"Her understanding was beyond anything I had experienced"

I'm fit. relatively sporty and eat a healthy diet. Last year I was due to go on a walking holiday and two days before I managed to pull something in my lower back which rendered me unable to move for 24 hours. I rested a bit, got on the plane and went on the mountaineering holiday anyway.

Fast forward to this year and at the end of a 2.5km run, I had a sharp pain in my right hip. Limping heavily for the following weeks I stopped running, but continued a daily, low-level yoga regime. Last month I finally took myself to my GP who referred me to a physio. 

She was amazing. She listened. She asked questions. She did a short examination. Her understanding was beyond anything I had experienced before! She also read the room, taking all my other symptoms into consideration (extreme stress at work and huge life change, hormonal changes with perimenopause, lack of sleep, low mood) and explained clearly what was going on with my body - not least how the original lower back injury was potentially the beginning of the warning signs!

It was the first time that a medical professional had taken such a holistic approach. She sat me down to tell me that I couldn't carry on at this pace if I wanted to get better. She used brilliant analogies: driving in the fast lane without enough petrol to get to the destination or trying to spend £100 on something when I only had £50 in my account. 

Her counselling skills were just as sharp as her diagnostics (I have bursitis in my hip with the left hand side not far behind) and she quickly understood my whole situation. She gave me the space to let out some emotions and tell her some of the other things that are going on in my life! 

I am extremely keen to get things fixed as soon as possible. She counselled me that it would take time and I might have to change my expectations! I initially railed against this, but quickly understood that she knows what she's talking about. (I also realised that my husband had been saying this for some time.)

She has since sent me an email packed full of useful and excellent articles about chronic pain, as well as specific exercises to work on. 

Since our appointment I have been reflecting on many different aspects of my life and given myself time to slow down. I am hoping that taking more responsibility for myself, using the care shown by my GP and physiotherapist along with the strengthening exercises will help me heal more thoroughly this time. 

I really really appreciate all the interactions I've had with Suthergrey Medical Centre over the last few weeks.