After a very difficult few years, my husband encouraged me to attend the Wellbeing Workshop at One 2 One.
I found it very difficult to attend. It turned out to be a real turning point for me. I could not acknowledge how my frame of mind was to myself or others. I don’t know whether I was ignoring it or I just did not realise how stressed and anxious with life situations I was. I wasn’t coping and that day I realised I wasn’t alone.
The Wellbeing Workshop gave me experience, knowledge and acceptance. For that I am very grateful. With support and encouragement One 2 One has enabled me to change my mind set, look after my body and mind’s health.
On that same day a running group was started along with the other ladies on the course. I can honestly say that I have made wonderful friends who continue to support and encourage. That was just over 2 years ago. I am so glad I attended the workshop that day. Thank you One 2 One.
One 2 One Wellbeing Workshop attendee 2018
Gareth's Story
I am a Managing Director of an engineering business. I travel abroad a great deal and always need to be on my “A” game 24/7. What has this got to do with physiotherapy you may well ask?
I was one of Rhian’s first ever private patients. I had a shoulder compression problem and could not get a shirt without help. It would have been an easy option for Rhian to treat me for a while and just get me mobile. To her credit I was sent straight to a surgeon who operated a week later. In my rehab Rhian would work in the gym with me and 4 months later I was able to do press ups in the surgeons office. He actually gave me a round of applause which should have been directed at my physiotherapist. It was the first, but not the last time, I heard other medical professionals say how good the One 2one staff are at what they do.
Some years later I was involved in a high speed car crash. It was not possible for me to even stand up straight or walk without pain, business travel was just not an option. This was a potentially career changing point for me. My gradual recovery took treatment every week over 12 months. It included manipulation, acupuncture, electrotherapy and sometimes just good old fashioned talking. Angharad at One2One was a model of patience and moral support that got me through it. When I eventually went back to golf I stood on the first tee, hit a ball and became very emotional. I never thought it would ever happen again and other than this story I am not sure if I ever expressed my thanks to my friend.
When my wife needed major surgery in 2017 the staff at the clinic were the first people to offer their support even if there was no treatment involved. They will always help you, offer guidance and encouragement.
Well if all that was not enough, I did not know what lay ahead. At this point please note I did suggest the clinic needed a new file server for my records !!
In 2018 I became very unwell with a Vitamin B deficiency and related anemia. You will now probably think “the clinic sells vitamins as well as treat people !” Well they do not, that bit is easy. They supported me and continue to support me with everything else. It is something I will never forget and its value far outweighs whatever was on the small invoice. I am reminded of the saying “we view the future standing on the shoulders of giants”. The ladies at the clinic may look petite but do not be deceived at all. They are really good athletes, have very sharp elbows, cold hands and can reduce a grown man to tears in minutes. Note – some of the tears are laughter, a great cure all.
If you only take one thing from my story – there are some very, very special people working at One2One. If they are on your team you can achieve anything. This is written by a soon to be 63 year old man who has just gone back to running after a 15 year layoff. This has only possible by the support of my friends. I salute them and commend them to you all.
James' Story
We first met James in 2010, a 63-year-old ex-marine who had suffered with chronic back pain for over 30 years.
Up until his back became problematic, James was a fit Marine with a very active lifestyle.
James’ problems began in 1983 when he was in the Marines and had to carry heavy loads despite having rib fractures which he had sustained in a previous incident.
After this, James began to experience regular episodes of back pain which progressively became more severe and more frequent.
By 1993, James’ back pain and the associated spasms were so excruciating it would cause him to faint. The only way he could prevent the muscle spasms and fainting episodes was to keep his back as still as possible and walk with crutches. It was too painful to sit or bend – so James spent most of his time either standing or lying down.
James was unable to do the things many of us take for granted. He was unable to drive, sit to eat a meal, work at a computer, go to the cinema and so on, making normal life virtually impossible.
James was reliant on other people to drive him whilst he lay down in the back of the car, putting a mattress in the back of a people carrier so he could be transported to where he needed to be. The people carrier became his place of rest, he would go and lie down in it during the day which enabled him to carry on working.
The spasms James experienced were immediately debilitating and urgent, and if he was in a public place and his back was about to go into spasm, he would have to lie on the floor. It didn’t matter where he was, in the street or in the supermarket, James would have to immediately lie down.
By 1999, James had finally found a way to manage his symptoms through weekly physiotherapy, osteopathy and massage treatments and taking a lot of medication for his pain. He even had several botox injections into the muscles in his back to stop the muscle spasms.
This combination enabled James to walk without crutches but he still could not bend or move his back properly. As a result, James spent between 8 and 10 hours of his waking day lying down, usually in front of a fire to keep his back warm to release the muscle spasms.
James’ first visit to one2one therapy
When James first came to visit us, he had booked an appointment for sports massage. He was unable to sit so he had to lay on the floor in reception whilst he waited for his appointment. It was clear this was a very disabling condition.
James had tried to do back exercises prescribed by his previous therapists but found they would aggravate his back. Over the years, he explained he had stopped doing them because they worsened his symptoms.
It was immediately clear to the one2one team that James knew his back inside and out and he understood his limitations and what would best help manage his symptoms.
James had accepted that his life was limited by his back disability and the active life he once had was now gone. James was clear that all he wanted from us was regular sports massage to relieve his muscle spasms – so that’s what we did.
New Vimove technology delivers new treatment options
One2one therapy are always looking to invest in equipment and technology to assist our clients. In 2015, we invested in Vimove technology, which uses sensors to assess and analyse body movement.
Having worked with James for so long, we felt he would be a good candidate for this.
We asked James to be our ‘guinea pig’ for the back module and James kindly agreed – and finally, whilst using the Vimove sensors, James experienced a breakthrough.
The Vimove sensors enabled James to visualise on a screen how little movement he had in his lower back due to the pain and muscle spasms. Over the years the inability to move his lower back caused inactivity and weakness of his core muscles which in turn exacerbated his symptoms. These core muscles are essential in maintaining posture and for alignment of the spine during movement. When these muscles become inactive, they stop supporting the spine putting extra strain on the back extensor muscles causing them to tighten and go into spasm.
These core muscles needed to be retrained and ‘woken up’. Over several weeks, James attended the clinic twice weekly to use the Vimove sensors to guide him through a series of core exercises. With the help of this fantastic technology, James was able to activate his core muscles once again and bend his back for the first time in years!
James states:
‘Prior to using Vimove, my treatment had been purely palliative for the last 20 years. The Vimove showed me things that X-Rays, MRI scans and physical examinations couldn’t. It finally solved the puzzle of why some exercises and treatment which should have previously helped, didn’t. For me, it really was like turning the light on after years of groping in the dark’.
Ongoing support delivers further improvements
Whilst the ability to move his back delivered life-changing benefits for James, enabling him to engage and activate his back muscles, the next step was to strengthen these weakened muscles to achieve further progress.
The one2one team referred James to Tina, our Pilates Instructor. James underwent weekly individual sessions with Tina whilst continuing his physiotherapy and sports massage treatments.
The combined treatments worked to strengthen his core muscles, enabling James to become more active. However, his activities were still limited at this point because of the general muscle wastage from years of inactivity.
At this point we suggested to James that we introduce Compex into his rehabilitation. Compex is a muscle stimulator which activates and strengthens muscles. We used the Compex to contract muscles in his lower limbs whilst he carried out various exercises such as squats and calf raises. This enabled James to strengthen his muscles much quicker than doing the exercises alone.
We are pleased to report that the combination of Sports Massage, Physiotherapy, Vimove, Pilates and Compex has now given James a new lease of life and he continues to progress.
James can now sit for up to an hour at a time, he only lies down for approximately 3 hours a day, he doesn’t take medication and in December 2018, the former marine enjoyed his first treadmill run.
It’s the type of result that really motivates the one2one team – and importantly for James, it’s enabled him to get his life back on track.
We never imagined that James would be running again when we saw him on that first appointment. It just goes to show how adaptable the human body is when you give it the right support and stimulus.
Jodie's Story
I had a discectomy (surgery to remove the whole or part of an intervertebral disc) in August 2017 and my recovery was going really well. Out of nowhere my back “went” in the February of 2018.
I was gutted! I was admitted into hospital and stayed there for 4 nights on high meds with no change.
I was back on a waiting list for physiotherapy and knew I couldn’t wait. On my way home from hospital I phoned one2one and was booked in the following day with Angharad.
I hobbled into the clinic barely able to move and in absolute agony. I walked out half an hour later able to move more. I had one more session of physiotherapy then started pilates with Tina at one2one. That week, it was as if the ‘blip’ had never happened.
It’s been an amazing journey. I’m now strong. I never thought my back would be strong again, I’m probably the strongest I’ve ever been!Thank you one2one for all your help, guidance and introducing me to the BEST pilates class!