In my teens I suffered a nasty fall from my horse which broke my pelvis in 2 places. Everything healed but not quite correctly. Gradually over the years my pelvis gave me ever increasing back pain to a point where I struggled without painkillers every day.

Despite being a sporty person all my life I completely shied away from gyms as I saw them as places to ‘bulk up’ but I knew I needed to do something otherwise I was going to be on painkillers the rest of my life. I took a deep breath and I went for an assessment. I am beyond glad I did.

I met coaches who were confident they could help me and almost seemed to relish the challenge my ‘wonkiness’ set. I was helped to understand my injury, its affects and how to train with it; with my coaches’ guidance I worked through my programs and my pain started to recede. This drove me to turn up even on the days when the sofa seemed much more appealing and I suddenly found I enjoyed the gym; it was my own bubble where I just got to focus on myself.

I am now rid of the back pain and off the painkillers. I feel stronger, fitter, more capable and mentally tougher; plus, I discovered it’s one of the best medicines for a bad or stressful day. It is a decision I will be forever thankful I made, and I am grateful to people who helped me get here; it has given me back my joy of riding and it has helped me ride better than ever.