Interview with Frans about knee complaint

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'To my surprise, the nagging pain was immediately gone. The next day, I went for a run!'

Frans is 54 years old and an avid runner, occasionally running marathons. In preparation for the Valencia marathon in 2022, two months before, he experienced pain on the outside of his right knee, a common issue among runners. He opted for acupuncture treatment for this.

Frans, how did you end up at an acupuncturist?
‘A friend of mine, with whom I play in a rock band Bite the Bullet,, is an acupuncturist. He plays guitar, I play bass. We usually drive together to rehearsals and Paul Heijer, that's the name of my acupuncturist, regularly talked about acupuncture and his approach. On a rehearsal evening that suddenly got canceled, I started talking about my knee complaint on the way back.’

How long did you suffer from movement or pain complaints before trying acupuncture?
'I had been experiencing knee pain for three weeks, which even forced me to stop my marathon training. After a few kilometers of running, I started to feel stabbing pains on the outside of my knee. In between, I had a sore feeling in that spot. Paul said he might be able to help me, and since we both had a free evening, he offered to treat me that same evening. I was a bit anxious about needles, but I set aside that fear at the thought of having to take too long a rest due to the pain, which would prevent me from running the marathon.'

Had you already tried treatments or therapies before starting acupuncture?
'No, I don't go to a doctor quickly or anything, usually it goes away on its own, but this complaint was getting worse. Something had to be done.'

Can you describe how your first experience with acupuncture was? How did you feel after the first session?
'Very positive. I thought he would place needles in the knee, but that didn't happen. Paul only uses ear acupuncture. Using a point finder, he located the most painful spot in the ear and placed a retention needle there: a very small pin with a plaster over it. That was a bit painful. He then added another needle. That was it. I left these needles in for three weeks. When we went to Valencia for the marathon, I had them put in again just to be sure.'

What specific complaints or symptoms has acupuncture relieved for you, and how quickly did you notice improvement?
'To my surprise, the nagging pain was immediately gone. The next day, I went for a run. I could keep running without the stabbing pain coming back.'

What do you think of the collaboration between acupuncture and other medical or therapeutic treatments?
‘I don't understand why the Western world is sometimes so dismissive of acupuncture. It's not at all airy-fairy, but the method looks at complaints in a very different way. What I appreciate about Paul's vision is that he deals with it very realistically. If a treatment doesn't work, he doesn't persist endlessly. Then other methods may be better.’

How would you describe your acupuncturist's approach? Did you feel involved and understood in the treatment process?
'Very pleasant experience. Paul was very involved and explained a lot about the treatment and his perspective, which gave me a lot of confidence. He also honestly mentioned that acupuncture doesn't always work and advised consulting physiotherapy and podiatry, but fortunately, none of that was necessary.'

What would you say to someone who is skeptical about acupuncture as a treatment for pain complaints?
'Always give it a try. Fear of needles: switch gears, the prick is over in no time.'

Do you see acupuncture as something you will continue to use in the future for maintenance or prevention?
'Yes, if the need arises. Also for other complaints. Fortunately, I haven't needed it anymore. I have also referred someone else from my running group to Paul, and they were also excellently helped.'

All in all, it's good that you've bitten the bullet, Frans, and set aside your fear of needles. You truly lived up to the name of your band: Bite the Bullet, and fortunately with a very good result.
'Ha ha, indeed, and with long-lasting results because on December 15th we are going for another marathon, this time in Malaga. Last year, I ran two, in Rotterdam and Florence. All went well. I am still grateful to Paul for that acupuncture treatment two years ago.'

Frans was treated by acupuncturist Paul Heijer.

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