Ann Ferguson - Physio Fundamentals

13/10/2025

Hi, I'm Ann, originally from Scotland but living in Braunton for over ten years with my family. I've worked in both NHS and private settings for nearly 20 years. I feel passionately about helping people to overcome pain and injury to maximise their quality of life or achieve their goals.

I'm based in the centre of Braunton, Sunside Studio - opposite the Post Office (roughly) on Chaloners Road. Please feel free to get in touch:

📲 07423 66054 / WhatsApp
💻 email: info@physiofundamentals.net
🌐 website: www.physiofundamentals.net

BSc Physiotherapy, HCPC Registered, Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

06/10/2025

Rehabilitation isn’t simply about “strengthening muscles".

At Physio Fundamentals, rehab is about retraining the nervous system so your body can move, feel, and function better.

Effective rehab targets not just the injured structures, but also the nervous system, helping to reduce pain, restore control, and support recovery. Techniques like graded exposure are designed to gradually retrain the nervous system, allowing your body to regain confidence in movement.

In many cases, progress depends less on the muscle itself and more on how well your nervous system can reorganise, adapt, and restore function. By focusing on this, rehab becomes about long-term recovery, not just short-term fixes.

Rehab that works with your body, not against it, creates lasting results.

04/10/2025

Joy is more than a feeling—it’s anti-inflammatory. Laughter, play, connection… they calm the nervous system and lower stress chemistry.

If you’re looking for one small thing to support healing today, let it be something that makes you smile.

03/10/2025

Many people don’t realise just how fundamental your breath is, not only during exercise, but in everyday life.

The way you breathe has a profound impact on your body. It influences your:

Posture / Biomechanics & movement / Muscle tension / Pain levels / Recovery from injury / Energy & fatigue / Sense of calm and wellbeing

In short, it affects everything.

At Physio Fundamentals, breath work isn’t just a relaxation tool. It’s a practical, powerful way to help improve biomechanics, recover from injury, reduce stress and manage pain.

I offer both in-person and online movement, breathing pattern + nervous system assessment & treatment.

Ready to reconnect with your body?

29/08/2025

🎙️ New Podcast Episode: A Physician Too Disabled to Work

Dr Hollander's pain and disability grew worse for eight years until she was forced to quit work. Then she found the neuroplastic approach and had an "Aha moment" that transformed her medical practice, her pain, and her life.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/yY9nT0gy3yI?si=Sle4f1DAGg83pWSm

13/08/2025

💡 When we experience pain or symptoms, we tend to believe we are physically damaged.

⚠️ We are evolutionarily wired to connect the dots in this way so that we can protect ourselves from possible harm.

☑️ Any time we experience new symptoms, it’s very important to check with our doctor whether a structural problem or illness is the cause.

🌱 But neuroscience shows that many chronic symptoms are in fact rooted in nervous system dysregulation…

⚡ In our stress, overwhelm, trauma, unprocessed emotions, pressure (including self-imposed pressures) that can keep us stuck in survival mode - and result in a deep sense of danger felt in the nervous system.

🚨 Symptoms are a warning that the danger level in the brain is too high.

🎓 And because our brains are so good at learning, our symptoms can become a learnt response to that sense of danger, sustained by learnt neural pathways.

🔥 Our naturally fearful responses to our symptoms communicate further danger to the brain and unintentionally fuel their fire.

🌻 But the very positive news is that symptoms rooted in nervous system dysregulation are REVERSIBLE.

✨We can reduce & resolve neuroplastic/mind-body symptoms by:
- soothing & regulating the nervous system
- re-training the brain (away from fear and focus on symptoms)
- nurturing a felt sense of safety in the body
- becoming aware of and processing our emotions
- taking steps to better manage stress and lower the danger level in the brain
- learning to live in a way that nourishes the nervous system

🌈 Recovery is entirely possible.

08/07/2025

What if, today, healing your chronic neuroplastic symptoms feels like climbing a mountain?

You feel overwhelmed by the journey ahead.

Burnt out by all the trying to heal.

Not sure what to do next … which expert advice to follow … which recovery tool to use.

Meet yourself where you are. Extend yourself the deepest compassion. And focus on one small thing you can do to make yourself feel safer.

For the next few minutes.

Next hour.

Over the coming days and week.

Maybe that’s…
💙 getting outside to feel sunlight on your skin
💙 a hug
💙 gentle movement
💙 a guided meditation or breathwork practice
💙 slowing things down
💙 taking something off your to-do list
💙 making time for a favorite activity
💙 setting a boundary
💙 voicing your no

Chronic neuroplastic symptoms are rooted in nervous system dysregulation and are fuelled by any sense of danger or fear.

And so ... every small step towards safety counts.

Every small step towards safety is healing.

07/07/2025

Exciting article in the NY Times!

A must read for people struggling with chronic pain or symptoms. Take the self-assessment quiz - it might help you to understand what's driving your symptoms?

Besides pain, a person might experience fatigue, digestive issues and headaches.

17/06/2025

03/06/2025

More SIRPA inspiration!

For patient success stories - click on this link https://www.sirpa.org/success-stories/

My first reflections after an excellent day SIRPA UK conference. There is a new rigour in Mind-Body approach. It feels like we are enhancing our healthcare capabilities….. offering new hope of recovery for conditions that traditionally we’ve told people ‘you’ll just have to live with it’ -...

03/06/2025

Some incredibly inspiring speakers this year at the SIRPA conference! A new era of HOPE to those struggling with chronic (neuroplastic) symptoms and pain.

22/04/2025

Do you, or someone you care about, live with chronic or persistent pain?

Now think about how many of those people also deal with things like anxiety, fatigue, dizziness, digestive or bladder issues—or even long COVID.

And of those people… how many truly feel understood, heard, or supported by their healthcare providers?

If this feels familiar, you’re not alone—and there is hope.
That’s why I’m excited to share the upcoming SIRPA Conference: "Chronic Conditions: Beyond the Pain".

This event brings together world-leading experts, ground-breaking research, and real-world solutions that are changing the way we understand and heal chronic pain. Whether you’re living with persistent symptoms, supporting a loved one, or working in healthcare, this conference offers powerful insights and practical information to help people truly recover.

You deserve to be seen, heard, and supported.
Learn more and register here:

SIRPA provides a cutting edge approach to help with chronic pain as well as other persistent symptoms, doing more than just learning to live with it. There are many different types of pain including; RSI, persistent back pain, general chronic pain, sciatica etc.