About me

I am a 41-year-old woman working in the legal profession. My job involves spending a lot of time sitting at a computer. Outside of work, I enjoy playing tennis, weight training, hiking, and taking part in pub quizzes.

The problem before treatment

Approximately five years ago, I sustained an injury to my right arm while using a squat rack during strength training. This resulted in a trapped nerve running from my neck, through my right shoulder, and down into my fingers.

The pain caused extreme discomfort when turning my head and significantly affected my posture at work. I was unable to continue playing tennis or training at the gym as I had before, which was both physically and emotionally challenging.

Everyday activities such as driving became uncomfortable, and I began overusing my left side, which then also became sore. I experienced frequent sleepless nights and struggled to find a comfortable position.

What made me seek help

After trying various self-managed treatments including massage, pain medication, stretching, and online acupuncture videos without success, I realised I wasn’t addressing the root cause of the problem.

A colleague recommended physiotherapy as a longer-term solution rather than a temporary fix and suggested Surrey Physio. I contacted the clinic and was impressed by the quick availability and flexibility around my working hours.

My treatment and rehabilitation journey

From my first appointment, the physiotherapist took the time to understand my symptoms and explain what they believed was causing the issue.

I was given a tailored exercise programme to complete at home and shown exactly how to perform each movement. Gentle hands-on treatment was used during appointments to keep the area mobile without aggravating symptoms.

The focus was strongly on rehabilitation through movement and stretching, with clear explanations of why consistency was so important. Although I wasn’t fully consistent in the first couple of weeks, I began to notice a significant improvement after around three weeks.

Within nine weeks, the pain had completely resolved, the nerve symptoms disappeared, and my range of movement was fully restored.

The results and progress

After nine weeks of rehabilitation, I was pain-free and no longer experienced nerve-related symptoms. My posture improved, my sleep returned to normal, and I felt confident moving again.

Where I am now

I have returned to tennis and strength training, and I have since taken up golf as a new activity. The injury has not reoccurred, and when I occasionally feel mild soreness, I use the exercises I was taught as a preventative measure.

My message to others

The rehabilitation exercises genuinely work if you commit to them. I now use the same approach whenever I feel a twinge elsewhere and know that putting the work in makes all the difference.

Thank you for holding me accountable and helping me get back to doing what I love.

Kind regards,

Danielle