14/04/2023
I'd like to share this story from one of my patients who attended the clinic nearly two years ago. It's a fantastic tale of success and highlights the power our words hold. Well done to Pamela for achieving her goals and we wish all the best in her upcoming Ironman.
"Hi Andrew, I hope you are well.
You may not remember me. I came to the clinic a few times in Sept/Oct 2021 while staying with my mum. My children, husband and I live in Vietnam but were spending some months with my mum during the hardest of he pandemic lock downs in Vietnam. I came to the clinic with awful lower back pain/tightness/spasm and terrible pain across by hips and back.
After numerous physios here telling me what was wrong and all the things I could not do, it had got very bad. I also believe it was also exacerbated by stress of the situation we were in too. However, you advised that there was nothing mechanically wrong, it was soft tissue pain, explained that there could be some old muscle memory of trauma (i have herniated a disc twice) that was affecting how I was feeling but that another factor was my mindset - belief that I couldn't do things without fear of it causing pain and further spasms/injury. You also said the one thing you could tell me to do that would alleviate my symptoms would be to run - and I burst into tears at the idea of it because i was in so much pain. You reassured me that the pain wouldn't be bad pain and it wouldn't be causing damage. But ultimately by running i would be getting everything moving / loose in the right way.
It all took me some time to process but I followed the exercises you gave me and whilst doing them reassured to myself that they would not cause damage, my body could do everything it just needed reminded how etc and I also started the couch to 5K, as you suggested. At the time I literally remember shuffling up and down my mums lane visualising all the tightness and pain loosening off!
Anyway, the reason I am messaging is because i want to share with you some major achievements. The children and I returned to Vietnam Dec 2021, and I continued running, and in April 2022 I took part in my first Sprint triathlon (750m Swim / 20km Cycle / 5km run), and then in Oct 2022 I completed in my first Olympic distance triathlon (1.5km swim / 40km cycle / 10km run) and although I am not fast, I was strong and determined and I am so proud of what I achieved. I have run a number of 10km races in HCMC and this year I am training for a 21km run - actually as part of an Ironman 70.3 team in May 2023. I have never run 21km but am up to 16km. I am slow. 2hrs for 16km so far, but every time I run I wake up feeling much more comfortable. If I don't run I really feel the difference. I am currently studying masters level PGCEi and working, so training is limited, and this week as an example I haven't exercised for 5 days in a row (work, study deadline, kids etc) and I can really feel how tight and painful my lower back is. A sign i need to get out for a run!!!
I know this is coming 18 months since we met, and we only had a couple of appointments, but I have frequently thought about messaging you to let you know the difference you made to me. You really helped challenge my mindset and shift my perspective and I honestly don't think I would have embarked upon any of these challenges before I met you and before I shifted my thinking.
So really I just wanted to share a success story, and thank you for the part you played.
I hope you are well, and your little one, who will now be a toddler, is happy and healthy running rings around mummy and daddy!
Thanks again
Pamela"
