Take good care of yourself with Vale Life’s guide to healthcare in the Vale

HEALTH & WELLBEING

BARRY
Return to health with Return 2 Health

My guess is that we've spent most of the winter months hunched up indoors as the cold outdoor weather has left many of us feeling miserable and tense in our attempt to remain warm. The good news is that spring is upon us and at this time of year we want to return to health so that we can enjoy this new outdoor freedom.

Much like a car, our bodies need to be serviced regularly and not just when we are in pain. Good mobility, posture and a pain-free body is dependent on a healthy spine, muscles, joints and bones, so it makes sense to give ourselves a regular health check to make sure we're in tip-top condition. We caught up with Vanessa Kelly, registered Chiropractic Practitioner and owner of Return 2 Health.

Tell us about your new premises.
We moved to our current premises in this lovely cobbled courtyard last April but have been in Barry since 2003, previously at Tynewydd Road and Wyndham Street.

What services do you offer?
Apart from chiropractic care we offer sports massage and rehabilitation services from our on-site qualified personal fitness trainer, Mark Kelly.

What's the difference between a chiropractor and an osteopath?
People often confuse the two! Osteopathy and Chiropractic share a common philosophy about the importance of the spine in ensuring good health. There are similarities in that both professions offer 'hands-on' treatments and are regulated by law. Some people prefer Chiropractic treatment, whilst others benefit from osteopathy. Chiropractic helps with conditions mainly concerning the spine and surrounding muscles, such as low back and neck pain, whiplash injuries, and also pain in the shoulders or knees. Chiropractors in the UK must be regeistered with the General Chiro - practic Council in order to practice. We are governed by strict guidelines and aim to maintain high standards of professional care to our patients.

What ages do you treat?
A variety, our youngest having been twelve weeks old and our oldest 100 years. As we are all so different each person is assessed and examined before setting up a specified treatment plan for their individual needs.

What are your qualifications?
I graduated in 2001 from the University of Glamorgan following a four year fulltime degree course. When I began in practice I completed a post registration training scheme over a further twelve months. Prior to that I was a qualified registered general nurse mainly specialising in intensive care nursing.

You're also a teacher - what does that involve?
I'm a Clinical Floor Tutor at the University of Glamorgan supervising fourth year Chiropractic students who are in their final year of study. I love this part of my work as it enables me to give something back and to help students prepare for their professional lives.

Do you have any advice for readers?
Our bodies were not built to sit at a desk for eight hours a day, or to drive for long periods or conduct many of the daily repetitive tasks that we do. Therefore it is imperative for the health of our spines to take regular breaks from the desk and when on car journeys, but most importantly to exercise and strive to keep our bodies healthy.

Return 2 Health The Stables, Castleland Street Barry CF63 4LL 01446 740002 www.r2hcc.com