Leah Mears Chartered Physiotherapist, Ashburton Physio

Ashburton Physiotherapists

Leah Mears and Jenny Wigram are global in their approach and look at consider all aspects of your life. Work and recreation patterns help us to reach a diagnosis. Once we have sourced the pain or problem, we devise a treatment plan and timescale to achieve your goals. The simpler problems sometimes need only one session to find out what is wrong and put you on the road to recovery.

At Ashburton Physio, Leah Mears and Jenny Wigram give time to listen to you and your story. An accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment through questioning and examination. The examination may involve looking at parts of the body distant from your pain. For example, a knee problem may relate to abnormal foot positioning. Or, foot pain may be a back problem.

Leah Mears and Jenny Wigram are Chartered Physiotherapists and regulated by The Health and Care Professions Council. We are members of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists. We are therapists with a wealth of experience. We update our CPD (Continuous Professional Development) on a regular basis.

We have a proven success record and in the last few years, more than half our patients are returners.

Leah Mears BSc(Hons) MCSP

Leah Mears (nee Skedgell) grew up in the South Hams attending school in Totnes. She graduated from St.Mary's Hospital School of Physiotherapy, London in 1993. She holds one of the first BSc(Hons)Physiotherapy degrees.

Her desire to become a Physio came from her aunt who suffered with Polio during the 1980's. She saw her treatment and rehabilitation and decided that is what she would like to do. Leah completed her junior rotations in Taunton before traveling. She worked in Tasmania in 2006/7. She gained further experience in both musculoskeletal and paediatric physiotherapy in the NHS. She started work in private practice in 2000.

She took ownership of the Ashburton Physio in July 2016, moving the practice to her home. She also works as an Occupational Health Physiotherapist in a boat building factory. There, she treats work-related problems and sports injuries which affect their work.

Leah continues to attend regular courses to improve her knowledge and skills. She is a very 'Hands-on' therapist. In 2010 she completed an MSc module in Injection Therapy. She is also a member of the Acupuncture Association of Physiotherapists. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide an injection service at Ashburton Physio.

Leah Mears attended the 'Discover Physio Series' and 'Thoracic Ring Approach' in 2013. She has followed this up by attending Part 4 of the now named 'Connect Therapy' series. and assisting LJ Lee on her Sports Thorax course in 2015. Leah is now looking at patients in a completely different way. She has incorporated her new skills into her treatment of patients.

She enjoys wandering the streets of her home town, Ashburton, with her Border Collie, Jed. She loves driving, with her lovely husband, Simon, in their classic 1974 Triumph Stag.

Her caseload has increased to include more ballet dancers, runners, and cricket players.

Jenny Wigram MSc MCSP MMACP

Jenny gained her early experience in the 70's and 80's at Odstock Hospital, Salisbury. and then in Malawi, Central Africa. She returned home to work as Superintendent of Chipping Sodbury Physiotherapy. This was a branch of Frenchay Hospital, Bristol. She was one of the first in her profession to gain a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Studies. This was at Southampton University. She achieved membership of the Manipulation Association of Chartered Physiotherapists. This was gained through intensive study and examination in Northern Ireland.

Jenny also underwent training in acupuncture, in Southampton. This was with Drs George Lewith and Julian Kenyon. She also studied in China. She helped set up the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in 1984. She was its first Honorary Secretary.

In 1989 she opened her own practice in Devon. It became Ashe Physiotherapy Ltd in 2003. Leah Mears took over the management of the practice in July 2016 and it is now known as "Ashburton Physio". Jenny worked at South Dartmoor Community College in 1999-2015. She researched and published "Why is low back pain common in adolescents?" and presented the results at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Annual Conference.

Jenny has given tuition to students at SDCC and South West Music School. She served as a Committee member of PhysioFirst for many years. In that capacity, she organised courses for colleagues. In the last two years, she has worked, on a voluntary basis, for the Patient Liaison Group at the BMA, London.

She is an active cellist, her particular interest lies in the arts. Jenny loves to nurture young talent and prevent injuries in musicians. Jenny is on the British Association of Performing Art Medicine (BAPAM) register. She also enjoys swimming, cycling and exercising with Marvin, her Jack Russell.

"Physiotherapy is a science-based profession and takes a 'whole person' approach to health and well-being, which includes the patient's general lifestyle. Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice." (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy)