Meet The Poole Team

I’ve been aware of chiropractic since childhood as it helped my grandmother manage her migraine headaches. I’ve now been a chiropractor now for almost 30 years, graduating in 1994.

I worked in Kent for a year. Then joined Graham Heale in Hertfordshire where I built on my training for the next 5 years. In 1999 I moved to Poole.

I like to keep updated with developments in Chiropractic treatment, sports injury rehab and general medicine as well. All health professions are constantly evolving and developing and Chiropractic is one of them.

There have been many changes in approach over my career and I have developed into a better physician by adapting my practice to reflect this.

I firmly believe that chiropractic’s potential for Sports performance is under developed. My keen interest has helped many athletes perform at their true potential. Being an amateur Triathlete has helped my knowledge of sports training immensely (read my triathlon story here).

The thing that I like most about Chiropractic is how it can instantly restore strength to functionally weak muscles. It’s a very satisfying feeling when you can often make positive instant changes for patients. Especially if they are a little sceptical and see us as the last resort.

I am also interested in the use of specialist neurological tests and exercises to re-balance the activity of the nervous system following whiplash type injuries or mild traumatic brain injuries.

In my opinion chiropractic and targeted active rehabilitation should be the first port of call when you have back pain or joint and muscle pain. If you correct poor joint movement soon after injury it can help you stay active, flexible and healthier. Then you can stay fit and healthy for longer in your life.

Susan has been in practice as a chiropractor for nearly 30 years and has always enjoyed the variety of what working as a chiropractor brings. She has practised in Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Hampshire and Dorset.

“I see a broad range of conditions presented by all sorts of people of all ages. I believe it is important to really listen to my patients and find out how their condition affects them and what their hopes and expectations are in order to tailor a treatment and rehabilitation plan to suit.

Since qualifying as a chiropractor I have furthered my studies following my interest in neurology. Although this can mean that I see patients with specific neurological disorders, it is far from excluding ‘everyday’ conditions.

Chiropractic has always been based around a neuro-musculo-skeletal model and the neurological perspective takes this to another level. Movement and exercise is healthy for the body in numerous ways.

Taking the example of a fractured ankle in plaster. Obviously it restricts the ankle while the bone repairs plus our general mobility, but we also need to consider the effects on the nervous system right up to the brain, due to the loss of nerve input.

Equally we can look at it the other way around and consider whether an ankle that sprained too easily might be due to misfortune, weak muscles or maybe lack of an appropriately working nervous system. Either way, chiropractic with neurological perspective and rehabilitation can help.

I perform a detailed history and examination in order to assess the function of your muscles, tendons, joints, circulation, nervous system and their integration as part of your overall health.

Professionalism with an approachable and understanding attitude is assured.”

Qualifications & Associations:

• 1988 Doctor of Chiropractic Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, Bournemouth, UK.
• 1996 Diplomate of American Chiropractic Neurology Board.
• (The ACNB is fully accredited with NOCA the National Organization for Competency Assurance in the USA).
• 1992-98 Chairman of Wessex Postgraduate Group (Chiropractic).
• 1993-99 AECC Academic Board Member.
• Member of the British Chiropractic Association.
• Member of the American Chiropractic Neurology Association.
• Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors.
• Registered with the General Chiropractic Council.
• Registered with BUPA and AXA/PPP insurance companies.

After successfully building her practice as an associate at a chiropractic clinic in Dorchester, Karen is now primary practitioner at the Blandford chiropractic clinic where she has been practising since 2007. With an interest in sports injury rehab and functional neurology, she also spends time seeing patients at our Poole chiropractic clinic.

Human health has always interested Karen. She gained an honours degree in biology at the University of Newcastle-upon Tyne. Following this she looked to health care as a career and chiropractic treatment in particular. She graduated with distinction in her Masters degree from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in 2006 and then followed this up with another distinction in her postgraduate certificate in chiropractic practice.

Karen has a special interest in functional neurology and has 15 years experience of busy practice. This has shaped her skills in dealing with people of all ages struggling with conditions such as sports injuries, dizzyness, nutrition and children’s issues.

In her spare time Karen is a very competitive dinghy sailor sailing her RS200, or if it’s really blowing, kite-surfing. In 2016 she won the RS500 Nationals and placed well in the endeavour trophy for the national champions. She was also in the first all girl boat in the RS200 Nationals in Mounts Bay in 2017.

In the winter Karen likes to get away to the mountains to ski, so if you need a pre-season skiing programme, she’s your girl. In addition to this she occasionally gets to mountain bike to wind down from playing netball! So she knows how to keep you active and well.