degree Bec has worked in the rehabilitation realm of physiotherapy where she discovered her passion for neurological physio.
Over the past few years Bec has exclusively treated people suffering from dizziness. As a Vestibular Physio, she has assessed and treated Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), Meniere’s, Unilateral vestibular Dysfunction, Bilateral Vestibular Dysfunction, Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness, Mal De Debarquement, Cervicogenic Dizziness and Vestibular Migraines. Bec has a passion for continuing education and staying up to date, thus she is highly trained in this field!
Bec utilises the latest technology to thoroughly assess conditions in order to effectively diagnose and treat a variety of issues. Bec firmly believes in the importance of multi-disciplinary care! Where appropriate, she may liaise with your medical team if further investigation and/or action is required.
Bec has a passion for Pilates both professionally and privately. She is uniquely able to apply these skills for her patients experiencing dizziness, by prescribing Pilates informed, vestibular rehabilitation programs. Bec enjoys working with people who have Parkinson’s disease. Her exercise science and neuro background, perfectly place her to design falls prevention and mobility programs for those at risk.
Bec is also a face physiotherapist with extensive knowledge in treating facial paralysis, jaw disorders and complex facial pain. Bec is a total pro at our combo vestibular/face consult for patients who have experienced Acoustic or vestibular neuroma removals or Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.
Locations:
Abbotsford, Frenchs Forest, POWH facial nerve clinic
Memberships:
Australian Physiotherapy Association
Sir Charles Bell Society
Dr Alex Wirianski, Face (TMJ) & Neck Physio
Dr Alex Wirianski has over 20 years of clinical experience in both the public and private health sectors in metropolitan and rural and remote NSW. His main areas of interest are in musculoskeletal and orthopaedics with particular interest in the management of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ/Jaw) , cervical spine and headache. Alex completed his PhD in 2017 at the jaw Function and Orofacial Pain Research Unit at the Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Sydney. His PhD investigated the effects of specific resistance exercise on jaw movement patterns and the recruitment patterns of the muscles of mastication. In 2009 Alex received an inaugural Prime Minister's Australia Asia Endeavour Award which allowed him to complete part of his PhD studies with research and academic collaborators at Tohoku University, Sendai and Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Over the past ten years Alex has also taught Physiotherapy at The University of Sydney, Australian Catholic University and Singapore Institute of Technology. Along with teaching musculoskeletal physiotherapy and evidence-based practice at an undergraduate level and continuing his research in jaw function Alex has also supervised Bachelor of Physiotherapy Honours students as well as students on clinical placement. Alex has also published several peer reviewed journal articles, presented at numerous local and international conferences and has several successful competitive, peer reviewed research grants.
Alex has also consulted from the Westmead oro-facial pain multidisciplinary clinic.
Locations:
Abbotsford
Publications:
Kilbreath, SL, Gandevia, SC, Wirianski, A And Hewitt, B (1995). Human flexor pollicis longus: Role of peripheral inputs in weight matching. Neuroscience Letters, 201, 203-206.
Peck, CC, Wirianski, A And Murray, GM (2010). Jaw motor plasticity in health and disease. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 13, 455-458.
Kaede, K, Goto, T, Tanaka, Y, Hishikawa, R, Fujino, T, Maeda, N, Murakami, D, Yoneda, H, Wirianski, A, Komine, Y, Hattori, Y (2012). Effects of physiotherapeutic exercise of the jaw on chewing movements in humans. The Journal of Japanese Society of Stomatognathic Function 18(2), 161-166 [In Japanese]. Http://Ci.Nii.Ac.Jp/Naid/10030125935.
Wirianski, A, Deall, S, Whittle, T, Wong, M, Murray, GM, Peck, CC (2014). Isotonic resistance jaw exercise alters jaw muscle coordination during jaw movements. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 41(5), 353-366. Https://Doi.Org/10.1111/Joor.12153.
Minami I, Wirianski, A, Harakawa, R, Wakabayashi, N And Murray, GM. (2018). The 3-axial gyroscope sensor detects the turning point between opening and closing phases of chewing. Clinical and Experimental Dental Research, 4(6), 249-254. Https://Doi.Org/10.1002/Cre2.137
Memberships:
Australian Physiotherapy Association
Australian and New Zealand Academy of Orofacial Pain