I have been coming to see Hanne Krogsgaard-Nielsen for over fifteen years now and feel extremely fortunate that I found her.
I arrived at her practice after collapsing at home with excruciating back pain, my spine felt completely disjointed from my legs and to try and walk, let alone stand up straight was terrifying – and I was only 35. My husband found Hanne’s telephone number in the yellow pages and managed to get me in the car to see her. I hobbled into her practice on a stick, bent over and feeling like a 90 year old and in a lot of pain. Hanne was gentle, reassuring and although I felt that I hadn’t been with her that long a session, I was amazed to find that I could walk out straighter and without the stick. She told me it would take quite a few sessions to get me back to where I was, and more, but I had to put my trust and care into her capable hands and to follow her advice. I saw her 3 times that week, then a couple of times the following week until I got to see her once a week and then monthly. I had damaged my spine with my long term bad posture, carrying heavy school bags, childhood accidents, carrying my children everywhere, moving large pieces of furniture as I couldn’t wait for others to do it…all those bad habits that you pick up along the way…and to top it all I had just started a small gardening business that consisted of four hours a week to fit around my children’s school time. I felt that the future now was going to be very different and I would be of no physical use to anyone. Fifteen years later of Hanne’s healing hands and her gentle reminder, I work 20 hours a week in my gardens, I think before I move my back in any situation, I wear a scarf when its is cold and windy, I keep my back warm and secure, I have been going to Pilates once a week, on Hanne’s advice, for six years AND I go to see Hanne once a month for maintenance that keeps me in tip top condition. She continually teaches me, reminds me and helps me when I have another episode, but the fact that I can still work and carry on doing what I love, I am absolutely blessed. I do feel the odd tweaks and always over do it once and a while, who doesn’t?, but I am able to care for myself at home, remembering all that she has taught me, get the ice pack out, potter about, do gentle stretching, and generally within a day or two I am back to normal. I always listen to my back now, but I don’t let it control my life…I control it!
Candy Rowe, Gardener, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex