Dogs are quite rightly known as ‘man’s best friend’, and our canine companions play an important role in keeping us in good health physically and mentally.
For Helen, taking her dog Benji for a walk is one of life’s little pleasures. It’s a great way to keep active, take a deep breath of fresh air and keep your furry friend in good spirits.
So when Helen’s family noticed she was struggling a little to take Benji for his daily constitutional, getting quite unsteady while using her stick, they decided it was time to get The Physio Co on the case.
Helen’s family wanted her to maintain her independence, living in her independent unit with Benji, but she lacked confidence using her walker when out with him as his lead would get tangled up.
So Helen’s family came up with the perfect goal for her: “To confidently be able to take my dog Benji for walks with my walking frame so that I remain safe when walking around the village.”
Path to wellness
The Physio Co always helps its clients to stay on the path to wellness with meaningful and achievable goals. When you’re trying to stick to an exercise plan, being able to visualise your version of success is a huge motivation. And for Helen, the happy times with Benji inspired her to stick to the task.
Helen teamed up with TPC physiotherapist Katie Jenkins, who began seeing her twice a week with exercises to help her balance and strength.
They would also go for a stroll with the walker, practising using the brakes and guiding her furry friend. Helen made excellent progress and her neighbours commented how good it was to see her out and about. She now uses the walker in preference to her stick for walks, which is much safer for Helen.
Helen was full of praise for Katie, saying, “I’m lucky to have such a great physio and a great family to help me” – and added that “maybe you should do dog training on the side”.
For her part, Katie says it’s been a pleasure working with Helen: “She is always so positive and keen for her sessions. It is great to know she is able to keep taking Benji out for walks but safely with her four-wheel walker,” she says.
We all applaud Helen – another of our TPCers smashing their goal (with the help of Benji, of course).
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