“It’s been a complete game changer. I can honestly say that I have not had any problems with my back since I started seeing Ophelia”
Caring for my son Oscar, who has complex physical and learning disabilities, involves lifting him in and out of car seats, pushchairs, shower seats - not to mention the day to day care of washing, dressing or just getting him around the house. Inevitably I put my back under a lot of strain on a regular basis. I used to put my constant back stiffness down to being part and parcel of the job, and just carried on with it all in my usual way. I would go and see an osteopath or chiropractor when the pain got particularly bad, and that would help for a while, but it would never solve it for good.
When I got the excruciating back pain of a bulging disc for the second time, leaving me unable to care for Oscar as I could not even walk properly, I finally realised that I had to do something different. I needed to look after my own physical fitness and back strength so I could continue to safely look after Oscar.
I’ve always thought of myself as being reasonably fit, but I’ve never been big on regular exercise, so finding a personal trainer felt a little unusual to put it bluntly! However, after some searching online I discovered Ophelia‘s personal training and saw that she was a specialist in lower back rehabilitation, which was exactly what I needed. I went to see Ophelia for an initial consultation and she explained all about the McGill technique and finding my pain triggers. How making small changes in my physical position when I am caring for Oscar could make all the difference to how my back feels. The more I heard, the more sense it made to me. It was a win-win situation - getting fitter and stronger, whilst really focusing on my back and core strength.
The techniques from the McGill method have been such a positive influence on the way I manage lifting and caring for Oscar, and I have to say I never thought I would enjoy strength training and physical fitness as much as I do now! Don’t get me wrong, Ophelia works me really hard and the exercises can be tough, but every single time I leave a session I feel so strong. I feel taller and fitter and I know I have the tools I need to really think about the way I manage my day-to-day physical requirements.
I’ve now been seeing Ophelia for around three years. She has been lovely to work with and so patient and understanding about my individual needs. She explains all the exercises really clearly and shows how just a slight posture change can make all the difference. For me, it’s been a complete game changer. I can honestly say that I have not had any problems with my back since I started seeing Ophelia and making the changes with my physical posture at home. Considering Oscar is now a teenager and so much taller and heavier than he was three years ago, I think that is pretty amazing!
