About Dougie Tobutt

I have always had an interest in sports, and my Mum told me that I was kicking a ball around as soon as I could walk.

My serious interest in health only surfaced with my own health problems in 1988. Whilst running my fifteenth marathon, and having reached the twenty mile mark, I felt stiffness in my groin area. Two miles further on, my back then began to seize up and an asthma attack struck, resulting in my walking the final two and a half miles.
Following an x-ray, a surgeon diagnosed Arthritis of both hips and advised me to stop running or face having hip replacements within two years.

A Physiotherapist told me that my back problem was caused by a leg length discrepancy and also told me to stop running and to get myself a bike.

At the Asthma Clinic I was told that there was no cure for Asthma, and I was advised to choose a gentler form of exercise.

Nobody actually sat me down to offer me any advice on what I could do about my health problems. All I was offered was drugs, drugs and yet more drugs. Though I have nothing against drugs when they are really needed, but I did not like the fact that they were being handed out to me like Smarties to the extent that a carrier bag was needed at the chemist to bring all the drugs home. When I got home, I held up the carrier bag to my wife and said, “Is this me for the rest of my life? I don’t think so.”
That was the day when I decided to take my health into my own hands. My first move was to go to college and enrolled on any courses which were on offer relating to health ands fitness including: - Sports Therapy, Holistic Therapies, Massage, Nutrition, Chiropody, Personal Training and Shiatsu.

As I gained knowledge, I began to be my own guinea pig, starting with specific exercises for my hips and I also changed my diet. To address the back problem, I had some massage and manipulation and adjusted my bio-mechanics. I sorted out some breathing exercises to help with the Asthma, and also began to avoid certain foods.

Twenty two years later, I have now completed 115 marathons, still have my own hips, my back problem is a thing of the past and the only time I need an inhaler is if I get a chest infection.

Now my aim is to help others to improve their health and fitness.

Welcome to The Good Health Therapy Centre

Dougie Tobutt's Blog where you can find the latest information on our sports injury clinic, physiotherapy services and good health treatment centre in Bolton