About Us
Sally Hobbs DC
My Career began as a Microbiologist working at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. I later enrolled with the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic at the University of Glamorgan and qualified in 2005. I have a particular interest in rehabilitation exercises and the promotion of ‘Active care’ for the individual.
Sally's Background
I became involved with chiropractic at an early age as my father had suffered with back pain since his early twenties. I saw him try in vain to soldier on through the pain, comply with the advised bedrest and each successive bout was worse than the last. When he discovered chiropractic it was little heard of 35 years ago but the results were astounding.
Even as a child I realized how happy my dad was to be out of pain. From that point on all I ever wanted was to be a chiropractor. As ever life is never a straight path but eventually I qualified as a mature student in 2005. Previously I had a variety of jobs from working in a bank, a microbiologist in a hospital to a job selling to the NHS. I feel these experiences enhance my ability to understand the stresses and strains in our varied occupations.
The Recovery Process
I am a member of the British Chiropractic Association and the General Chiropractic Council.
There is no quick fix remedy. Your recovery is dependent on the length of time you have had your condition, your general medical history, age, fitness, occupation and hobbies. These are just a few of the variables that we consider.
I allow the body to be stimulated to heal you in a natural way – which takes time. Once the skeletal and muscular system are brought back under control we encourage you to continue with treatments when you are not in pain. This not only maintains you but ensures that we can pick up on anything that may be developing and treat it immediately.
Chiropractic Practitioner
Prescription of painkillers is your GP’s field. As a practitioner I have to understand their side effects, contraindications and interactions. I believe painkillers have their place in treatment as long as the individual understands they do not cure a condition. Painkillers will minimize the symptoms – unfortunately this may mean more damage is done. Pain is your warning system to tell you something is wrong.
Chiropractors have trained for five years and will use the most effective treatment for you as an individual.
Chiropractic is not unconventional, it is scientific and factual. Chiropractors are part of mainstream healthcare throughout the world. Research undertaken by the British Medical Council and published in the British Medical Journal in 1990 showed that patients who received chiropractic treatment improved by 70% more than those given hospital out-patient treatment. Subsequent research has now led the Department of Health to include Chiropractic in the recommended treatment pathway for the treatment of Low Back Pain.
Old Town Chiropractic Clinic's Chiropractor: Katie
Hi I’m Katie!
Having graduated from WIOC with a First Class Master of Chiropractic degree, I fell in love with learning about the human body and how it moves.
My family was fortunate enough to not require treatments throughout my childhood, so I just presumed that they only treat backs, how wrong could I be!It wasn’t until I visited my sister at university, that I came across the Master of Chiropractic degree and how many different conditions you can help with.
Having grown up in Devon, I saw myself working in some kind of healthcare, but wasn’t sure what options were around.
I had always loved sports and wanted to follow a career where I could not only pursue my passion but could also help people!
Katie's Background
Chiropractic has opened up so many wonderful opportunities for me and I hope that I can share my passion with more people.
Having seen my grandparents experience severe back pain, my aim as a Chiropractor is to give treatment, then promote patient independence and self-management, while offering a helping hand when necessary. I hope to return the CARE in healthcare. I want to create an awareness of outside factors impacting the healing process, such as psychological or social, which are key to allowing patients to understand their pain. I hope to boost the profession and the reputation of Chiropractic as a form of heath care, by providing the best evidence-based treatments and education to those in pain. And if we can’t help? Referring patients to those who can. My favourite part is listening to all the wonderful stories people have to tell me each session, so I’m looking forward to hearing yours!
Old Town Chiropractic Clinic's Newest Chiropractor: Shailen
Hi I’m Shailen and I graduated from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC) class of 2025 under the Health Sciences University (HSU) institution.
My Dad was a chiropractor and I received chiropractic treatment from a very early age. My family has a medical background with my grandparents being a nurse and GP and also having two uncles, one of which is another chiropractor and the other an anaesthetist. I always had an interest in neurology, and caring for people from an early age but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with these interests for a long time until I simply had to look at my dad and saw chiropractic hit two birds with one stone!
From the age of 16 I have been driven towards being a chiropractor, starting with an EPQ during my A level education focused on chiropractic and then undertaking the Masters degree program later down in Bournemouth. Through my degree I have gained valuable insight and more experience to what a chiropractor did from just what I saw at home and from here my desire for this field grew further as I got to see just how much I could grow and develop and help people!
I have become incredibly enthusiastic and passionate about helping patients achieve their optimal health through evidence-based, non-invasive care, and empowering individuals to take control of their well-being. I have a desire to branch out into other areas of allied healthcare at a later date as I have always wanted to have as many tools in my toolbox to achieve the best care I can. Through a combination of hands-on techniques with rehabilitation, I want to customise and tailor treatment plans to support each patient’s unique lifestyle. Whether working with athletes, office professionals, or the everyday person, the ultimate mission is to restore movement, reduce discomfort, and improve quality of living, making your life easier!