Happy Anniversary @SpaceClinics

It was 8 years ago this week that Edinburgh's West End saw a new show in town! SpaceClinics opened the doors for the first time in 2005 with a fulltime physio from New Zealand called James fronting up the medical team, with less frequent but essential appointments available with Stuart, Stephen, Gillian & Gordon. All, of course, helmed by Sharon whom had previously been engaged by Scottish Rugby.

Our rugby theme was prevalent in those early days: few clubs had staff well versed in rehab, and we had shiny new kit imported from the US that we were only too keen to display and use in the gym with the much-admored sprung flooring.

The kit has been well used in that time, but our demographic has certainly changed: one of our taglines was " you don't have to be a star to be in SPACE" and we have appealed to various sectors of Edinburgh, Fife, the Lothians and the borders to a greater and lesser degree over the years.

Requests from our audience led us to create the 'cube' behind frosted-style glass panels downstairs to add to our more private suites, but the majority have embraced the opportunity to banter with other patients and staff, often as an antidote to the treatments and soft tissue techniques offered up.

Upskilling has always been key to our success, and all of our physio staff have skills in dry needling with a passing resemblance to acupuncture, and many have the basic courses in kinesiotaping passed in addition to the myriad of Masters post-graduate qualifications and supplemental courses to keep updated with the latest in assessment and rehabilitation.

When Stuart and Stephen conceived a practice that would have staff actively involved in sport, they could not have foreseen that SPACE would have spent this past year caring for members of the volleyball, hockey, netball communities as well as for both sexes in rugby. See who's who in SPACE Staff at SPACE here.

SPACE is also justifiably chuffed at having had four members of staff at the Games of London 2012 including Paralympics. In addition to being terrific experiences in their own right, these events led to great many changes in the way that patients are assessed and treated as a result of the many different practitioners that were met within the polyclinic and at Games venues.

We have great aspirations for the future, and look forward to sharing them as is appropriate. In the meantime, thanks to all whom have passed through those West End doors! Especially the batch of special folk whom have been staff over the past 8 years!