If you’ve been following our social media recently, you may have spotted something unusual. Just for a change, the patient on the treatment couch wasn’t one of our lovely patients… it was me!
As chiropractors, physiotherapists and sports therapists, we’re usually the ones doing the treating. But every now and then, we’re reminded what it’s like to be on the other side of the couch.
The reason for this unexpected turnaround? A rather unwelcome bout of plantar fasciitis.
For those who haven’t experienced it, plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel and foot pain. It often triggers that classic sharp pain when you first get out of bed in the morning, or after sitting around for a while. Unfortunately, it decided to pay me a visit just as I was preparing for a challenge that is slightly outside my comfort zone.
About the time that you are reading this, I’ll be joining around 50 other chiropractors, including our very own Catherine, as we climb Snowdon in memory of a much-loved chiropractic colleague and former lecturer who sadly passed away from prostate cancer. He played a huge role in helping me survive my neurology exams as a student and I know many others in the profession have similar stories about the support and encouragement he gave them throughout their careers.
It’s a cause very close to all our hearts so I wasn’t going to let anything stop me taking part.
Now, I should confess something. I’ve never actually walked up and down a mountain before – but I have spent months training so I don’t completely embarrass myself in front of my friends. There has been plenty of weight training in the gym and lots of running up the seemingly endless hills around Somerset. I was starting to feel reasonably confident until my foot decided to have other ideas.
Thankfully, working in a clinic like ours has its advantages.
I have appeared on social media using our shockwave therapy machine on my own foot. Contrary to what some people think, it didn’t hurt at all. In fact, I felt immediate relief afterwards, which was a huge comfort given the rapidly approaching climb.
Following the shockwave treatment, I also used our laser therapy system on the same area. These are treatments we regularly use to help patients recover from a variety of musculoskeletal injuries. We’ve also used them extensively during our work in elite sport, including professional rugby, athletics & football during my years working with Bristol Rovers.
Of course, before throwing treatments at the problem, I wanted to know exactly what I was dealing with.
So I asked Keith, our most experienced physiotherapist, to perform an ultrasound scan of the foot. Thankfully, there were no tears or serious damage, just a small amount of inflammation. That was great news because it meant I could continue training while calming everything down before the big day.
Then came Emily. Now, Emily is one of our brilliant sports therapists and, some might say, perhaps a little too enthusiastic when a treatment opportunity presents itself!
Before I knew it, she had me lying face down while she worked on my calf muscles. There were moments when I had to take a very deep breath and question my life choices, but I have to admit the results were fantastic. The calf felt looser, the foot seemed happier and I walked out feeling considerably more mobile than when I walked in.
Not to be left out, Beth, another of our fantastic physiotherapists, provided me with a selection of strengthening and rehabilitation exercises designed to make sure everything is as robust as possible before Snowdon.
What struck me during the whole process was that I was discovering exactly what so many of our patients experience every day.
An accurate diagnosis. A clear explanation. A combination of treatments. A rehabilitation plan. And a team of healthcare professionals all working together towards the same goal.
It reminded me just how fortunate I am to work in such an incredible clinic with such talented people around me. Every day we combine chiropractic, physiotherapy, sports therapy, rehabilitation, diagnostic ultrasound, shockwave therapy and laser therapy to help people get back to doing the things they love.
For me, that’s hopefully getting up and down Snowdon safely while raising money and awareness for prostate cancer.
Am I nervous? Absolutely.
People tell me Snowdon can be challenging and potentially dangerous in poor conditions. Fortunately, we have experienced guides leading us and the plan is to reach the summit in time to watch the sunset before making our way back down in the dark.
I’m looking forward to the adventure, the challenge and spending time with friends while supporting an important cause.
Most of all, though, this experience has reminded me how lucky I am to have my health and to be surrounded by people who genuinely care about helping others. While I’m worrying about a sore foot and a mountain climb, many people are facing far greater health challenges.
My thoughts are with them and I remain grateful every day for the opportunity to help people improve their health, mobility and quality of life.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a mountain to climb.
Photo by Imani Bahati on Unsplash
