Chris Jellis

Profile

Chris is an AHPRA-registered physiotherapist, a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, and a recognised sports physiotherapist. Graduating with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Melbourne University in 2005, Chris has since built a career spanning clinical practice, business leadership and health education. Before establishing Sum of Us on High Street, Prahran in 2017, he and Brigid co-founded Domain Health Physiotherapy, building over a decade of experience running quality physiotherapy practices in Melbourne before bringing that expertise to Prahran.

A People-Oriented Approach To Physiotherapy

Chris’s approach to physiotherapy is deeply rooted in a people-first philosophy. He believes that effective healthcare goes beyond treatment — it involves empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to take charge of their own health. This perspective is integral to his practice, as he strives to provide patients with comprehensive education and guidance alongside hands-on care.

Whether dealing with musculoskeletal injuries, chronic pain or mobility issues, Chris tailors treatment plans to be both effective and personalised. He is particularly skilled in managing complex cases where a multifaceted approach is required, and his commitment to staying current with evidence-based practice ensures patients receive the highest standard of care.

Community & Education

As a sports physiotherapist, Chris has worked with athletes across a range of levels and disciplines, from local footy and netball teams to individuals returning from surgery or managing long-term athletic load. His own background as a sports enthusiast gives him a genuine understanding of the physical and psychological demands of competitive sport, and how to support recovery in a way that respects performance goals as much as health outcomes.

Clinical Pilates is a particular strength of Chris’s practice. As Director and Physiotherapist at Sum of Us, Chris has long championed Pilates as more than just exercise, as a journey towards a stronger, more balanced self, fostering resilience and confidence.

Chris’s commitment extends well beyond individual appointments. He actively participates in health education initiatives and workshops, and has contributed expert commentary to national health publications on the science behind movement-based therapies. His writing for JSHealth explored how yoga and Pilates create measurable changes in the brain-body connection — an area he is passionate about bringing into everyday clinical conversations.

Earlier in his career, Chris also contributed as a physiotherapist at Melbourne University, building a strong academic foundation that continues to inform his evidence-based approach today.

The Story Behind Sum Of Us

In a Female.com.au interview, Chris spoke candidly about what inspired him and the founding team to create Sum of Us. He described visiting the opening of a fellow physio’s clinic — a practitioner with a Masters degree, over a decade of study and elite sport experience — and watching it struggle, while that same morning his yoga class had 40 people in it and was buzzing with energy. The clinic felt stale by comparison, and with all that expertise behind it, that felt wrong.

That contrast became the founding idea: put the smartest practitioners in an environment that matches their expertise. Sum of Us was built to be eastern philosophy meeting western medicine — a place where clinical rigour and a beautiful, welcoming environment sit side by side, because clients deserve both.

Chris also shared what a typical day at Sum of Us looks like — starting with an early yoga class in the loft, seeing physio clients, running post-surgical rehabilitation groups, leading workshops with the dietitian, and finishing the day putting local footy and netball teams through Pilates conditioning work. It’s a window into how genuinely integrated the Sum of Us model is, and how much of that is shaped by Chris’s own daily practice.