Making the decision to transform yourself through regular exercise, a healthy diet and a commitment to mental wellbeing is no small task. But for Laura Storey it was the start of a journey that transformed her into a regular runner and inspired her to set up Jersey leading women’s running club, Jersey Girls Run.
Little did Laura realise that this transformation was only the start of her journey as repeated injury looked to threaten all that she’d worked so hard for. After a period of uncertainty, Laura is now back on track thanks to Jersey Sports and Spinal Clinic (JSSC) and eager to share what she’s learnt about the importance of physiotherapy in a runner’s life.
Within the space of nine months Laura’s decision to embrace running saw her shed a staggering 4 ½ stone and revolutionise her fitness and exercise regime. She became so passionate about running and its positive effects that she took her qualification to become a running coach and established Jersey Girls Run, specifically aimed at introducing women to running in a friendly, supportive and social environment. What Laura wasn’t aware of was that her body wasn’t prepared to cope with the increased mileage she was committing to, resulting in weak glutes and problems with her hips and IT bands. Eventually this stopped Laura running.
A sharp change in lifestyle impacted Laura’s body greatly and led her to visit chiropractors before she was introduced to Lisa Mann at JSSC. “My chiropractor was able to identify and treat nerve damage on my hip and my pelvis that was out of alignment, but these were very much symptoms of my problem and didn’t address the cause,” Laura explained. It was with tears of relief when Laura found the root of her problems with the assistance of Lisa Mann who quickly gave Laura some strength and conditioning exercises that would allow her to cope with her new lifestyle. “I can’t thank Lisa and JSSC enough for what they’ve done for me, I was ready to give up hope and give up running!”
“We see so many people who have been to other practitioners and not got the result they needed. People have the opinion that physiotherapy is there to put you back together, but we would much rather consult with people before injury hits in order to prevent this,” Lisa advises. It is for precisely this reason that JSSC are launching their Running Clinic, giving runners of all ability the tools to get the most from their bodies whilst remaining injury free.
Laura takes a value lesson learnt from her experience, one that she can pass on to members of her club in a similar position. She now understands that for any athlete physiotherapy should form a necessary part of their lives, one that adds great value. JSSC has allowed Laura to not only continue running, but to build upon the success of Jersey Girls Run keeping runners on track to make their goals. “It takes incredible bravery for a lot of these women to embrace running, I would hate to see them give up because of niggles that could have been easily prevented.”
Hitting her personal best at the last Park Run, Laura is now back doing she does best, making hers and other’s dreams come true, thanks to the advice and assistance of JSSC.