Inside Pender Rehab: The local business helping people get back to what they love

Located in the heart of Bunclody, Pender Rehab, run by local injury specialist Ciaran Pender, has been helping people recover from injuries and return to their favourite activities since 2022….

His clinic offers a range of services, including injury assessment, rehab planning, deep tissue massage, and strength programming, all designed to help clients rebuild their physical health and confidence.

“I set up my business to help people get back to doing the things they love during and after injury. Using a science backed approach to guide people through their injury and then put strategies in place to keep the results long term.”

Wexford man Ciaran first opened Pender Rehab (Ciaran Pender Injurt Clinic) in February 2022. In just a few years, he has built a trusted reputation in the local community by focusing on evidence-based recovery methods and long-term resilience for his clients.

One of the biggest challenges he faces in his work is changing how people think about recovery. He says that managing expectations and breaking down misconceptions around injuries can often be difficult.

“One of the bigger challenges is changing people’s perceptions and beliefs of their injuries. A lot of people believe they A) should be fixed instantly, or B) they will never be better. There is a nice middle ground somewhere for most people. In terms of running a business in Wexford specifically I haven’t run into many issues apart from the more national issues around rising costs of absolutely everything and lack of supports around that in Ireland at the moment,” Ciaran told Wexford Weekly.

His passion for injury rehabilitation began through his own experiences as a sports player. Having dealt with multiple injuries himself, Ciaran developed a strong interest in the recovery process and helping others do the same.

“Yes, from playing sport myself and having multiple injuries I always found it fascinating the process to return to play. Since qualifying and working in the industry for 6 years now this fascination is only growing as processes change and I continue to expand my knowledge.”

Ciaran operates Pender Rehab from a clinic room within a gym in Bunclody, giving him access to professional-grade strength and conditioning equipment. This setup allows him to combine clinical treatment with functional training, ensuring his clients return to activity stronger than before.

“I have a clinic room rented in a gym in Bunclody. It’s a good match that way with access to strength equipment to aid people return to their chosen activity with as much resilience as possible,” he told Wexford Weekly.

Building his business was a gradual process, starting with those closest to him. Over time, his reputation grew through local connections, sports team partnerships, and an increasing online presence.

“Initially it was just working with neighbours, friends and family and it branched from there. Over time I began to pick up more new patients from the town and surrounding areas. Working with sports teams also increased exposure to patients. I set up the social media pages initially but didn’t use them much. As time has gone on the importance of social media has become clearer and I now post regular content on Instagram discussing injury, rehab and other bits around training and performance. But word of mouth is still the main source of business for me.”

Ciaran also shares valuable advice for anyone hoping to follow in his footsteps. He believes that success in this industry comes down to genuine care, expertise, and consistency.

“And that is the advice I would give to someone starting in the industry. Do a good job, have good knowledge to guide people through their issue and offer more in value than you take in payment. That will create customers for life. If you can consistently do that, get results and keep learning, you will never have an empty diary.”

From his base in Bunclody, Pender Rehab continues to make a real difference. The Wexford man is helping people recover, rebuild strength, and return to the activities they love most through expert treatment and a personalised, science-based approach.