Dziila Mao

Dziila Mao is a Physiotherapist with a special interest in cervical and thoracic spine conditions, whiplash, concussion and vestibular presentations, alongside broader musculoskeletal and sporting injuries.

She completed a Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours at The University of Queensland and has continued to build her clinical knowledge through postgraduate education across musculoskeletal physiotherapy, pain management, sports physiotherapy and headache management.

Dziila completed her Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours at The University of Queensland, developing a strong foundation in musculoskeletal assessment, rehabilitation, exercise prescription and evidence-based physiotherapy. As part of her Honours degree, she completed research investigating vestibulo-ocular function in sports-related concussion, which further developed her interest in the relationship between the cervical spine, vestibular system and concussion.

Since graduating, Dziila has continued to develop her clinical skills across musculoskeletal physiotherapy, spinal rehabilitation, sports injuries and pain management. Her postgraduate training includes the Watson Headache® Approach, dry needling, APA Pain Physiotherapy Levels 1 and 2, and APA Sports Physiotherapy Level 1. She has a particular interest in cervical and thoracic spine conditions, whiplash, concussion and vestibular presentations, and enjoys considering the broader factors that may contribute to a patient’s symptoms and recovery.

Dziila takes an individualised, evidence-informed approach to physiotherapy, using clinical reasoning to identify key contributing factors and prioritise treatment according to each patient’s presentation, goals and functional demands. Her management incorporates a range of techniques including manual therapy, joint mobilisation, dry needling, taping, exercise rehabilitation and education, selected according to the needs of each patient.

She works collaboratively with patients to develop practical treatment plans and uses progressive rehabilitation and graded exposure to support a safe return to work, sport and meaningful daily activities. Her goal is to improve function, build confidence and promote sustainable recovery.

Dziila is currently training towards a 10K and half-marathon personal best, with running becoming a regular part of her week. She also loves heading to the beach, surfing whenever she gets the chance and playing social soccer with friends.

Outside of sport, Dziila is never far from a good coffee, a good book or some classical jazz. A fun fact about her name is that Dziila has Northeast Indian origins and means “the spring season” in its language of origin.