Exercise for Rehabilitation & Health, Essendon

Welcome to Exercise for Rehabilitation & Health.

Our Story

Exercise for Rehabilitation & Health was founded in 2006 by Accredited Exercise Physiologist Nicole French, who had a vision to create a community-based practice offering world-class clinical exercise and rehabilitation services in a supportive and welcoming environment. In 2010, driven by the question, "What more could we be doing?" Nicole teamed up with Physiotherapist Peter Vitale to expand the practice. Together, they established Australia's first fully collaborative private practice that offered both general and specialist services in Exercise Physiology and Physiotherapy.

Over the years, Exercise for Rehabilitation & Health achieved numerous accolades. In 2020, Nicole French was recognised by Exercise & Sports Science Australia as a leading inspiring female in the exercise science industry. In 2023, the practice was awarded the Australian Women in Small Business Champion in the Physiotherapy category and also won the prestigious Exercise and Sports Science Practice of the Year award.

Our commitment to community engagement and advocacy is a cornerstone of our practice. We have been strong advocates for improving the health of all Australians, exemplified by our partnership with the Girls Uniform Agenda. Our support contributed to legislative changes ensuring girls have access to pants and shorts in school uniforms, enhancing their physical activity levels and promoting gender equality. This reform positively impacted over a million young Australians.

Our commitment to providing accessible health information is demonstrated through our collaboration with Diabetes Victoria. By authoring articles and actively participating in member events, we contribute to improving health literacy for 1.3 million Australians. Through our articles, we emphasise the vital role that Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs) play within the healthcare team, empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being

We advocate for improved access to physical activity and nutrition programs, engaging in parliamentary inquiries to highlight the essential role of Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs) in promoting public health. Through our involvement in the Primary Care Diabetes Society of Australia, our director actively promotes best care practices for Australians with diabetes, emphasising the integral role of AEPs in driving positive healthcare reform. By advocating for these initiatives, we strive to enhance community well-being and empower individuals to lead healthier lives.

Our multidisciplinary approach, integrating Exercise Physiology and Physiotherapy, ensures that the right health professional is involved at the right stage of care. This model optimises outcomes across neurological, metabolic, and musculoskeletal care streams. Unlike single-discipline clinics, our practice thrives on teamwork, individualised care, evidence-based guidelines, and an unwavering commitment to delivering the ultimate client experience.

The Impact on the people that we serve - Our clients

"Extremely professional. Helped me be able to return to normal life after illness." Jessica Walton

"Craig listened to my history and made a plan of exercises that I could do at home. I’m recovering well from the fracture on my foot. I’m very happy with Craig’s professionalism and the program he has given to me." - Helen Manning

"A very professional and informative approach to my issues. The best care I have received by far. Thank you, Peter." - Damian Melvaine

"All the staff are so friendly and extremely focused and committed to making sure all exercises and physio plans work for me and my routine to get me back on my feet again! Thanks, team!" - Michelle Adamo

"Craig is the best exercise physiologist I’ve ever seen.I’ve been to a few but he totally knows how to bring your body back stronger than ever.Highly recommend!I got my life back.Everyone in the clinic is nice and always helpful." John Katsimardos

Team Expertise

Our team is handpicked and trained to ensure we attract the very best clinicians from all over Australia. Each member brings a wealth of knowledge and a dedication to providing exceptional care. Our expert therapists specialise in personalised care, working together to offer comprehensive rehabilitation and exercise programs that are tailored to each individual's needs.

Our collaborative approach extends beyond our practice. We work closely with doctors, surgeons, and specialists to ensure that our clients receive the best possible care at every stage of their recovery. This multidisciplinary model of care optimises outcomes and ensures that our clients receive the right treatment at the right time.

We leave nothing to chance at our practice, and ensure that all of our team practice at above expectation levels lead by our clinical team leader Peter Vitale and Craig Harrison who collectively have over 30 years of experience.

Future Vision

Exercise for Rehabilitation & Health exemplifies industry-leading, innovative healthcare service delivery, driven by a mission to improve health outcomes for all Australians. Our multidisciplinary model of care, integrating Exercise Physiology and Physiotherapy, ensures the right health professional is involved at the right stage of care, optimising outcomes across neurological, metabolic, and musculoskeletal care streams.

Our vision for the future centres around increasing our impact on improving the health of all Australians. We believe in caring for people through intelligent healthcare model design, providing unwavering support to our colleagues and industries through education, and advocating for crucial policy and legislative changes in partnership with key stakeholders.

We passionately contribute to significant causes and diligently build services and teams to better serve and positively impact our community. Our evidence-based model of care consistently delivers exceptional outcomes, addressing key barriers to growing national health problems.

Looking ahead, we focus on further innovative health care programs working with our in house team of medical practitioners including our Type 2 Diabetes Remission program. By identifying significant healthcare challenges and creative innovative and practical health services in response to these, we are determined to amplify our impact and make a meaningful difference in the lives of many. Our commitment to ethical conduct, supported by a dedicated and resilient team, gives us the confidence to achieve our objectives.

In essence, our future goals and vision revolve around making a positive impact on the health and well-being of every Australian. With a collective spirit of care and drive, we are inspired to champion health for all Australians.

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