After a humble beginning in the small northern town of Wigan, England, Vanessa Lloyd embarked on a journey that saw her transition from professional rugby player to NHS manager, and finally into a renowned sports therapist.
Her first solo venture, 'The Massage Hut', quickly became a go-to spot for sports rehabilitation, and today she is the founder of Pro Active Manchester, a state-of-the-art sports therapy centre that offers cutting-edge treatments like Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) Therapy and Red Light Therapy.
Vanessa’s expertise and innovative approach have made her a leading figure in sports therapy and rehabilitation.
“I wanted to create something that would not just attract athletes at the highest level but also would be something that would give everyday people the ability to access the same modern therapy methods that the top sports professionals have”
Vanessa Lloyd, Director and Head Therapist
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
Hi! I’m Vanessa, a Northern girl through and through from little old Wigan.
Growing up, I was always involved in sports, whether it was playing rugby with the local clubs or participating in football matches at school. My love for sports was evident to everyone around me, and I knew early on that I wanted to build a career around this passion. I’ve always been absolutely obsessed with the Wigan Warriors rugby team and watching the game and so being able to work with athletes at all levels, from professionals to amateurs, is a dream come true for me.
Playing rugby at a professional level was an exhilarating experience that taught me the value of discipline, hard work, and teamwork. However, as much as I loved playing, I also wanted to help others achieve their best in sports. This led me to explore various facets of sports therapy and health management. My experience working in the NHS provided me with deep insights into the health industry and valuable business management skills. Working as a manager in one of the largest general practitioners in Greater Manchester for 13 years certainly was a journey! I gained a thorough understanding of the healthcare system and the complexities involved in running a successful health-related business.
These experiences were invaluable when I decided to step out and start my own venture. Initially, 'The Massage Hut' was a small setup focused on helping people with sports injuries through sports massage, dry needling, and myofascial cupping. The response was great, and I quickly built a reputation in the area but I always had it in my crosshairs to take things to the larger scale. As my expertise in sports therapies grew, starting my own venture became a clear path. That’s how I founded 'The Massage Hut', and later, Pro Active Manchester.
What inspired you to start working with athletes and specialist sports modalities such as PEMF and Red Light Therapy?
My inspiration comes from my love for sports and my desire to help athletes reach their full potential. Working with athletes, I saw the difference that advanced therapies could make in their performance and recovery. Discovering PEMF and Red Light Therapy was a turning point. The more I read about these therapies, the more convinced I became about their potential. I noticed that only a handful of elite athletes were using these technologies, but those who did were seeing remarkable results and spoke about them as an absolute game changer for them. This motivated me to incorporate these therapies into my practice so that every athlete, big or small, amateur or pro could benefit. I also wanted to make it my mission to enable everyday people with injuries to have access to the same advanced treatments that top performers were using. This was the foundation on which Pro Active Manchester was built.
My inspiration for the therapies themselves stemmed from my journey as a sports therapist and how I always aimed to work with top-level athletes and help them push their boundaries. While traditional methods like sports massage and dry needling were effective, I felt there was more that could be done. This curiosity led me to extensive research on innovative therapies. That’s when I stumbled upon PEMF and Red Light Therapy. The science behind these technologies fascinated me; PEMF, for instance, uses electromagnetic fields to improve cellular function, which can significantly enhance an athlete's performance and recovery. Red Light Therapy, on the other hand, uses low-level wavelengths of light to promote healing and reduce inflammation. These days a lot of people even refer to me as ‘that PEMF girl!’, which I do find very funny!
How does your company’s mission align with this inspiration?
Our mission at Pro-Active Manchester is to provide cutting-edge therapies to enhance performance and expedite recovery for all. We aim to offer the same advanced treatments available to top athletes to everyday people. By doing this, we ensure that everyone can benefit from these innovative therapies, not just those at the peak of their careers. Our commitment is to continually explore and integrate new modalities that can help our clients achieve their health and performance goals. At present I am looking into the possibility of incorporating further modalities such as cryotherapy, cold water therapy, and oxygen therapy into what we do here too.
At Pro Active Manchester, we believe in the power of advanced, non-invasive therapies to revolutionise sports performance & rehabilitation, and to push the boundaries by bringing in the latest new methods so that people can have more of a choice when it comes to their health journey and not be stuck with only the traditional pharmaceutical and surgical means. Our goal is to bridge the gap between elite athletes and the general public, ensuring that everyone has access to the best possible treatments. This commitment to innovation and excellence is what drives us every day.
Our ‘ProX Formula’ is a perfect example of our mission in action. It combines PEMF, Red Light Therapy, and other modalities, to create a comprehensive treatment protocol tailored to each client’s needs. Whether it's enhancing performance, speeding up recovery, or managing injuries, our goal is to help our clients achieve their best.
What sets you apart from similar companies?
Pro-Active Manchester stands out in two major ways. Firstly, our focus on specialised therapies like PEMF and Red Light Therapy is uncommon. Very few centres offer these advanced treatments, especially with the level of expertise and top of the range technology we bring. Secondly, our approach to combining these therapies to target specific outcomes for athletes and individuals with physical injuries is unique. We don’t just offer general wellness sessions; we tailor our protocols, like the ‘ProX Formula’, to address specific performance and rehabilitation needs. This consists of our top therapies and is supported also by extra factors such as supplements and the possibility of doctor’s referral if the client’s needs require it.
Let’s be honest here, if you’re an athlete or someone looking to address a physical injury and PEMF or Red Light is what you’re after, are you going to go to someone who will deliver a session that just targets health in a general round- about way? Or are you going to go to the place that the top athletes go to? You only have to look at some of the people who have been through our doors and continue to come back time and time again to know that our ProX is making a difference and working its magic so well in the sports arena.
We generally don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions, however, we find that it’s almost always the case that PEMF can be of benefit so it is for that reason that it remains at the core of our ProX plans. This is where ProX really comes into its own with the addition of these extra therapies to enhance the benefits of the PEMF. Every athlete is different, and so are their needs. Our initial consultations involve detailed assessments to understand the client's goals, current performance levels, and any existing injuries. Based on this, we create a personalised plan that may include a combination of PEMF, Red Light Therapy, dry needling, and other modalities. This tailored approach ensures that our clients get the maximum benefit from their sessions.
Can you share some success stories or case studies?
Absolutely! One of our clients, a British cycling champion, came to us seeking that extra 1% to edge out his competition. Through our ‘ProX Formula’, which includes PEMF and Red Light Therapy, we have been working to enhance his endurance and recovery, helping him maintain top performance during his intense training and competition schedule.
Another memorable case was an ultramarathon runner who came to us with severe ankle tendonitis. He had three back-to-back races coming up in ten days and was in immense pain, unable to train. We developed an intensive ProX treatment plan that included multiple sessions of PEMF, Red Light Therapy, and Dry Needling. The result? He ran all three races pain-free and performed exceptionally well.
We also worked with a Hyrox hybrid athlete who had suffered a hamstring tear during training. His doctor had given him an eight-week recovery timeline, but he had a major competition in four weeks. Through a focused ProX regime, we managed to accelerate his recovery, and after a green light from his doctor, he competed without any issues. These success stories are just a few examples of how our innovative therapies can make a significant difference in athletes' lives.
We have numerous success stories that highlight the effectiveness of our therapies. One of the most remarkable cases involved a woman who had a severe knee injury and was unable to bend her knee at all. After just three ProX sessions, she was able to climb Kilimanjaro and complete her first Hyrox competition. This transformation was incredible to witness and reinforced our belief in the power of these therapies.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be?
The sports therapy industry has traditionally relied heavily on invasive treatments and pharmaceuticals. While these methods have their place and can be effective, they often come with side effects and longer recovery times. Non-invasive therapies like PEMF and Red Light Therapy offer a safer alternative or added supplement with minimal risks. They can be used in conjunction with traditional treatments to enhance overall outcomes.
I would love to see more people embracing non-invasive, low-risk therapies like those we offer at Pro Active. Many are still unaware of these options and default to the only solutions they know. Ideally, traditional methods would work alongside our therapies, providing a more 360 approach to health and recovery.
If there’s one thing I could change about the industry, it would be increasing awareness and acceptance of these advanced therapies and embracing new ones more readily as they are developed. Many athletes and even healthcare professionals are still unaware of the benefits these treatments can offer. By integrating these non-invasive therapies into mainstream sports therapy, we can provide a more rounded and effective care to athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Where do you go from here?
The future is incredibly exciting for us at Pro Active Manchester. We plan to expand our Manchester setup to incorporate more clients and introduce additional sports therapies. We’re also looking at increasing our mobile services to sports clubs and businesses and potentially opening new locations further afield. There’s already interest in expanding our facilities, and while it’s early days, this is certainly on our minds for the future.
Since opening our doors in October 2023, we’ve been on an uphill trajectory.
The response has been fantastic, and we’re committed to building on this momentum. We’re exploring new technologies and therapies that can further enhance our offerings. Our goal is to become a leader in sports therapy, not just in Manchester but across the UK and beyond.
We’re also committed to continuous learning and innovation. Our team regularly attends workshops and training sessions to stay updated on the latest advancements in sports therapy. This commitment to excellence ensures that we can provide our clients with the best possible care and help them achieve their performance and recovery goals.
At Pro Active Manchester, the sky is the limit. We’re passionate about what we do, and we’re dedicated to helping our clients achieve their best. The future looks bright, and we’re excited to continue our journey of growth and innovation in the sports therapy industry.
So, there you have it, her story is not just about personal success but about making cutting-edge treatments accessible to all, bridging the gap between elite athletes and those striving for health and wellness in everyday life. At Pro Active Manchester, Vanessa and her team continue to push boundaries, ensuring that every client benefits from personalised, innovative care.
As we wrap up this insightful conversation, it's clear that Vanessa's passion for sports and wellness will continue to drive Pro Active Manchester to new heights, shaping the future of sports therapy and rehabilitation. Vanessa's vision for a healthier, more active community is a beacon for all seeking to enhance their physical potential.
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