Sarah Cruickshank

ANZAVPA Social Media Manager

 


Qualifications

  • MSc with Distinction (Veterinary Physiotherapy) RVC, London

  • BHSc (Physiotherapy), AUT

Memberships

  • New Zealand Board - registered physiotherapist

  • Physiotherapy New Zealand (PNZ) - member

  • New Zealand Animal and Veterinary Physiotherapy Association (NZAVPA) – chair

  • Health and Care Professions Council (HPC) - registered physiotherapist

  • Chartered Society Physiotherapy (CSP) - member

  • Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) – overseas (category A) member 

  • FEI Permitted Therapist

Thesis & Publications

MSc research pilot project and thesis: Structural and functional anatomy of the locomotor system in camels ( Camelus dromedarius). Part I: The thoracic limb Structural and functional anatomy of the locomotor system in camels (Camelus dromedarius). Part III: Thoracic limb moment arms

Published research:

  • Crook, T. C., Cruickshank, S. E., Mcgowan, C. M., Stubbs, N., Wakeling, J. M., Wilson, A. M., & Payne, R. C. (2008). Comparative anatomy and muscle architecture of selected hind limb muscles in the Quarter Horse and Arab. Journal of Anatomy, 212(2), 144–152.

  • Crook, T. C., Cruickshank, S. E., McGowan, C. M., Stubbs, N., Wilson, A. M., Hodson-Tole, E., & Payne, R. C. (2010). A comparison of the moment arms of pelvic limb muscles in horses bred for acceleration (Quarter Horse) and endurance (Arab). Journal of Anatomy, 217(1), 26–37.

Work Info

Sarah is Director and Principal Physiotherapist at Vetphysio Limited and VSA Physio (Veterinary Specialists Aotearoa), Founder and Chairperson of the New Zealand Animal & Veterinary Physiotherapy Association (NZAVPA), FEI Permitted Equine Therapist, and a Clinical Educator for the University of Liverpool Masters of Veterinary Physiotherapy programme

More about Sarah…

Founding member of the NZAVPA in 2007 and current Chairperson, Sarah is the Director of Vetphysio Limited and VSA Physio. Sarah graduated from AUT with a Bachelor of Health Science (Physiotherapy) in 2003 and she was the first New Zealander to qualify as a Vet Physio and graduated top of her class with a Masters of Science (Distinction) from the Royal Veterinary College of London in 2007. Sarah was awarded joint first place and the project prize for her thesis on the musculoskeletal structure and function of the thoracic limb of the racing camel, and has built on her experience in the UK since returning to NZ late 2008.

Sarah founded Vetphysio Limited in early 2009, the first full time Veterinary Physiotherapy business in New Zealand, and this has grown from strength to strength, with a mobile and clinic based equine service covering greater Auckland and the Waikato, and a small animal clinic based from The Strand Veterinarian in Parnell.

In 2016, Sarah set up VSA Physio as part of the VSA Sylvia Park hospital, with outpatient and inpatient physiotherapy, rehabilitation and hydrotherapy services, and this has grown to physiotherapy services at both Sylvia Park and Mount Albert hospitals, with a hospital soon to open in Christchurch.

Sarah is passionate about optimising performance and recovery in elite equine and canine athletes and has attended two Olympic Games (Beijing 2008 & London 2012) as accredited physiotherapist for horse and rider with Vittoria Panizzon (ITA). She has been the official Event Physiotherapist at Blenheim International Horse Trials (UK), and worked with her elite clients (as rider physio and equine physio) not only at the Olympics but also in the UK at Badminton, Burghley, Blenheim, Weston Park, Gatcombe Park, Chepstow Horse Trials, in Australia at the Adelaide International 3 Day Event, and New Zealand at Puhinui, Taupo, National Championships (Eventing, Dressage & Show Jumping) and the Horse of The Year Show annually (2009-2020). Sarah has travelled to Australia multiple times to treat Group 1 winning racehorses such as Silent Achiever during their Australian campaigns, and as Team Physio for the Paw Blacks (NZ Dog Agility Team) competing at the Australian Agility Nationals. Sarah was appointed as the New Zealand Eventing Physiotherapist in 2019 and travelled to the Adelaide 3DE and to Puhinui 3DE to treat both horses and riders.

Sarah has both attended and spoken as guest lecturer at a number of international conferences and is an FEI Permitted Therapist and Clinical Educator for PGDip/MSc level international Veterinary Physiotherapy students.

Eilis McCarthy