The Specialist

University-Trained. Government-Registered. Here for You.

Harriet Smith is an AHPRA-registered Physiotherapist and a valued member of the clinical team at Surf & Sports Myotherapy in Noosaville, Queensland. She brings a combination of academic rigour, multi-disciplinary training, and genuine personal investment in active living to every patient she treats.

Harriet completed her Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy (Honours) at the University of Sydney, one of Australia’s leading research universities and a globally recognised centre for health science education. Her Honours degree reflects not just clinical competence but the ability to critically evaluate evidence and apply it meaningfully in a clinical setting. She has since also obtained a Master’s in Education, giving her a rare depth of skill in patient communication, rehabilitation programming, and health literacy that directly benefits the people she treats.

As a registered member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) with the APAM designation since February 2019, Harriet’s practice is held to the highest professional standards in the country. AHPRA registration means her qualifications, conduct, and continuing professional development are regulated by the Australian Government’s Physiotherapy Board, a level of oversight that provides patients with genuine assurance of clinical safety and accountability.

Her additional qualifications in dry needling, strength and conditioning, and yoga mean Harriet can offer a genuinely comprehensive, layered approach to physiotherapy on the Sunshine Coast, moving well beyond the standard manual therapy toolkit to address movement, load tolerance, and long-term function across a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions.

The Athlete

She Doesn’t Just Treat Runners. She Is One.

Harriet’s clinical expertise in sports physiotherapy is backed by something most physios cannot offer: five years of hands-on experience as a distance running coach. That coaching background means she understands the training loads, gait mechanics, and injury patterns of endurance athletes at a level that goes far deeper than textbook knowledge.

When not in the clinic, Harriet is an active outdoor athlete herself, surfing Noosa’s breaks, trail running the hinterland, and rock climbing. That lived experience across high-demand, multi-planar sports is exactly what makes her assessment of load-related injuries, overuse conditions, and return-to-sport planning so effective. She’s not extrapolating from a desk, she’s working from personal, embodied understanding of what active bodies require.

For runners especially, having a physiotherapist who has coached athletes through training cycles, race preparation, and injury setbacks is an extraordinary advantage. Harriet can read a runner’s training history, identify load errors, and build a physiotherapy plan that works with, not just around, their performance goals.

The Approach

Holistic. Evidence-Based. Built Around You.

Harriet’s physiotherapy philosophy is grounded in one principle: treat the person, not just the injury. She takes a holistic approach to healthcare, emphasizing identifying and addressing the underlying factors driving a patient’s condition, not simply managing the presenting symptoms.

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  Root cause assessment, not symptom chasing. Every consultation begins with a thorough physiotherapy assessment. Harriet identifies contributing factors, biomechanical, lifestyle, and load-related, before a treatment plan is formed
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  Hands-on therapy combined with exercise rehabilitation.  Harriet integrates manual therapy techniques with individualised exercise programming, ensuring patients don’t just feel better in the short term but also build the physical capacity to stay better.
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  Individualised programs for every stage of life.  From competitive athletes to individuals managing chronic conditions, Harriet tailors her physiotherapy approach to the specific needs, goals, and abilities of each person she works with.
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  Inclusive, accessible care.  Harriet has direct experience working with clients through DVA, NDIS, and My Aged Care, bringing the same standard of evidence-based physiotherapy to participants across all funding pathways.
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  Empathy as a clinical tool. Harriet approaches every case with genuine care and professional expertise. Patients consistently describe her as approachable, thorough, and honest, a physiotherapist who listens before she acts.

Whether you’re a Sunshine Coast runner navigating a stress fracture, an office worker with persistent neck pain, a surfer managing shoulder impingement, or an NDIS participant seeking consistent, quality physiotherapy care in Noosaville, Harriet’s evidence-based approach is designed to help you heal fully, move confidently, and stay active long-term.

Ready to see Harriet?

Book your initial physiotherapy assessment at Surf & Sports Myotherapy in Noosaville. DVA, NDIS, and MyAgedCare patients welcome. Online booking available, no referral required.