I grew up in an era where people put up with their injuries and pushed through the pain. It wasn’t until I lost complete functioning of my left arm and hand I was forced to seek help. A chiropractor told me when I was 26 my body was slowly destroying me after I had weekly visits seeking to elevate chronic pain such as sever headaches, shoulder bursitis, wrist carpel tunnel and shoulder and hand tendon bursitis and lower back pain. X-rays showed problems with C1, C6-C7, T2, T6, L5.
    Rock bottom was 2017 saw me tear my left calf (list dimensions) and soleus muscle. The calf kept retearing with my rehab causing sever knee pain, hamstring and lower back pain. I was reduced to crutches and then a wheelchair. As I was a single mum, I was told had to stay alert so mild pain relief medicine was only prescribed. I was told I would never run again and to take up swimming, and that I would most likely limp the rest of my life. I was determined to get out of pain and restore my movement. I saw a physio numerous times a week under Workcover until 10 months later I was able to manage to walk again. But this was only if I stretched and used foam rollers 3-4 times a day or my leg muscles would cease and I would start to limp again. I sort out a PT at a gym to learn how to utilise macros to grow and build muscle to get out of pain. I became an example at my local gym in how consistent training and diet produced fast muscle growth. I started physique training and Crossfit to build muscle. My diet was on point. I was shown how to grow muscle patches and use compensation muscle, avoiding the weak and damaged areas. Yet I still was unable to regain complete functioning of my left leg nor lower back. My neck and headaches still plagued me. As I started using heavier weights my hand tendonitis got worse, and my shoulder painful and numbness of my hand returned.

     During a physio session I was told about Functional Patterns and how it may be the answer. By chance FP Gold Coast had just opened and booked in to see Shannon Hegarty. I was told to stop all forms of training which mentally challenged me. People I was training with at the gym at the time were in full comp mode training and started having sever back and spine pain and injuries yet pushed through for the sake of the achieving the right physique. Shannon told me instead of working around injuries we would get to the root cause and train with the intension to restore my strength and movement. At the time I was recovering from chronic stress illness only sleeping 4-5 hours of broken sleep a night. I was shown how various therapies such as light hygiene, circadian rhythm and movement based on walking, running and throwing help restore homeostasis.

     Today I able to sleep 7 hours easily, my pain is virtually gone. I owe a better quality of life to both Shannon Hegarty and Functional Patterns. I am excited to continue down the path of Functional Patterns as I learn to optimise my movement. I am passionate in learning and progressing my knowledge while helping other achieve the same. Restoring quality of life.

    Ongoing and relapse of injuries before FP:
Prolapse Uterus and Prolapsed Bladder (childbirth) incontinence; Shoulder Bursitis; Wrist and Hand Tendonitis; Chronic knee pain; Unable to sleep on left shoulder nor back due to pain; Chronic lower back pain; Chronic Cervical pain; Chronic Rib Chest pain hindering breathing.