I always played a lot of sports when I was young; gymnastics, swimming, hockey and horse-riding. I started college at 18 and quite abruptly stopped participating in any type of sport. I took an aerobics lesson now and again, but that didn't really count as sport. My lower back symptoms started at that moment. I went all over the place: many (sport) physiotherapists, Mensendieck, Cesar therapy, orthopaedic specialists and X-ray photos. Nobody could find the cause. Conclusions such as I had been "cooked wrong", your "3rd and 4th vertebrae don't rotate", scoliosis and slight arthrosis were supposed to explain my symptoms. Various therapies including braces to strengthen my lower back didn't help and did nothing to reduce my symptoms. I had my first child when I was 26 and almost immediately started to suffer from considerable pelvic instability, luckily I got to see a recognised pelvic therapist (Cecile Röst). The symptoms became progressively worse during my 2nd and 3rd pregnancies until I could hardly walk.
As the children grew older and the pregnancy hormones really should have left my body, the symptoms became worse. I also suffered from other joint problems, tingling in my hands and feet, strength loss and, moreover, I was very tired...
I went to the Maartens Clinic because I had had enough of doctors who concentrated on their own specialist fields without looking at the whole picture. Hypermobility Syndrome was diagnosed there for the first time. Unfortunately they could not help me further so I started to search the internet and found Bugnet therapy via a forum. Happily it didn't take long before the intake, examination and treatment. And the therapy helped! All be it by trial and error and with a large dose of perseverance, I found a way to come to terms with my body. I have learned how to respond to signals from my body and I am able to anticipate them better. The basis will always be maintaining the stability of my whole body and I notice the effect immediately if I don't do enough. I make an appointment to see a physiotherapist now and again. I also benefit greatly from the Slender You toning tables, supplemented by exercises on the crosstrainer, the rowing machine and the bicycle. The vibrations from the tables have a positive effect on my circulation. (Editor's comment: the effects of Slender You on HMS have not been investigated). My 'morning gymnastics' include two stabilisation exercises according to Bugnet. I apply the stability principles in my work, at home and while participating in sport, which I do 2 or 3 times a week. I have become more aware of my body and I have been looking for ways to cope with it and to get more energy.
All thanks to the Bugnet principles and, in particularly, good supervision from the physiotherapist!!
Rosa, April 2014