I have had multiple physical problems for over thirty years. Bad back, syaticac, very stiff neck with pain, tight ham strings & gluts, uneven leg length.
I have had chiropractic treatment continually for 30 years. At times monthly visits, but often up to twice a week. Fifteen years ago every thing got worse, I changed chiropractor, going onto twice week treatment. After six months, there was improvement that over a period of time allowed me to reduce frequency of visits. In last Eight years it average one every 6 to 8 weeks. For the last two years, treatment eased my stiffness & pain, for a few days after treatment, but by end of week I was back to how I was. I became disillusioned, as each visit encountered much the same treatment. The pain & stiffness were now the worst they had been. It effected my work ability. I am in a physical job, it was affecting my running & affecting my other interest riding a motor cycle.
I started endurance running 25 years ago & initially this did help ease my back pain. Over the years I pushed my self to what I thought was my potential. But in the last few years I have been getting slower (to be expected, age), finding it harder to train & injuries were happening, something I had not experienced before. I was getting much more pain as I increased the miles. Three years ago, I reached 60, went part time at work, this allowed me the time needed to train for a marathon. A distance I had never done before, & one that I had not wanted to do. But, hey one is allowed to change their minds. 60 was the motivation to do it, as a one off. As the training miles added up, pain, discomfort & stiffness increased. Becoming disillusioned with chiropractic treatment I decided to change. I went to Physio East in Bungay. I was treated by one of their practitioners.

How how things improved. Not only was I treated at sessions, I was given daily exercises & stretches to do. I did these to the letter religiously. Everything improved greatly. I became free-er, stiffness & pain eased. But In the two week lead up to the marathon the tight & painful hamstrings & gluts returned. I had extra treatment, including on the day before marathon. The improvement was amazing. I sailed round the marathon, with no effects. I was so, so pleased.

I carried on with my physio appointments & exercises, after the marathon & this kept me in reasonable shape. I still had very restricted neck movement, differing leg length & hamstring/glut issues, but the discomfort of the past was greatly eased.

Six months ago, my physio left the practice. Lisa Hayward took me on & I became her patient. I sum this up as promotion from the Championship to the Premier League. Her ability to diagnose, explain & recommend is top draw. Going right back to the root causes & dealing with them individually & recommending appropriate exercises, greatly improved my mobility. Strength & Conditioning has been at the core of what I have been doing, it is beginning now, to visibly improve, my carriage flexibility & mobility with the added benefit of reducing chronic pain suffered for over 30 years. Yes, I have had to do my bit. Having the 60min appointment does not effect the improvement, it identifies what needs to be done, by me. We are all guilty of not following advice when it requires effort and sustained motivation. I have conquered this & have religiously followed instructions. It is easy to say, I do not have the time to do 30 mins exercises in the morning. Deep down we all know that is just another excuse. I get up 30mins earlier & do them, it is as easy as that. “They become boring”. Not if you focus on improving your technique, repetitions or endurance. I now do 15 mins in the evening also. That really is easy, I just do them when I am doing some sitting down occupation, like watching the news, reading E Mails.

I am a coach with Bungay Black Dog Running Club & have have attended scores of, physical preparation work shops & courses, all very good, so I do have a bit more than a layman’s knowledge in what to do. Lisa though has elevated all I do to a new level. The beneficial effect of this is my body is learning after 30 plus years of chronic lack of mobility, to challenge & reverse this, which in turn is reducing pain. No I am not 100%, I am still not as good as many of my peers. I am though improving, & that is the best I will do. How far it will take me, I do not know. I am sure though Lisa will get me as far as she can, provided I continue to do my bit.

J.W, May 2017.