Six decades of dancing took its toll, but Kathy wouldn’t let joint pain force her to give up

YOU might think Len Goodman likes a dance but he’s got nothing on Kathy Weisner.

Canadian Kathy (70) from Saltspring Island, British Columbia has been taking the floor for more than 60 years.

But six decades of cutting a rug took their toll on Kathy’s knees, and it looked like she’d have to hang up her dancing shoes.

Then she discovered a joint supplement while visiting her daughter in the UK and now, Kathy’s back on the dancefloor with a vengeance.

“I’ve been dancing since I was three — and have the photos to prove it,” says Kathy.

“My husband and I actually met at the Square Dance Club at the University of British Columbia.

“And I’ve done Middle Eastern dancing, Western round dancing, country-and-western line dancing, some Scottish country dancing and we’ve just got back into the ballroom dancing.

“Our 50th anniversary is coming up in August, and we’re still doing one of the round dances we did at our wedding — we’re more or less good at it by now, though we’ve slowed down some!”

While dancing is Kathy’s passion, it was also very nearly her downfall.

She explains: “Over the years, dancing took its toll on my knees.

“Coupled with spending almost 30 years teaching elementary school, I’ve spent much of my life on my feet.

“Eventually, the pain became so bad I had to take myself off to the hospital to have my knees x-rayed.

“The diagnosis was wear-and-tear arthritis, and there is also some osteoarthritis.

“I was given anti-inflammatories to help with the pain and I managed it with exercise, diet and painkillers, but it was always in the background.

“Where we are in Canada, we’re semi-isolated. It’s a 20-minute drive to catch a ferry for half an-hour, and then a drive for an hour to get to a dance, or if we’re going to take a lesson it’s another half-hour up Vancouver Island and then going home is the same again.

“Because that takes so long and is so difficult, we always look forward to visiting our daughter and her husband over here.

“We go dancing as much as possible and also pick up the British dance shoes, they’re better here!

“Three years ago we were in Morpeth — my daughter and her husband have since moved back to West Yorkshire — and that’s where I came across Flexicoll,” adds Kathy.

“I was taking the maximum dose of the painkillers, but it really wasn’t handling it for very long.

“I thought: ‘At this kind of age, maybe this is it and I won’t dance again?’

“But I saw a sign for the Healtharena store and wandered in because alternative treatments sometimes work for me.

“I’d been in a car accident and I’m also a cancer survivor, and acupuncture helped me before, and the shop’s assistant told me they’d been having good success with this supplement.”

Collagen is vital for our joints to stay healthy and flexible, but levels start to drop after we hit the ripe old age of 25.

Flexicoll is a drink that restores collagen, repairing damage to joints and cartilage, increasing mobility and reducing the residual joint pain.

Kathy adds: “I felt, at this point there’s nothing to lose so decided to try it, and I have since read it works best on people who are really suffering.

“It took about two weeks and it’s been great.

“My physiotherapist honestly can’t believe my bones are smooth and regular again, and said to me: ‘The only way I can describe your joints is that they’re juicy!’”

“And the less pain I was in, the more energy I had.

“I’m back in Britain just now and we’ve been doing a lot of walking and dancing so my knees are a little tender and a little stiff, but I’m still doing it.

“I’ve not needed any pain pills so far and that’s amazing after such a lot of wear and tear.

“I couldn’t imagine my life without dancing and I’m doing as much as ever — in fact, I’m probably doing more gardening than I should.

“One of these days, I should slow down, though I think you should keep yourself as active as possible for as long as possible, it keeps you mentally as well as physically fit,” adds Kathy.

“That’s what I like about dancing so much, there’s a lot of thinking going on, you’re exercising your brain, and I appreciate having what I nearly lost.”

For more information call 01670 511066 or visit www.flexicoll.com

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