A fitness fanatic from Aberdeen has changed her life with a new exercise programme.
Chrissy Tailor, 24, had been fit and active throughout her life and was passionate about cycling and anything that involved being outdoors and gave an adrenalin rush.
Then she started to experience severe pain around her shoulder blades and struggled to sit on a bike for more than 20 minutes at a time.
Chrissy became extremely concerned about the sudden onset of pain and decided to make an appointment with the family GP. Unfortunately, the news was not what she was expecting and Chrissy was diagnosed with a severe curve in her spine, a condition commonly known as scoliosis.
Scoliosis causes the spine to curve sideways excessively. The condition affects more than 4% of the population and, if left untreated, can lead to fatal heart and lung problems.
Current treatment in this country is to wait until the curve becomes so severe that the only option left is to operate. The operation is an incredibly risky procedure that involves the insertion of metal rods either side of the spine – before the spine is fused solid.
From the initial diagnosis, Chrissy’s life was thrown into turmoil. She had always been physically fit and well and now she was spending more time in hospital than out.
Chrissy had been told she should try to keep up the exercise she was doing as it would help strengthen the muscles surrounding her spine. She was also encouraged to continue seeing an osteopath, who gave her short-term relief from her back pain.
Chrissy was terrified. She had gone from being perfectly healthy and living life to the full to being constantly worried about her back and worried about moving even slightly too fast.
It was around this point – when her social life had reduced to next to nothing and her confidence had decreased dramatically – that she decided to search for an alternative treatment.
Chrissy wanted to find something that could help her manage her condition in the long term. She found it extremely difficult having to face going to work and getting on with normal activities wondering when her next episode of extreme pain would start.
It was then that she found Scoliosis SOS.
Founded and run by Erika Maude, who has scoliosis herself, the clinic opened seven years ago and has since brought relief to hundreds of sufferers.
It is located in central London and is the only clinic in the world to offer treatment following the ScolioGold method, which is the combination of internationally renowned non-surgical treatments that have been practised separately in Europe for several decades.
Chrissy had never felt so relieved in her life; she had finally found something that could help to get her pain under control. So after an initial consultation and a quick look at other patients exercising, the next thing she wanted to know was how quickly she could start the treatment. Chrissy was told she could have a place on the next course because a patient had postponed.
Logistically this proved difficult for Chrissy as she had to make arrangements at work and she also had to cancel anything else she had on. However, she knew that making the time available now would put her back in control of her condition and allow her to start living life to the full again.
Following a four-week course of treatment, Chrissy achieved results she could only have dreamt of. Her cosmetic appearance changed completely and her confidence soared.
These were great improvements but what astounded Chrissy was that her pain had vanished. The constant, agonising pain that controlled her when she went out and dictated whether she could or could not exercise had disappeared.
Initially, Chrissy was convinced that her pain would return and that the results may be short lived, similar to the way the osteopath had made promises that he just could not keep.
Despite her doubts, this did not happen and, three months on, Chrissy is feeling fit and healthy and is looking forward to the warmer weather, when she will be able to go for long cycle rides. She is also looking into entering into some cycling competitions next year.
Chrissy’s lung capacity immediately improved, which meant she had more energy and she now feels like a transformed woman.
“I am still in shock at the results I have achieved,” she said. “I was pretty desperate by the time I decided to try this exercise programme. I knew that I needed to strengthen my muscles but I did not know that I would be able to change my life in the way I have. I thought that I would have to put up with the pain for ever.
“I look different, I feel different and I have met some of the most supportive, understanding people you could ever meet. I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so that I can get back to doing some really long cycle rides – something that was completely impossible in the summer just gone!”