Jill is a vibrant and active grandmother in her late 60’s, who visited the clinic in 2023 suffering from acute pain over her right hip. The pain was getting in the way of playing with her grandchildren, gardening and walking the dog; activities which she loved. She was very frustrated and anxious that things were not improving. The pain was also waking her at night, depriving her of sleep that left her tired and unable to think clearly.
The future looked bleak, and she felt all the more desperate because she had previously had treatment which had worked temporarily, only to return when she picked up her toddler grandson, something she felt she should reasonably be able to do. Her dog was unhappy at not being walked, her grandson couldn’t understand why his grandma couldn’t pick him up and Jill was on the edge of despair about the future.
Noticing how low she was feeling, one of her friends who had benefited from treatment at Osteo and Physio, recommended that she visit the clinic to see if we could help. Feeling somewhat skeptical, but also grateful for the ray of hope, Jill booked in to see us.
At her first appointment she finally had the chance to fully explain what the problem was, and how helpless it was making her feel. As her practitioner I was able to listen carefully, taking time to make her feel safe, comfortable and to know that she was completely understood. As with all my patients, I was profoundly grateful that she was willing to trust me enough to share her medical details and the frustrations of her injury; she then allowed me to sympathetically and respectfully examine her to ascertain where the problem arose and why it wasn’t going away. Whilst understanding and observing her, I was able to draw on my education, knowledge and experience to fully comprehend the whole picture, and reach a diagnosis for the cause of her pain and how it should be treated.
Jill’s diagnosis
Her diagnosis was a tendonitis just below the hip with associated muscle strain, but like many patients her problem was deeper than just an irritable tendon and spasming muscle (even though this was the immediate source of pain). She also had stiffness in the lower back and joint misalignments which affected her walking, creating vulnerability and focussing stress onto the injured area.
Her carefully administered treatment, using shockwave and osteopathy, aimed to strengthen the irritated muscles and tendon, and rebalance her lower back and pelvis so that she could walk with balance and ease. Even though relief came quickly, Jill understood the importance of completing half a dozen treatments in order to bed in the changes and avoid the likelihood of things going backwards.
Successful treatment
After just 4 weeks she was back walking her dogs, and was 90% free of night pain and morning stiffness. It was a joy to see her anxiety and frustration lift away, to be replaced with confidence in her body and optimism about the future. Jill now has a body she feels she can rely on, that gives her the freedom to do the things she loves. She comes back for a periodic MOT every few months to keep things in line, and to experience the sense of freedom that comes from a body which moves easily with strength and balance.
