I attended Graham Anderson’s ‘Balance’ Physiotherapy Clinic following a consultation with a specialist knee surgeon in January 2014.

My right knee was injured playing sport when I was 28 years of age and over the years the knee has deteriorated to the extent that my surgeon wants me to have a new knee fitted.

Due to the fact that at 62 I still lead a very active lifestyle, a new knee would inhibit me from enjoying some of my favourite activities, namely – swing dancing, cross-country skiing and the gym.  Swing Dancing (or Lindyhop) is a fast and energetic dance requiring quite a lot of mobility in the joints, so a new knee would hinder or reduce my capabilities in that arena.

I chose to try a more conservative treatment and hence my visit to eminent knee specialist, Graham Anderson at Balance.

After 32 years of suffering from knee pain (often quite acute) I arrived at Balance with a very under developed right leg.  I could only ‘squat’ to about 20 degrees.

After an initial consultation and examination, Graham started me off with some simple but tiring leg exercises which I had to do every day.  At first,  I struggled with some of them even though they were easy enough to look at.  Gradually, each week or fortnight, new exercises were added and I began to notice an improvement after about 6 weeks or so.  The improvement was in general stability around the knee and my hamstring began to develop as well.  Pain also lessened each week.  By about month six I was able to squat to a full 90 degrees on one leg.

After 6 months, Graham said that there was little more he could do as I now had achieved greater flexibility and mobility in the knee and was almost pain-free.  He suggested that if I still wished to continue my active lifestyle, I should consider additional strength and flexibility training with one of his physical trainers at Balance.

Graham recommended Sabina Skala – a weight-training expert and trainer to professional MMA fighters into the bargain.  Graham forewarned me not to be fooled by Sabina’s appearance – blonde, 55 kgs, lean, fit – as, in his words, “she’ll kill you”! I have to say that he wasn’t far out.

Each session can only be described as ‘exquisite pain’ and I quite often have to lie down for an hour when I get home afterwards.

Sabina started me off by testing my flexibility, mobility and core strength and from this she was able to assess my capabilities and starting off point.  She also asked me what I wanted to achieve. Together we would go through 50 minute sessions of strength training including a cardio’ session.

Training includes squats, deadlifts, kettlebell ‘man-makers’ (yes, I know), pull-ups, step-ups, a whole heap of body-weight exercises and rowing.Each session is written down and I have to carry out that program several times a week until the next session and bring a recorded progress report.

When I started, my squat was just 40kgs but now I’m up to 90kgs (5kgs more than my body weight).  My deadlift was 50kgs and now I’m up to 120kgs.  I’m aiming for 1.5 times my body weight for each discipline within the next 6 months. I go right down to my heels with these weights which is something I never dreamed I could do.

Sabina, like Graham, has always been careful to increase the load only gradually so as not to cause any further damage to the knee or to cause any other injury to the body.  To keep me interested and guessing, she always throws in some new exercise at each session.  I like this variety to my training.

I’m delighted to say that after 18 months attending Balance, I feel like a new man.  At times I feel as though I could leap over a house or pull on an Irish rugby jersey and run out on Landsdowne Road.  My injured leg is more stable than it has ever been and I’m virtually pain-free most days.  Yes, I still get an odd ‘twinge’ on damp days but that’s arthritis for you.  The main thing is that I continue to lead an extremely active life. I swim, dance, cycle, dance, walk lots, dance, lift weights, dance, row and (did I mention it?) – dance!

Balance Physiotherapy has changed my life!

James Phillips

Swing dancer and fitness enthusiast.