About
Both Resilience Physiotherapy and Resilient Health Body Technologies were founded by Dr Ben Gaffney. Ben graduated with a Master of Physiotherapy Studies from the University of Queensland in 2005 and has been in private practice on the Sunshine Coast since 2006.
Ben’s special interest in physiotherapy is back and hip rehabilitation and ergonomic workstation design for neck and shoulder pain.

Principles of Practice
Ben prioritizes determining the source of a client’s pain and the nature of their dysfunction and then assisting them to understand how their pain and function can be improved. Ben’s treatment is oriented towards hands-on myofascial release, joint mobilization, dry-needling, and specific therapeutic exercises. An emphasis is given to providing pain relief in the first treatment followed by step by step progression to a self management plan.
Academic Teaching Experience Prior to Physiotherapy Career
Ben’s qualifications and experience before he became a physiotherapist were in the field of Physiology with a Bachelor of Science from Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, a Ph.D. from RMIT, Bundoora, Melbourne, and full-time lecturing in Anatomy and Physiology at Griffith University, Logan.
Ph.D. Research Project & Publications
For those that are interested, Ben’s Ph.D. project examined the effects of two different types of the herb Ginseng (Siberian ginseng and Korean ginseng, otherwise known as Eleutherococcus senticosus and Panax Ginseng, respectively) on hormonal indices of the stress response and lymphocyte subset numbers in endurance athletes. The project also involved determining the concentration of the active constituents of Siberian ginseng. The Ph.D. thesis was titled:
“The Effects of Extracts of Eleutherococcus senticosus or Panax Ginseng and a Quantitative Analysis of the Extracts’ Contents.”
The findings were published in the following international peer reviewed journals:
Gaffney BT, Hügel HM, Rich PA. (2001) The effects of Eleutherococcus senticosus and Panax ginseng on steroidal hormone indices of stress and lymphocyte subset numbers in endurance athletes. Life Sciences. 14;70(4):431-42.
Gaffney BT Hügel HM, Rich PA. (2004) The chromatographic co-elution of dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol monopyranose with eleutheroside E in Eleutherococcus senticosus: implications for eleutheroside E assays. Phytochemical analysis . 15(4):231-4.
Gaffney BT, Hügel HM, Rich PA.(2001) Panax ginseng and Eleutherococcus senticosus may exaggerate an already existing biphasic response to stress via inhibition of enzymes which limit the binding of stress hormones to their receptors. Medical Hypotheses. 2001 May;56(5):567-72.
Training in Therapeutic Exercise – Qigong, Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates
In parallel with his academic training Ben studied and practised several forms of therapeutic exercise including Yoga, Qigong, Pilates, and Tai Chi. He received his Yoga teaching certificate in 2003 and learned Clinical Pilates in 2004 & 2005 and taught it in Physiotherapy clinics for eight years. He now teaches a style of therapeutic exercise named “Resilient Health Body Technologies” (formerly YogaChiGungPilates), which emphasizes improving patterns of movement that don’t place unnecessary strain on sensitive neural structures while maximizing the flow of kinetic energy. This approach was designed to improve the power transfer valued by sports-men & women in sports as diverse as athletics and golf. These techniques are adopted from the world of Chinese internal martial arts and Chinese healing arts (see the upcoming what is Qigong blog article). There is also an emphasis on the recruitment of stabilizing muscles that are inhibited by pain. These techniques come from the world of University of Queensland Physiotherapy researchers (see Lower back pain: The low-load to high-load stabilizing exercise treatment revolution in the Blog articles page).
Sporting Career
Ben’s sporting career included ice hockey (outdoors in the United States), Australian Rules Football, Athletics, Touch Football, Rugby League, and Rugby Union. He incurred many injuries during this time, especially to his shoulders, knees, hips, and lower back and has learned first hand how to treat these injuries.
Post graduate Professional Development Training
Ben remains committed to life-long learning through courses and workshops with internationally renowned practitioners in Physiotherapy, Yoga, Chi Gung, and Pilates. Examples of workshops attended include the following:
2015 – The Irritable hip: Conservative & Surgical Managment Incorporating the Lumbar Spine and Pelvis (Nichole Hamilton) Synergy Physio, Pergian
2012 – Discover the Sports Thorax (Linda Joy Lee – Physiotherapist) Discover Physio, Brisbane
2012 – Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga & Vinyasa Intensive (Simon Borg-Olivier – Physiotherapist and Yoga Teacher) Synergy Yoga, Sydney
2011 – Treatment of the Cervical and thoracic spine and thoracic cage: Application of Articular & Muscle Energy (Dr Barbara Hungerford –Physiotherapist) Techniques Advanced Manual Therapy Associates, Sydney
2011 – Tai Chi workshop (Wee Kee-Jin – Tai Chi Master) Taijiquan School of Central Equilibrium, Auckland
2009 – Treatment of Pelvis & Lumbar Spine Level 1: an Introduction to Muscle Energy Techniques (Dr Barbara Hungerford –Physiotherapist) Advanced Manual Therapy Associates, Sydney
2008 – The Integrated Pelvis: A Functional approach to assessment, treatment & stabilisation of the lumbo-pelvic region (Dr Barbara Hungerford –Physiotherapist) Advanced Manual Therapy Associates, Sydney
2007 – Dynamic Stabilisation of the hip and pelvis (Dr Alison Grimaldi- Physiotherapist) PhysioTec, Brisbane
2006 – Introduction to Needling for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain (Dr Tina Souvlis – Physiotherapist) Health Practitioner Research Culture and Capacity Building Team, Brisbane