Sarah Duncton

My interest in physiotherapy first started when I was 15 – I sprained my ankle just days before my first England Junior hockey trial. It was a nasty sprain, and I didn’t make the team that year, but with physio support I then made the England team every year until I was 21.

That’s when my career as a physio started, having graduated from Birmingham University with a First class honours degree in physiotherapy I began slowly working my way around NHS physio departments gaining lots of experience in treating people with injury and who are in pain. I carried on playing hockey at National Premier league level and also did lots of travelling working as a physio in Australia and New Zealand.

I always loved learning about how the body works, and found it’s workings just fascinating. I’ve always had an interest in mind-body connections, and love meeting new patients, establishing a strong trusting relationship, finding out what makes them tick and working with them to reach their goals.

It’s one of the best feelings in the world when a patient looks at you with a tear in their eye, and says a heartfelt ‘thank you, I couldn’t have done this without you’. It’s incredibly rewarding and I feel very lucky to have a job that brings so much satisfaction.

I am trained in Pilates and Acupuncture and integrate these into my practice every day. I also believe in good hands-on therapy and use soft tissue massage and other techniques on most sessions. I think my biggest asset is my ability to treat patients holistically, to consider their whole story, to create a sound yet lighthearted working relationship, to inspire confidence in their ability to make the changes necessary to reach their goals.

I still love to exercise and when I’m not at work, or ferrying my kids around their various activities you’ll find me at the gym or in the pool doing my best to stay as fit as my time and energy levels allow! I love the feeling of pushing my body doing circuit and strength type training, I love the calming and cleansing effect an outdoor run or a swim in the outdoor pool gives me.

I’m interested in mindfulness and mental health and read lots around both subjects. I hope to do further studies in mental health, one day hoping I’ll be able to qualify as a psychotherapist and be able to blend those skills with my current skills as a physiotherapist.

I also love to ski, bombing down the mountain, with the icy cold snow hitting my face and legs burning is when I am possibly at my most happiest in life!