Acorn Health

Delighted to support the Amesbury Carnival & Show 2026- it’s looking like it’s going to be an incredible event for our community 🎪👏🎉

Don’t forget to get your tickets via the link in the post below 👇👀

What an amazing result for this lovely lady 😍

Dulcie and I have actually known each other since we were children, so it’s really special to now both be working in our own fields while so often co-managing our patient's care together. With some brilliant results... 💙💚

Healthcare works best when it’s a team effort. We're proud to work alongside some fantastic local practitioners who share the same patient-centred approach.

Dulcie Fraser Physio Salisbury and South Wilts Physiotherapy

Important notice to patients:

The A303 is currently closed in both directions near Amesbury following a serious collision. Please allow extra time when travelling to your appointment today (20/5/26), as significant delays are expected.

Our thoughts are with everyone involved in the incident, and we thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sometimes the most important thing we can do for you… is not treat you.

A few years ago, a 12-year-old girl came into clinic with back pain and postural changes that immediately raised concern for scoliosis. Whilst mild scoliosis can often respond to conservative care, clinical spidey sense said this needed more. So, rather than beginning hands-on treatment, she was referred urgently for further investigation. 🩻

More often than not, we never hear what happens afterwards, so I was genuinely moved to recently receive this message from her mum:
“Thanks to you and your diagnosis of scoliosis, she had spinal surgery in January. She is now 4 inches taller and straight, with no hunch, no pain.....absolutely brilliant!!!”

Reading that message stopped me in my tracks.

Not because of anything we did in clinic, but because it was a reminder of how important early recognition can be, especially in children whose bodies are changing so quickly.👧

Even after the initial referral, getting answers wasn’t straightforward. There were delays, uncertainty, and moments where the family really had to keep pushing to be heard.

One of the most important parts of our role is helping you navigate those moments, supporting you, advocating for further investigation when needed, and making sure concerns don’t get lost along the way.

Paediatric scoliosis can progress extremely quickly, especially during growth spurts. In some children, curves can worsen significantly within months.
Early signs are often subtle:
• Uneven shoulders
• Rib hump or prominence
• Waist asymmetry
• Leaning to one side
• Clothes hanging unevenly
• Back pain or fatigue
And sometimes… a child simply “looks different” but can’t explain why.

This young lady has now undergone life-changing spinal surgery. She’s taller. Straighter. Out of pain.

I’m incredibly grateful her family trusted their instincts, kept pushing for answers, and allowed us to be part of that journey. A prime example that sometimes the best treatment decision… is knowing when not to treat.


*Images and story shared with patient consent*

Did you know chiropractors are trained to take, read, and diagnose x-rays?

A huge part of our job is helping you understand what your imaging ACTUALLY means. Instead of a report full of scary terminology, we help explain what those findings mean for your pain, your movement, and your recovery.

Many findings on x-rays are what we call “normal variants” — common differences in the way people are built that are often completely normal and unrelated to pain.

In fact, many x-ray reports mention things that sound alarming but are incredibly common in people with no pain at all. That’s why we spend almost an entire year learning to recognise normal variants and understand what’s clinically relevant vs what’s simply part of normal human anatomy.

A good example is a transitional vertebra, where the lowest lumbar vertebra or top of the sacrum is shaped slightly differently than average. For most people, it’s been there their entire life and never caused a single issue. The only reason it suddenly becomes “worrying” is because an x-ray reveals it and gives it a name.

But if you’d never had the x-ray, would you even know it was there?
Probably not.

That’s why context matters so much when interpreting imaging- because not every finding is a problem, and not every difference is the cause of pain.

You might wonder why I’m reviewing x-rays of an evening instead of just glancing at the report. It’s because we can’t rely exclusively on a radiology report alone. Your history, symptoms, examination, and the images themselves all matter together.

For many patients, reviewing their x-rays with us is the first time someone has actually sat down with them, pulled up their x-rays, and explained things in a real, understandable way, not just handed them a report full of intimidating jargon.

We believe you deserve to SEE your imaging. Perhaps more importantly, we believe you deserve to understand what it all means for your recovery.

Your imaging should provide clarity. Not fear.