About Helene
A lifetime dedicated to understanding the ankle – and helping others do the same
In her school years at Piketberg High School Helene was a keen athlete, which aided her choice to study physiotherapy to assist those with sports-related injuries. After graduating at UFS in 1984, she started her working career at Conradie Spinal Unit, and although she loved the work environment, she couldn’t let go of her dream to treat injured athletes.
Helene then went on to study a BSc Med Hons (Sports Science) at UCT, during which she volunteered at the physio practice in the UCT Sports Centre and UCT Sport Injuries Centre which quickly became her home. With so many ankle injuries on the campus, Helene soon realised that her training didn’t equip her well enough for these injuries, and discovered her love for the ankle complex through supplementary reading and communications with overseas experts.
In 1991 Helene became the owner of the Sports Injuries Centre, and used this platform to collaborate with experts of other medical areas, so that they were approached from a multi-disciplinary perspective. During this time Helene was also invited to do talks and lectures on ankle injuries across the world, meeting many colleagues as passionate as she was.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced UCT and the practice to close, Helene shifted her focus entirely to the joint that had always inspired her most – the ankle-foot complex. Her curiosity and commitment to staying at the forefront of research led to international recognition, invitations to speak at global ankle symposiums, and membership with organisations such as SAFSA and ICCRA, where she has contributed to global ankle rehabilitation guidelines.
A new chapter
A new chapter: Sharing expertise at scale
After being diagnosed with leukemia and undergoing a successful bone marrow transplant, Helene chose to reshape her career into a slower but more sustainable way of working – one that protects her energy while expanding her impact. She focuses on teaching, guiding, and empowering other physiotherapists, sharing her expertise far more widely than full-time practice allowed.
Today, she provides:
Specialist guidance to physiotherapists managing complex ankle cases
Online lectures and educational content through Physiopedia
Selective in-person consultations for patients requiring ankle rehab – with the option to see other trusted physios at Helene’s practice
Resources for physios, students, and patients wanting trusted, evidence-based insights
Why the ankle?
“It’s the joint that carries us forward – it’s more complex than we realise and a wonderful feat of engineering… all those small bones carrying our body weight. Every ankle tells a story, and helping people walk again, move again, or return to sport remains deeply rewarding.”
Helene is here today because someone she’d never met chose to register as a bone marrow donor. If you haven’t signed up yet, she invites you to consider it – your generosity could give someone else the same second chance.