Chiropractic Awareness Week 2026

"One patient I’ll never forget was a full-time carer for a very unwell partner. They came in with significant shoulder pain, which had reached the point where it was beginning to interfere with the day-to-day tasks required to support their partner. What stood out immediately, however, wasn’t just the physical discomfort, it was how they spoke about themselves.

They described, very simply, that over the past few years they had consistently put their partner’s needs ahead of their own, and in doing so had largely neglected their own health. There was no resentment or frustration in how they said it, just a quiet acceptance, but it was clear how much it had taken out of them.

By the time they sought help, the pain had started to dominate their daily life. We began care and started working through a plan tailored to their needs. During the early stages of care, there was a noticeable shift. They seemed to make a clear decision that they were no longer willing to let the pain dictate what they could and could not do.

From that point on, they approached their recovery with real determination. Over time, their symptoms improved, but just as importantly, so did their confidence in managing their own health. 

What has stayed with me from this case is not just the physical improvement, but that turning point, where took back control of their situation. That sense of determination, after such a long period of putting themselves second, was genuinely striking and has stayed with me since."

"One particular patient comes to mind, a 57 year old lady who presented with two walking sticks, poor balance and a 10-year history of persistent pain. She was obese and one of her concerns was, what she called, her dowagers hump. 

I explained that this was due to years of walking with sticks and poor posture and gave her exercises and ergonomic advice which helped over the coming weeks. Her lumbar pain improved quite quickly but she kept referring to her wobbly, painful legs particularly when walking. On further questioning she informed me that she had been using a mobility scooter for years. 

We came up with a walking program starting with walking for 10 minutes in the living room a few times a day, followed by short walks outside increasing the distance each week. After 3 months she was able to walk 2 miles without aid.

9 months later, she has lost 4½ stone, has booked a walking holiday and sold her mobility scooter."

"I remember a patient many years ago, referred by a GP to me for management of sciatica. A few things just didn't add up in the initial examination, and I opted to send the patient back to the GP, querying causes of the pain related to the blood vessels. The GP was confident it was nerve-related, so sent the patient back to me, but I stuck to my guns as the signs/symptoms did not fit with a standard sciatica presentation.

The patient's GP eventually agreed to send them for a scan, which revealed the large artery in the thigh was 75% blocked by clotting. The patient had surgery and, after a period of rehab, felt much better. They thanked me for saving their life, which has stuck with me to this day - the importance of advocating for our patients in a complex medical world."

"One case that has stayed with me for years involved a patient repeatedly admitted to hospital with suspected cardiac symptoms – severe chest pain and breathlessness, yet normal test results. By the time she came to see me, she was living with significant anxiety alongside the physical symptoms – she had even rewritten her will. The cause was musculoskeletal, and once treated, her pain improved quickly, along with the sense of uncertainty she had been carrying."