Ben Cunningham

Background

About Ben Cunningham

I am a Healthcare Executive with key skills in business development, operational efficiencies, staff development and large scale change management. I have 20 years of experience in managing a private Allied Health business, working with large healthcare groups and private equity. As the founder of the largest independently owned specialist upper limb Physiotherapy provider in Australia I am used to working with complex human resource environments engaging both clinical and non clinical stakeholders and leading multiple change initiatives simultaneously. I am the Founder, CEO and Executive Director of the Shoulder to Hand Alliance, a community of therapist owned shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand therapy businesses. Since July 2021, ten businesses have joined the alliance: Action Rehab (Melbourne), Melbourne Physio Pilates (Melbourne), Bendigo Hand Therapy (Bendigo), Ballarat Hand Therapy (Ballarat), Gippsland Hand Group (Drouin/Traralgon), Northern Hand Group (Heidelberg), Gold Coast Hand Therapy (Gold Coast), The Hands Physio (Sydney), Northside Hand and Upper Limb (Brisbane) and Dynacore (a product business and ditrubutor of the "Wrist Warrior"). I manage a team of nearly 100 staff (including 70 Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists who are experts in the care of Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist and Hand injuries). Clinically I have over 25 years' experience providing hand and upper limb therapy. My experience has included more than 15 years working in elite sport for the Collingwood Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club (AFL). My special interests are in sports biomechanics, hand trauma with a special interest in Hand and Wrist fractures, wrist instability and Tennis Elbow. Through my role at Orthosport Victoria, Melbourne Football Club and Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre I have treated a number of elite athletes including players from the NBA (Basketball), AFL, NRL, A-league, Melbourne United, Cricket Australia, Tennis Australia, Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne Victory and Netball Australia. I have led the way in the treatment of complex intra-articular fractures in the wrist, hand, thumb and digits, presenting at national and international conferences. I completed postgraduate Masters of Clinical Science (Hand & Upper Limb) through Curtin University. I am currently a Lecturer at Monash University where I have taught injury rehabilitation to both undergraduate and postgraduate Physiotherapy students for more than 15 years. I am a Dad, part time farmer, part time gardener, Bonsai enthusiast and full time golfer!