WHAT CAN CHIROPRACTIC HELP WITH?

The most common problems people seek chiropractic care for are headaches and migraines, neck pain, rib problems, low back pain including disc / sciatica problems and for poor posture. Many of our clients experience major improvements in their health under chiropractic care and are able to manage other health problems far easier, including less need for medication such as asthma puffers.

HOW DOES CHIROPRACTIC WORK?

Put simply, we help the body by relieving pressure off nerves so that your symptoms reduce, and your body heals better. Research tells us that most back problems are cumulative stresses when ultimately an event causes the release of tension and presentation of your symptoms. Your aches and pains are your body saying 'HELP!'

Chiropractic adjustments restore normal joint function by unsticking spinal joints that aren't moving well, and stimulating the nervous system to relearn correct function at the affected joint. Since back conditions typically build up over time, it also takes time for the body to regain normal function, and there is a need for chiropractic care plan in the same way as you might approach getting fit for a new sport.

Stephanie Le Coz - Chiropractor

I was born in France in a little village called Brezolles located 150kms west of Paris.

The eldest of two, I had the chance to be brought up in the country side surrounded by a big and close family. One of 22 grandchildren, we used to gather regularly at my grand parent's farm where we had our own tennis court and mini soccer field. I had a very nurturing upbringing that revolved around family, sports and nature.

My grandparents were farmers (crops mainly) and I was taught from a very young age to respect and live with nature.

The farm was directly next to a beautiful castle and forest where we used to go hunting, picking mushrooms and I still remember building my bow and arrows with my grandfather.

As I said earlier, sports were at the centre of our lives. Tennis was the family sport, which my brother took a lot more seriously than I did. I got involved from a very young age in school sports and played a lot of European handball and loved athletics. During high school I was introduced to fencing and fell in love with it. I became so passionate about my fencing that in my 2nd year I came 3 rd in the inter school competition nationwide!

During this time, I had to train hard and I kept on having recurrent ankle sprains. This is where my journey with chiropractic started. My grandmother took me to her chiropractor and I never looked back.

Chiropractic was brought into my family by my mother's cousin Dr Katelle Legalle who graduated from the Anglo European College of Chiropractic in England in the 1970s. She practiced in France in the 1980s when Chiropractic was still considered an “illegal practice of medicine”. It took a lot of passion, commitment and dedication to practice our art under such pressure.

I still remember that every time she came to visit, she would spend half a day adjusting the whole family. She was so exciting and so mysterious. She had a special energy and passion that drew people to her. She had that amazing belief in chiropractic. What is amazing is that I found myself doing the same thing when I became the family chiropractor.

I went back to France last September 2008 and we had a big family gathering with 50 of us turning out. Everybody wanted to be checked so I set up a bench in the garden, and adjusted every person in an hour. It was such a buzz. My aunt Katelle showed the way and I am glad I can follow in her footsteps.

I was 14 when my parents decided to move from Europe to the French Island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific. This was seven years after having been there for a holiday. We landed in New Caledonia in 1988. My mother was a teacher and had been transferred to an island called Lifou off the mainland.

It was an amazing stage of my life where I learnt about a totally new culture, a very different way of life, new customs and tribal life. I still remember our first day of school with my brother. We arrived bright and early attached to my mother's arm and as we entered the school a line of 100 kids were looking at the 2 new “Kamaja” or white kids on their island! To be the minority was such a humbling and growing experience for us little country kids from France with its strong European culture.

My brother, father and I spent only 6 months on the island and our mum continued on for another year and half. I had to become a grown up and look after my two men, waiting for mum to join us during the week-ends and then become an adolescent again. My adolescence in New Caledonia was such a gift from my parents. Safe, healthy, outdoorsy, real bliss.

When I finished my schooling I had to make the decision about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I knew I wanted to help people and I knew I didn't want to be a medical doctor…call it fate but this is what happened. Let's back track…in New Caledonia at the time, there were only two TV channels with very few informative programs. In 1992, chiropractic was illegal in France . On that sunny day, I was watching TV with my mother and a report on the French Chiropractic Institute came up! Immediately I knew what I wanted to do. I said to my mother “I want to be a chiropractor”.

So here I was packing my bags on my way to Paris on the other side of the world at the young age of 18. I enrolled in 1993 and spent 2 years in Paris at the I.F.C (Institut Francais de Chiropractie), which was only 10 years old and my class had 20 students. It made my experience very personal. By my 2nd year, believe it or not, life in Paris and away from my family was becoming difficult. So I enquired about moving to Australia and was accepted at the Centre for Chiropractic at Macquarie University in Sydney.

Needless to say my family was happy for me to come so much closer to home in the South Pacific. A small detail, I didn't speak any English. So the challenge was doubled for me, do a master's degree in chiropractic and learn the language at the same time.

I remember one of my first lectures in Philosophy with Dr John Kelly. Our task was to develop 20 to 30 short answer questions about chiropractic. John had some of us present our answers in front of the entire group of over 150 students. I suspect that John loved picking the name that sounded a bit different, and here I was, picked amongst 150, to present the difference between “curves and curvatures”. In my very broken English I managed to get a good mark. What a start! I was fortunate enough to meet amazing chiropractic students and chiropractors who helped and guided me along the way. Within 6 months my English was understandable. During my 3 years of study in Australia , I was blessed to meet an amazing chiropractic family who offered me a lot of support during my studies as well as a job as a CA. Working along side these inspiring and loving chiropractors kept me very close to Chiropractic and its miracles.

I finished my studies in 1998 and a few months after graduating I started working in Sydney City as an associate. I worked in this role for 2 years after which I did some locuming in numerous practices, then ended up in a Sydney suburban practice which I purchased a year after.

Today I can't think of anything I like more than talking about chiropractic, adjusting clients and switching the power on. I love explaining the chiropractic paradigm and see the changes occurring in people's thoughts and actions. Chiropractic and our philosophy make so much sense. In the practice we have so much fun everyday. And the amazing CAs make such an awesome team.

My passion for chiropractic has spread over to my entire family. My brother followed in my footsteps and is now a practicing chiropractor in Mackay, Queensland in the tropical north of Australia. Two of my cousins in France are in chiropractic; one started to practice recently and the other is currently studying. Chiropractic is a big part of my life.

Chris Hatchman – Head Chiropractic Assistant

I have been a chiropractic patient at Penshurst Chiropractic Centre for 22 years.

Ten years ago, I had the fantastic opportunity to join the staff at the centre. I have been given the chance to attend some wonderful conferences on Chiropractic, my favourite being James Chestnut "Eat Well move Well Think Well". Not only have I fit in with the Penshurst Chiropractic Centre philosophy, it has become like a second family and a way of life. We promote health through a sound working nervous system and advices on eating well, moving well and thinking well. We care and love what we do and the patient’s needs always come first.

Stella Kay - Chiropractic Assistant

I am a CA (chiropractor assistant).

 I was introduced to chiropractic four years ago by my 16-year-old son who came to see Stephanie Le Coz. Because chiropractic was able to help him with his problem, he insisted that I too should see Stephanie. Since then, my daughter and husband have become regular patients of Penshurst Chiropractic.

I joined the lively & caring staff, two years ago. During those times, I was given the opportunity to undergo training and have attended a few conferences, which have greatly added to my understanding of how chiropractic works. 
Chiropractic has changed our view on how to stay well. The Centre is focused on families as well as individuals.
 Everyone who comes inevitably becomes a member of the family at Penshurst Chiropractic Centre.