CBD Physio is a physiotherapy clinic in Wellington's CBD, known for its relaxed, friendly environment and 30-minute appointment times. The clinic is home to ACC registered manipulative physiotherapists and provides physiotherapy services for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, alongside treating everyday sports, work and leisure injuries.
No referral is required to book an appointment, and the clinic offers modern, spacious and private treatment rooms alongside an onsite gym for demonstrating and progressing rehabilitation exercises. The team's approach centres on identifying the underlying cause of an injury and working with each patient to solve the problem, rather than just treating symptoms.
CBD Physio's team includes specialists in specific areas: Jackie has trained under Dr. Jeremy Lewis's Shoulder Symptom Modification Procedure (SSMP) approach to shoulder treatment, Kim Crawford is the clinic's ballet expert having graduated from the NZ School of Dance before completing her physiotherapy degree, and Jane Scoular is the resident Japanese and Toyohari acupuncture specialist. The clinic also applies Dr. Jill Cook's evidence-based protocol for tendon rehabilitation, reflecting a broader commitment to staying current with physiotherapy research.
CBD Physio has built its reputation in Wellington's CBD around a relaxed, friendly environment and a straightforward promise: 30-minute appointment times, no referral required, and a genuine focus on finding the cause of an injury rather than just treating symptoms. The clinic is home to ACC registered manipulative physiotherapists and operates from modern, spacious and private treatment rooms.
One of CBD Physio's standout credentials is its work with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, providing physiotherapy services to professional dancers. This expertise extends to dancers of all ages and abilities who walk through the clinic's doors. Kim Crawford, the clinic's resident ballet expert, graduated from the NZ School of Dance before completing her physiotherapy degrees, giving her a rare dual perspective on dance and rehabilitation. The clinic also offers Pre-Pointe Assessments for dancers preparing to begin pointe work, evaluating physical capacity and providing pointe-specific exercise programmes to help minimise injury risk, alongside Dance Wellness Assessments that screen for areas like turnout, core control, jumping and balance.
CBD Physio's team draws on internationally recognised treatment methods for specific conditions. For shoulder pain, the clinic uses the Shoulder Symptom Modification Procedure developed by Dr. Jeremy Lewis, combining physiotherapist-led exercises with manual therapy and soft tissue techniques to find immediate symptom relief. Jackie, the clinic's resident shoulder expert, attended a series of Dr. Lewis's courses in London to build this expertise. For tendon injuries, the clinic follows Dr. Jill Cook's evidence-based, four-stage protocol focused on modifying load — an approach that has significantly changed how tendon injuries, particularly in the lower limb, are treated over the past two decades.
Beyond these specialist areas, CBD Physio treats sports injuries across the spectrum from recreational to competitive athletes, work-related injuries, leisure injuries, and post-surgical rehabilitation following procedures like ACL reconstructions, shoulder surgery, internally fixed fractures and hip replacements. The clinic also treats musicians' injuries, back and neck pain, headaches, and vestibular symptoms including dizziness, balance problems and BPPV. Pregnancy-related back pain and postural changes are treated too, alongside general muscular and tendon injuries and peripheral joint problems affecting shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees and feet.
CBD Physio integrates several forms of needling into its physiotherapy treatments. Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture works with the body's energy, or Qi, to relieve pain and swelling, while Dry Needling targets specific muscular trigger points using a more conventional Western approach. Japanese acupuncture uses lighter needling and moxa techniques based on the principle of maximum benefit with minimum intervention, while Toyohari — a refined form of Japanese meridian therapy — uses delicate, often non-inserted techniques with a strong emphasis on pulse diagnosis. Jane Scoular is the clinic's resident specialist in Japanese and Toyohari acupuncture.
CBD Physio's onsite gym gives physiotherapists a dedicated space for demonstrating rehabilitation exercises, equipped with a Pilates reformer, dual pulley system, stationary bike, free weights, Swiss and medicine balls, mats and balance equipment — supporting personalised programmes to get patients moving again.
CBD Physio is located at Level 5, 139 Featherston Street, in Wellington's CBD. The clinic is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8am to 5:30pm, and Wednesday from 8am to 3pm.