Leigh-Anne is a Senior Exercise Physiologist (AEP) accredited with ESSA (Exercise and Sports Science Australia) with over 10 years of experience. She has a Bachelor of Science degree with a Medical Honours in Biokinetics (that’s Afrikaans for ‘Exercise Physiology’), conferred by the University of Cape Town.
Leigh-Anne is originally from Cape Town, South Africa where she owned and managed a successful Exercise Physiology practice. Leigh-Anne’s clinical expertise includes:
Rehabilitation of Back Injury
Chronic Pain Management
Women’s Health (including antenatal care and postnatal care)
Clinical Pilates (Individual and Groups, Mat work and Reformer)
Leigh-Anne has a keen interest in holistic health and has completed courses in Reiki, Massage, Chinese Medicine and Meditation. In her spare time, Leigh-Anne enjoys playing squash with the Wyong Squash Club, practising Yoga and watching the Springboks win!
Need help with your golf swing?
Leigh-Anne is Coast Sport’s resident golf expert. Book in to have your swing and movement assessed to help with your golf game!
Latest Blogs
Building Strong Bones: Overcoming Fear with Exercise in Preventing Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, often referred to as the “silent disease,” is a condition characterised by weakened bones that are more susceptible to fractures and breaks. It is a significant public health concern, particularly among ageing populations, with fractures leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. While osteoporosis is influenced by various factors including genetics, diet, and […]
Nicola McDermott’s Athletic Performance Journey
High Jumper Nicola McDermott soared to new heights when earning her Silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, in addition to her Silver medal, Nicola reached both a personal and a National record height of 2.02m. This was an unexpected win for Nicola as she had just become the first Australian woman to reach 2.0m […]
How to Train Effectively During the Off Season
Make the most of your off-season icon The off season can go one of two ways. You might train hard, physically and mentally to better yourself for the next year, or you might completely stop all exercise and dig yourself a hole. Here’s out top tips to make the most of your off-season and come […]
I’ve dislocated my finger, what now, and when can I play again?
Following up from my recent blog “Its not just a ‘jarred’ finger” https://coastsport.com.au/its-not-just-a-jarred-finger/, I wanted to discuss when it is appropriate to get back into sports, especially ball sports after a finger dislocation. Getting back as quickly as possible is always the aim, but when is it appropriate to return? A dislocation is when the joint […]
Thoracic Rotation and Why It’s Important!
Do you have difficulty lifting your arms over head? Have trouble moving your neck? Have soreness throwing a ball? Can’t swim as fast as you previously could? All these activities can be affected and limited by a lack of thoracic rotation. We want a mobile thoracic spine, particularly for rotation and in turn, extension. If […]
Guidelines for Exercise during Pregnancy
Exercise is an important aspect of pregnancy and the research and consensus around exercise has changed a lot in the recent years with the benefits of exercise becoming much more apparent. Women with uncomplicated pregnancies should be encouraged to engage in aerobic and strength-conditioning exercise before, during and after pregnancy. Physical activity in pregnancy has […]
Get Your Feet Summer Ready
With the warm weather of summer well and truly upon us, here are a few foot care tips to keep your feet it top condition for the upcoming months. In the summer, many Australians wear thongs and flat sandals however this footwear generally doesn’t have the necessary support for our feet and ankles when worn […]
Warm up for your swim, ALWAYS
With summer fast approaching, Australia’s swimming season is about to get into full swing! Do you complete a warm up prior to getting in the pool or ocean? A prescribed warm up is essential to decrease the likelihood of injury, especially due to the utilisation of large muscle groups when swimming. It allows for increased […]
What is that pain in my shoulder?
Book in with one of our Physiotherapists to learn more about rotator cuff related shoulder pain! Book an appointment online!
Is this the best protein for young athletes?
Book in with Coast Sport Dietitian Jo Allan today by clicking the button below! Book an appointment online!
It’s Getting Hot in Here
If you do succumb to the heat, what should you do? Heat cramps, dizziness and fainting, heat exhaustion and heat stroke can all be caused by dehydration. If any of the above do occur, it is important that the activity is ceased and you move to q cool, quiet place. Increase your fluid intake and […]
The Window of Opportunity – The Off Season
The winter sports season has well and truly passed. Now we have had that time to rest and recover, we need to start looking at offseason conditioning. The offseason is often undervalued and neglected which becomes concerning given its integral role in the athlete’s development. It is near impossible to effectively develop muscle and strength […]
Feeling Fit for Finals?
Winter is almost over which means we are fast approaching finals fever. After enduring a long season this can be the hardest time for an athlete to both manage and limit physical and mental fatigue. Our team at Coast Sport have put forward a few ideas to help you maintain peak performance. Nutrition What we […]
What squat? Breaking down the types of squats
icon Did you know that among all the types of squats out there, some types might be better for you than other types? Everyone is different, meaning one type of squat may work better for you than others. Before we get started, it’s important to note that one type of squat is not better than […]
Overlooked injury prevention tips for dancers
icon Dance is hard both mentally and physically, so it’s important to consider strategies to help prevent injuries. Here our 3 injury prevention tips for dancers that are often overlooked! 1. Get strong! No, we don’t mean you need to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but being strong throughout your full range of movement is essential. […]
Progressive overload
Are you not making progress with your resistance training? icon Training places stress on your body. But what happens when your body adapts to this load? Doing the same resistance training regime every time you head in to the gym will eventually lead to a plateau. As will not increasing the weights you lift over […]
Winter Sport Preparation
icon It’s almost winter sport season, which means it’s time to start preparing for the slopes. Ensure you are ready for your best snow season yet by staying injury free and moving well out on the slopes! Although fractures are by far the most common injury in winter sport (they account for up to 71% […]
What’s the best exercise for type 2 diabetes treatment?
So, we know exercise is a vital part of treatment for Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) but what TYPE of exercise? Exercise can cause genetic, neuromuscular and metabolic changes at a cellular level – that is powerful stuff! BUT these changes occur specifically with a combination of resistance and aerobic exercise. Benefits of aerobic exercise are […]
The importance of sleep for recovery
The importance of sleep for recovery and performance icon Sleep affects the quality of training, due to its impacts on recovery. So, getting enough rest is an essential step in maintaining and improving performance. How does sleep affect recovery and performance? Basically, your body needs time to repair in your rest times between workouts. During […]
Coast Sport supports Central Coast Half Marathon
icon On Sunday 25th November 2018 at Memorial Park, The Entrance, NSW, thousands of running enthusiasts will be lacing up their sneakers in preparation for the popular Central Coast Half Marathon and 10km Fun Run. Leading local allied health provider, Coast Sport, is thrilled to be supporting the event again in their quest to get […]
Coast Sport supporting Relay for Life
icon Coast Sport is proud to be supporting the Mingara Relay For Life once again for 2018. Relay For Life is a fun and moving overnight experience that raises vital funds for the Cancer Council’s research, prevention, information and support services. Relay is a chance for the Central Coast community to recognise and celebrate local […]
Pre-Pointe Assessments
At Coast Sport we are understand the demands of pointe on young dancers. It requires a large amount of strength, mobility and technique. A pre-pointe assessment is a necessary step when looking to go on pointe. It will reduce your risk of injury and ensure you progress to pointe in the safest way possible. A […]
The Benefits of Exercise in the Treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
icon Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the most common endocrine condition in women of a childbearing age and can be the leading cause of infertility where ovulation does not occur. Many of the symptoms of PCOS can be caused due to an increase in testosterone and male hormones circulated in the body, these can prevent ovulation […]
How important is warming up before golf?
How important is a golf warm-up? icon Did you know that by just warming up you can improve your performance? But not just any warm up… We all know the demands that golf expects of the body, the appropriate levels of range of motion and flexibility of the joints and soft tissue are to be […]
How to get hike fit
Top 10 tips for preparing for a long walk or hike icon Whether you are a newbie to hiking and just getting started with local hikes, or preparing for your next big hike (Oxfam, or a mountain in the Himalayas anyone?), you need to be well prepared. Here are our top 10 tips for preparing […]
Local girl following her dream to sporting greatness
Ashley Pernecker to compete in Canada icon Young aspiring Central Coast athlete, Ashley Pernecker has been selected to compete at the 2018 Track & Field Tour – Canada in July. At just 13 years of age, the pocket rocket is already an inspiration to many, juggling school and a heavy training schedule, she is one […]
5 reasons why swimmers should practice Pilates
A swimmer’s training generally focuses on global movements that mostly work superficial muscles. Pilates however focuses on deep stabilising muscles that support and control joints. These include the deep abdominals (transversus abdominis), pelvic floor muscles, deep muscles approximating the spine (multifidus) and deep hip rotators. Without this internal stability system, global muscle groups must work […]
7 Benefits of Clinical Pilates you might not know about
Did you know that Pilates has been around for almost a century? Since its conception, everyday people have been discovering things about their bodies they didn’t know they could do. How did Pilates begin? Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in Monchengladbach Germany in 1883. As a child, Joe had asthma and other ailments. He turned […]
Cancer and Exercise / Physical Activity
Previous studies have shown how physical activity has been associated with lower risk of heart disease but the association with risk of Cancer has not been specifically investigated until recently. The latest study of 1.44 million adults published in JAMA Internal medicine showed that leisure time physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity was associated […]