• Treating Kapiti for over 30 years
• Diploma in Physiotherapy NZ
• Diploma in Manipulative Therapy
• Postgraduate Diploma Manipulative Therapy

Hello my name is Lesley Unka and when you come in for treatment I will be treating you. With over 30 years experience treating people in Paraparaumu, Waikanae and all of the Kapiti Coast, I believe in fast and effective treatment. For your treatment you can expect an extensive assessment of your discomfort, pain or injury (most problems are multi-factorial in nature). I then use my experience to create individual treatment plans using proven pathways which should deliver significant changes in your condition within 1 – 3 sessions and I can refer you to a correct specialist if Physiotherapy treatment is not appropriate.
Call on (04)29 33126

EARLY YEARS
Lesley’s interest in Physiotherapy as a profession began at High School, she was drawn to the life sciences. This interest led to her achieving distinction in those subjects, becoming the Dux of her school.

UNDERGRADUATE
Her interests in human sciences, wellbeing and health led to Lesley applying and being accepted into Physiotherapy School. Having early on, a clarity of what she wanted to do as a career, she was enthusiastic and enjoyed applying herself to the requisite undergraduate studies to become a Physiotherapist. After 3 years of full-time study and practical work, she was pleasantly surprised to be informed of her graduation as the top student her intake. During her studies she developed a real interest in musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and its possibilities for patient treatment.
POSTGRADUATE
Initially Lesley worked in various Hospitals gaining clinical experience and expertise. She was pleased to work with well-respected and experienced Charge Physiotherapists who mentored and encouraged her in pursuing her interest musculoskeletal injury Physiotherapy as an occupation.
PRIVATE PHYSIOTHERAPY PRACTICE
After Lesley married and while her children were young, keen to keep up with latest research and add to her clinical experience and expertise. It was convenient for her to work part time for a private physiotherapy practice on the Kapiti Coast where she lived. It also gave her time to attend
mentoring sessions with other experienced private practitioners. It was during this period she realised her physiotherapy interests and future lay in treating patients in the setting of a Private Practice located in the community. Lesley opened her Practice in Waikanae where she is located today. Over time as her clinic grew, she found many of her patients were making the 15-minute trip from Paraparaumu to Waikanae, so
opened a clinic In Raumati Beach to cater. She worked half, plus days in each clinic. This was a routine that she maintained even as both her
clinics grew and outstripped her ability to cope with demand. She employed other physiotherapist but only on the basis she maintained personal oversight. She felt It was her reputation patients were relying on and she wanted to be certain, they were diagnosed and treated to her high
standards. Lesley has always been a strong advocate of continuing education, from the more experienced clinicians and experts conducting research. She was motivated to provide the best quality physiotherapy available, for her patients, encouraging her employee’s to enrol and complete post graduate studies for which she also mentored and supervised them.
PRIVATE PRACTICE and POST GRADUATE COURSE TEACHER
During her early days in private practice Lesley was keen to obtain further clinical experience and expertise so completed the part time postgraduate, Diploma in Manipulative Physiotherapy. At the time this was a gold standard of experience and knowledge for those wishing to enter private practice. Lesley felt she had benefited considerably in expertise and experience from completing this course. When she was Invited to become a teacher on the course, her acceptance was made easier with the wholehearted support and encouragement from husband and family. This enabled her to balance her many responsibilities to her satisfaction. During this time, she felt privileged to be able count as teaching colleagues those she considered amongst the best musculoskeletal Physiotherapist in private practice at the time. Including, amongst
several others, Dr Duncan Reid who obtained his doctorate and is Professor of Physiotherapy at AUT University of NZ and Mike Monaghan. Both are still actively involved in the advancement of the profession and teaching in their fields of musculoskeletal expertise. She also mentored and accepted numerous post graduate Physiotherapist who were seeking the clinical experience required to reach the high levels of competence to pass the post graduate courses and gain confidence in private practice.

PRIVATE PRACTICE AND SOLE PRACTITIONER
Lesley found the subsequent 20 years very fulfilling, able to balance quality time with family, treating her patients as a private practitioner, being inspired by researchers and colleagues and postgraduate teaching. However, she found she was increasingly spending energy on the administration load that comes with large practices and employment of other physiotherapists. She felt a strong desire to go back to her primary interests and passion, that is applying her now considerable musculoskeletal skills to the treatment of patients. In the meantime, the Kapiti Coast had become one of the fastest growing districts in NZ. This facilitated her decision to go back to being the only physiotherapist in her clinic. It meant closing her Raumati Beach Clinic and not employing other physiotherapists. After she made the decision to be the only Physiotherapist at her Waikanae Clinic, she was able to refocus her energies back to those things which she enjoyed most about the profession, treating her patients herself. It has turned out to be the right decision as in the intervening 15 years she has continued to derive great personal satisfaction from treating her patients and continuing to be informed and inspired through colleagues updates and new research in musculoskeletal Physiotherapy.
LESLEYS PRIVATE MUSCULOSKELETAL PHSIOTHERAPY PRACTICE TODAY
Lesley very much enjoy being able to offer to her patient’s a distinct point of difference in that all the patients who come to her practice for treatment can be assured she will be the one fully assessing and treating them. That is why her name is on the ‘door’.