About Us
Craig Torr and Fionna Spittles both graduated from the New Zealand Osteopathic College in 2003 and have been working in Tauranga ever since. They are both registered with the Osteopathic council of NZ and are ACC accredited practitioners.
Craig and Fionna opened Balance Osteopathy Welcome Bay in December 2010.
Craig has a background in competitive triathlon and more recently ultamarathon running. He has a particular interest in sports related injuries and has a sound knowledge of sports biomechanics.
Fionna enjoys working with all types of problems but has a strong interest in treating people with headaches and vertigo type symptoms. Fionna also enjoys working with pregnant women and babies.
She uses various hands on techniques including cranial osteopathy as well as traditional osteopathic procedures.
Paul Russell completed his Osteopathic education in 2015 whilst living in the UK, achieving a Masters Degree with Distinction from the College of Osteopaths in London. He then returned home to NZ and has enjoyed settling into life and work with his young family here in Tauranga.
Paul's background is originally in the NZ music industry where he enjoyed a successful career as a professional drummer. He was a founding member of the group Supergroove, and as a session musician, has worked with many other artists, including Che Fu, Anika Moa, Brooke Fraser, and Daniel Bedingfield. Paul relocated to London in 2006, where he became a full-time cast member of the West End musical 'Stomp'. Highlights include performing at events such as the Royal Variety Performance, the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, and the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony
It was through this role that Paul developed his own interest in the body's capacity for health and maintenance, and as a therapist he has been able to work alongside, and treat a wide variety of performing artists, dancers, and musicians. Throughout his studies Paul also worked as a sports massage therapist at a multi-disciplinary clinic in Covent Garden, treating a range of clients, from London Marathon runners to busy office professionals.
Paul's enjoys finding tailored solutions to individual musculoskeletal problems, and working in partnership with his patients to maximise the body's potential for recovery and improved health. Paul is married with two daughters, and in his spare time enjoys surfing, cooking, and still loves creating and performing music!
Zuzana Povazanova has been working with manual therapies since 2009. She first qualified in holistic massage then completed a degree in Osteopathy at the College of Osteopaths in London. She has treated a wide variety of patients, from sports people, office workers, children, pregnant women to elderly patients. She volunteered as a therapist at the London Olympics and London Marathon. Zuzana believes that correct diagnosis is the key to effective treatment and it is important to engage the patient in the whole process through education, treatment and rehabilitation. She combines various techniques in her treatment tailoring it to the individual. In her spare time Zuzana loves travelling and spent 9 months exploring the world. Her other passions are dancing Argentine tango and salsa.