We have a purpose-built clinic in Writtle, Chelmsford, from which we provide physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation and massage treatments to help you recover as quickly as possible. Our Clinical Director was the first fully qualified Physiotherapist and APPI Pilates Instructor in Chelmsford. Ellie is a back care specialist and has state- of-the-art Pilates equipment that she can use to provide expertly tailored spinal rehabilitation.
Eleanor (Ellie) Searle
MSc BSc(Hons) MCSP MHCPC MAACP MAPPI Injection Therapist
Ellie earned her BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy 20 years ago, graduating from the University of East Anglia with a First. She completed her Masters in Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy Practice 11 years ago and gained a Distinction. Ellie has also completed numerous post graduate courses including Pilates teaching, Acupuncture for Physiotherapists, manipulation, exercise rehabilitation, joint specific assessment and treatment, taping, imaging and blood test interpretation and injection therapy. She was the first fully qualified Physiotherapist and APPI Pilates Teacher in Chelmsford.
She started her career at The Royal Free followed by Broomfield Hospital. She has worked for the NELFT NHS Trust Spinal and Musculoskeletal Assessment Service for 18 years and has been an Extended Scope Physiotherapy Practitioner for 12 years. Her NHS role is one of a Clinical Specialist with additional skills outside of the traditional scope of Physiotherapy. She works within this highly specialist service, triaging those with complex musculoskeletal problems. In this role, she screens for non-musculoskeletal and specific musculoskeletal pathology and refers for MRI, US, X-rays and blood tests where needed. She is the Havering Spinal Pathway Lead and part of the spinal multidisciplinary team. She enjoys this interesting work, being part of a specialist team and ensuring that patients receive accurate diagnosis and the most appropriate care for their problem.
At Stretch Physio, Ellie loves seeing her patients through their entire treatment journey from assessment to treatment, resolution/ self-management and discharge. She will work with you to ensure that your physiotherapy treatment rehabilitates you to meet the demands of your life. Her treatment will help you to develop the range of motion, strength, correct movement patterns, fitness and coping skills that you need to ensure a successful return to function, work and sport, ultimately, easing you back into what you love to do in a sustainable way. Ellie has a relaxed, attentive and kind manner. Her assessment will leave no stone unturned and will ensure that she truly understands you and your needs. She will make sure that you completely understand your diagnosis, treatment options, how she can help you and how you can help yourself. She will gently push you at an appropriate level to achieve your goals. She will ensure that you have a self-management plan to prevent recurrence and help you to feel in control of your pain.
Ellie is also a Partner in Hummingbird Pilates and Yoga, which provides somewhere for you to stay fit and healthy, once you have recovered, should you wish to continue with Pilates or yoga. Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga provides small group classes, taught by expert teachers, overseen by Ellie so you can be sure that you are in safe hands and can confidently exercise without fear, helping you to stay fit and strong.
Ellie is passionate about encouraging people to be active, fit and maintain a healthy weight. She has written for numerous magazines providing health and lifestyle advice, encouraging people to look after themselves, rather than just treating their problems when ill health or injury occurs.
Committed to professional development, Ellie participates in research aimed at evolving the treatment of lumbar spine pain, influencing future physiotherapy training.
Ellie looks forward to welcoming you with a warm smile for an expert assessment, providing you with evidence-based care and her common sense, professional approach. She hopes to work with you to achieve a speedy recovery and long-term solution.
Erica Foulds
Massage Therapist and
Pilates Instructor
Erica has been in the health and wellbeing industry for over two decades. She has worked in all aspects of fitness from sports specific training to fitness rehab liaison with Nuffield Health. Continuing her professional journey, she moved on to work with a large private Physiotherapy and Pilates practice in London. Her role involved post surgical, post injury and ante and post natal rehabilitation. She also helped to prevent injuries by designing specialist prehab programmes for recreational and elite athletes. She has also worked as a tutor for a major Pilates reformer academy. She completed her Sports Injury Therapy certification at the prestigious London School of Osteopathy, moving further into hands-on-management of musculoskeletal injuries and pain.
At both Stretch Physio and Hummingbird Pilates and Yoga she works closely with the Clinical Lead, Ellie Searle, to help patients to recover from injury or pain. She supplements her massage therapy treatments with advice and exercises. She runs all small group mathwork Pilates classes at Hummingbird Pilates and Yoga.
Enquiries go directly through info@stretchphysio.co.uk and will be passed on directly to Erica.
