"I can remember in the early part of 2023, I started feeling sporadic mild pain in my groin area that sometimes spread to my right side (in and around the hip and lower back) and at first I just thought whatever it was would pass in time. During this period I was also training for my 3rd marathon so part of my mindset was just thinking it was recovery pain. 

As the year progressed and after my marathon, I started to feel more frequent pain in all the areas before, but especially in my lower back but mostly on the right side. I decided to get this checked out and following an MRI and meeting with a consultant I was diagnosed with some disc degeneration from L5 through to L3, an annular disc tear between L5 and L4 and early facet degeneration between L4/L5 - happy days. 

The consultant stated that my condition was simply contributed to doing sports and wear and tear that comes with aging. He smiled and said we are the same age and looking at my scan was just like looking at his. The condition is not serious enough to warrant the significant risk associated with spinal surgery and the only recommendation was Pilates. I was like what the hell is Pilates.

Following this, whilst still digesting the diagnosis, I searched for Pilates classes to begin this new journey and what that would bring. At the time I was 44 and thinking is this just going to get worse and I’ve hopefully still got a long live ahead of me, a long time to be in pain. 

I first met Emma in October 2023 when I had my first consultation to explain my diagnosis and what could she do for me. This was the start to of my true rebuild, which at the time I didn’t appreciate or understand what the true impact would be. I guess when you’re in pain and you’re future PT is so positive and telling you we can fix this, there is alway going to be a natural bit of scepticism or doubt.  

Most of my life I’ve done some form of exercise including running, road cycling or lifting weights. One area of my body I’ve always neglected is my core, I’ll do my core later and then never do. What I didn’t realise, until I started working with Emma, was how much extra load I was putting on my spine and how out of alignment I was. 

After almost 2 years of an ongoing journey working with Emma and with what I’ve learned so far, I wish I started this when I was in my teens and never stopped. 

Yes, I am strong in individual areas of my body, but my core wasn’t. Pilates is honestly the hardest, but most rewarding, form of exercise on earth. It binds the body together like many ends of a steel rope (all individually strong) coming from all your limbs and torso converging into a massive knot wielded at your core, this is what holds the whole body together, this is what creates real power and belief like never before.

People will always wonder what the difference is between going to a class or working with a one-to-one PT. In my experience, it’s the ability to have that dedication focus and attention and detail on you, which can be lost in a class. Emma never misses anything or any little mistake, her attention to detail, and the precision of each movement is just so important. For me, when you consider the two forms, mat based or reformer, mat based is just so exhaustingly technical (chin to chest/ shoulder/ pelvis/ ankles/ ribs etc…) those word prompts, and many more, ring in my head all the time. I’ve never had to concentrate as hard in all my life and that’s because there is only one way, the right way. Reformer is good too and again still requires the technical application but allows the body to be worked differently, for me it allows more support and isolation whereas mat based you need to hold everything together all at once, at least that’s how I visualise it. 

So let’s go from October 2023 to the present day, almost 2 years. Where am I now from that very first consultation meeting with Emma. Well, I hope I’m a bit better at Pilates (still such a long way to go) my core is stronger and more importantly I do not have any pain. I took control found the right PT classes with Emma and with her believe and guidance it’s been a massively positive impact on my mind and body, there is never any doubt in her mind we can fix this. I know, the hard work will never stop and sometimes I’m asked: if you don’t have any pain why do you keep doing it. Well, if I stop I’ll regress and the pain will return - we are all a work in progress. Pilates is like anything in life, you need to turn up everyday and make it count, our body will never stops changing and evolving and that’s what I’ll keep doing it."