Mariska Odendaal Physiotherapy is a practice that aims to treat the patient, not just the injury. We strive to help our patients to achieve their goals, improve their injuries, regain function and improve quality of life.
An injury should not mean the end of your career or pain forever. Physiotherapy helps to reduce the pain or injury and improve quality of life. This is achieved by working with the patient to set goals, identify possible problems and compose an achievable plan. Life has its up’s and down’s and we believe that these should not cause you to be down and out. Let us help you get back on your feet.
Our practice assists you by submitting directly to the medical aid and we charge medical aid rates, so if you have medical aid savings available, and your plan covers physiotherapy – there will be no co-payments.
We treat the following conditions:
- Back and Neck pain
- Sciatica and Pinched Nerves
- Back injuries involving your discs and facet joints
- Scoliosis
- Sports Injuries
- Joint injuries: Shoulders, Elbows, Knees, Ankles, Wrists etc.
- Muscle or Tendon injuries
- Osteoarthritis and Rheumatic conditions
- Post-Operative treatment and Rehabilitation
- Whiplash
- Headaches/Migraine
- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction/ Jaw Pain
- Vertigo
- General Weakness
- Chest infections/Bronchitis/Pneumonia
- Sinusitis
- Chronic and Acute Pain
- Visceral Dysfunction and associated body pain. Read more here
- Basic Lymphodema Treatment (including Mastitis)
- Pre and Post Partum Conditioning
- And much more. If you are unsure whether we can treat you, please contact us
We use the following treatment techniques:
- Myofascial release
- Massage
- Vertebral and Joint Mobilisation
- Joint Manipulation
- Dry Needling
- Posture and Biomechanical Assessment and Correction
- Kinesio-taping and Strapping
- Electrotherapy: Ultrasound, Interferential therapy, TENS
- Coping strategies with Pain
- Visceral Manipulation
- Education regarding injuries, healing and the human body
- Rehabilitation and strengthening
Meet the team
Mariska went to Hoërskool Linden and then graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2012. In 2013 she completed her Community service year at Helen Joseph hospital, thereafter she moved to Pretoria to work in private hospitals there. She worked with a wide variety of patients, majority being in the Cardiothoracic ICU.
She decided to move back to Linden and worked at another practice for a while. She then had the opportunity to become a practice owner early in her career and seized the opportunity in 2015. Since 2015 she has been at her practice in Linden, where she loves to be part of the community and treat young and old.
She aims to continuously obtain more skills and knowledge and therefore attends courses on a regular basis, some of the courses that she has attended:
- Dry Needling
- Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy (OMT)
- Certificate of Pain Management – consisting of various modules including an international module PGAP – Progressive Goal Attaining Programme.
- Kinesio-taping
- Management of posture, biomechanics and movement patterns
- Management of various conditions such as Vertigo; headaches; TMJ (Jaw) disorders
- Sport specific injuries
- Basic Life support
- Implementing a Risk Stratification Model for Low Back pain: Pilot Project – OMSMAF and Medscheme
- Treating the Pelvis
Her passion as a Physiotherapist is to build a relationship with her patients and to have a positive impact on everyone that she encounters, while helping and serving.
Rebekah was born and raised in Pinelands in Cape Town, a very similar suburb to Linden. She graduated from the University of the Western Cape in 2014 and completed her community service in Musina at Messina Hospital in Limpopo. Thereafter, she moved to Johannesburg where she began work at a large practice in Randburg for 3 years. She joined Mariska in the beginning of 2019.
She has a special interest in Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy and Visceral Manipulation and is also particularly interested in scoliosis and Persistent Pain Management.
Some of the courses Rebekah has done to date are:
- OMT
- Visceral Manipulation
- Dry Needling
- Understanding Lymphoedema and the Management Strategies of Lymphoedema
- Exercise is Medicine
- Dynamic Taping
- First Aid Level One and Two
- Implementing a Risk Stratification Model for Low Back Pain: Pilot Project – OMSMAF and Medscheme
- Treating the Pelvis
Rebekah has a thirst for knowledge and a passion for physiotherapy. She is passionate about helping patients improve their health-related quality of life while building good relationships.
Elisma first obtained a degree in B.Comm Marketing Management (University of Pretoria), but after years of working with people in different business settings, realized that “something was just missing”.
Becoming a Physiotherapist was not a career change, but a calling that was conceptualized whilst working as a part-time volunteer in a Spinal Cord unit in Johannesburg for ten months. Elisma qualified through the University of Witwatersrand in 2013 and graduated as the top academic student of her class. She completed her community service year at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg, where she had the opportunity to work in the outpatient Pain Management department, forming part of a multi-disciplinary team in the management of chronic pain patients. This not only sparked her interest, but also a devotion for the treatment of complex and persistent pain conditions.
Elisma had the privilege in 2015 to join, and in 2016 became a partner, in a Physiotherapy Pain Management Practice in Johannesburg where she gained extensive knowledge and experience in managing chronic and complex pain conditions, such as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), peripheral neuropathic conditions, auto immune and inflammatory pain conditions, etc.
Elisma is passionate about holistic wellness and uses evidence-based and non-conventional, individualised treatment approaches to facilitate pain relief and functional return to day-to-day activities.
Some courses that Elisma has done to date include:
- Dry Needling
- Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach
- Physical Treatment of Headaches
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome –
- Physiotherapy Management for Spinal Cord Injuries
- Chronic Pain: OA
- Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease
- Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation for Vertebral Conditions, Parts 1 & 2
- The Sacro-Iliac Joint, Parts 1 & 2
Tara grew up in the rural Eastern Cape, she went on to graduate from the University of Witwatersrand (2020). In 2021 she returned home to complete her community service year at the local hospital and clinics in the surrounding community. Tara was the only physiotherapist serving in the area and when her community service year ended, she decided to open her own practice as she
felt there were still people in the area who could benefit from Physiotherapy.
Tara’s hunger for knowledge has driven her to move back to Johannesburg. Working in a dynamic team is important for Tara as being proactive and empowering patients is something she holds very high. Tara has a special interest in treating issues relating to the feet and challenges with walking.
She is continually wanting to expand her knowledge and skill set for the benefit of those she treats. She aims to empower her patients through body awareness and education, giving her patients the skills needed to overcome the obstacles they may be facing that limit them from reaching their full potential.
Tara’s passion for physiotherapy is forever growing as she enjoys a challenge and the uniqueness of all. This passion keeps her driven to improve the lives of each of her patients as she believes no person should feel limited due to physical issues.
Tara has attended a few courses and being back in JHB, is eager to attend many more. To date she has completed:
- Dry needling
- Pain management short course
- Online courses hosted by the South African society of Physiotherapy
For more information
Book an appointment
Click on the button below to book an appointment with one of our physiotherapists, Mariska or Rebekah.
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