New patient assessments are open through late October — request a time and we will confirm by email.

Spinal & musculoskeletal care

Move through your week without bracing for it.

An assessment-led chiropractic practice for stiff mornings, desk-bound necks and backs that have stopped co-operating. We examine first, explain what we find, then treat what is actually restricted.

Request a time See how a first visit runs
Care is planned, not open-ended You will leave the first appointment knowing what we think is happening, how many visits we expect to need, and what you can do between them. If chiropractic is not the right fit, we say so.
Practitioner's hands working along a patient's upper back during a treatment session
  • First appointment
    45 minutes, history and exam
  • Follow-up visits
    20 minutes, treatment focused
  • Clinic days
    Tuesday to Saturday

Start with what hurts

Five reasons people come in, and what we do about each

Find the line that sounds like your week. Each one lists what gets examined on the first visit and what care usually looks like afterwards, so you can judge whether booking is worth your time.

Not sure which applies, or it is something else entirely? Describe it in the request form and we will tell you honestly whether this is the right place to start.

Lower back pain and sciatica

Lumbar spine · pelvis · hip

What we examine
Movement in each direction, straight-leg and nerve-tension testing, hip rotation, and how the pelvis loads when you stand on one leg. We check for referred leg symptoms and anything that needs onward referral instead of treatment.
Usual course of care
Hands-on work to the restricted lumbar and hip segments, soft-tissue release through the glutes, and two or three loading exercises you can do at home. Most people are reassessed at the fourth visit.

Neck and shoulder strain from desk work

Cervical spine · upper trapezius

What we examine
Rotation and side-bending range, deep neck flexor endurance, shoulder blade control, and the specific segments that are guarding. We also look at how your head sits over your ribcage when you are tired rather than when you are being watched.
Usual course of care
Gentle cervical and upper-thoracic mobilisation, release through the trapezius and levator, plus a short end-of-day routine. We talk through screen height and chair setup because the desk undoes the treatment otherwise.

Headaches that start in the neck

Cervicogenic pattern

What we examine
Upper cervical joint testing, jaw and chewing habits, and the pattern of your headaches — where they begin, what time of day they arrive, and which movements change them. Headaches with other warning signs are referred, not treated.
Usual course of care
Careful low-force work on the top three cervical segments, suboccipital release, and breathing and posture cues for the hours you spend concentrating. We track frequency week by week rather than relying on how you feel on the day.

Mid-back stiffness and rib restriction

Thoracic spine · ribs

What we examine
Rotation through the thoracic spine, rib spring, and whether a deep breath is limited on one side. Common in cyclists, new parents, and anyone who sleeps curled on one shoulder.
Usual course of care
Thoracic and costal mobilisation, often with a drop-table technique instead of manual thrust, followed by rotation drills over a roller. This region usually responds quickly — frequently within three or four visits.

Pregnancy and postpartum care

Low-force only

What we examine
Pelvic and sacroiliac loading, round-ligament and pubic discomfort, and how you are managing lifting and carrying. Positioning is adapted at every stage, and we coordinate with your midwife or doctor when it helps.
Usual course of care
Side-lying and supported positions, low-force adjusting only, pelvic support advice, and gradual return-to-load guidance after birth. No rotational thrusting through the abdomen or pelvis at any point.

How the adjusting is done

Four techniques, and what each one actually feels like

The most common hesitation we hear is about being "cracked". You are never obliged to accept a technique you are uneasy about — here is the honest description of each, so you can tell us beforehand which you would rather avoid.

Every technique is explained and consented to in the room before it is used. Saying no to one option simply moves care to another.
Techniques used in this practice
Technique What it feels like Commonly used for
Diversified adjusting A quick, shallow, specific push with a brief popping sound as gas releases from the joint. It takes under a second and should not be painful, though the area can feel warm afterwards. Locked lumbar and thoracic segments in people who are comfortable with manual adjusting.
Low-force drop table A section of the table drops a short distance under you with a loud clack. The force is supplied by the table, not by twisting, so there is no rotation and usually no sound from the joint. Pregnancy, older patients, acute flare-ups, and anyone who does not want manual thrusting.
Mobilisation and soft tissue Slow, rhythmic movement of a joint through its range, plus sustained pressure into tight muscle. Firm but controlled, and you can ask for less pressure at any point. Guarded necks, first visits during a severe episode, and settling an area before adjusting it.
Instrument-assisted adjusting A small hand-held device delivers a light tap to one spot. Most people describe it as a knock rather than a stretch, with no popping sound at all. Upper cervical segments, ribs, children, and nervous first-time patients.
Person working through a guided mobility and strength exercise in a bright training space

Between visits

Treatment opens the range. Loading is what keeps it.

An adjustment can restore movement in minutes, but nothing holds unless the surrounding tissue learns to tolerate load again. That is why every care plan here includes a small amount of homework — deliberately small, because a programme you skip is worth nothing.

  • Two or three exercises at a time, written down before you leave, never a printed sheet of twenty.
  • Progressed or dropped at each review based on what changed, not on a fixed schedule.
  • Built around the activity you want back — lifting a toddler, a Sunday ride, a full shift on your feet.
  • Discharge is the goal. When you are managing well on your own, care ends.
Request a time

Your first visit

Forty-five minutes, in four parts

Nothing happens to you before it has been explained to you. If at the end of the examination we do not think we can help, you will be told that in the room.

  1. History

    What started it, what makes it worse, how you sleep, sit and train, and what you have already tried. Bring any imaging or specialist letters you have.

    About 12 minutes

  2. Examination

    Movement testing, joint-by-joint assessment, muscle strength and, where symptoms warrant it, neurological and orthopaedic screening.

    About 15 minutes

  3. Findings and plan

    A plain-language explanation of what we found, the techniques we would use, the expected number of visits, and any reason to refer you elsewhere first.

    About 8 minutes

  4. First treatment

    Usually begun the same day once you have consented, finishing with your first two exercises and what to expect over the following 48 hours.

    About 10 minutes

Clinician in a bright, uncluttered consulting room

The practitioner

Dr Imogen Hale, chiropractor

Imogen has run Pearl Dapple as a single-practitioner clinic since opening it, which means the person who assesses you is the person who treats you every visit. She trained in chiropractic and spent her early years working alongside a rehabilitation team, where most of her habit of writing things down came from.

Her clinical interests are stubborn mid-back and rib restriction, headaches with a clear neck origin, and getting new parents back to lifting without flinching. She is deliberately conservative with imaging and with long care plans, and will refer to a physiotherapist, GP or specialist when that is the better route.

On the record Treatment notes are kept for every visit and written in language you could read yourself. Ask at any point and you will be told exactly what is in them.

Practical details

When we are open, and how to arrive ready

Clinic days are listed below. Requests sent outside these hours are answered on the next working morning.

Clinic hours

  • Tuesday8:00 — 18:00
  • Wednesday8:00 — 18:00
  • Thursday10:00 — 19:30
  • Friday8:00 — 16:00
  • Saturday9:00 — 13:00
  • Sunday & MondayClosed

Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings fill first. If you need one of those, say so in your request and we will hold the next one that opens.

Coming in for the first time

  • WearClothing you can move in. Shorts or leggings and a t-shirt are ideal; nothing needs to be removed beyond shoes.
  • BringAny scan reports, specialist letters or a list of current medication, even if it seems unrelated.
  • EatSomething light beforehand. Assessment involves more movement than people expect.
  • ArriveFive minutes early so the intake form is done before your time starts.
  • AfterKeep the rest of the day ordinary. Light walking is good; a first heavy gym session is not.

Before you book

Questions we are asked most often

Answered the way we would answer them on the phone. If yours is not here, add it to your request and we will reply before confirming anything.

Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No. Chiropractic is a primary-contact profession, so you can book directly. If your insurer requires a referral for reimbursement, check with them first — and if your examination suggests the problem belongs with a GP or specialist, we will write to them.
Will the adjustment hurt?
An adjustment itself is brief and should not be painful, though a guarded area can feel tender while it is being worked on. Some people notice mild soreness like after unfamiliar exercise for a day or so. Tell us during the visit if anything is sharp — we change technique rather than push through it.
How many visits will I need?
You will be given an expected range at the end of the first appointment, typically four to six visits for a recent problem and longer for something you have carried for years. We reassess formally at the fourth visit. If you are not improving as expected, the plan changes or we refer you on — we do not simply add more visits.
Is it suitable for children?
We see school-age children and teenagers, most often for sports strains, scoliosis monitoring and posture related to heavy bags. Care is low-force and instrument-assisted only, appointments are shorter, and a parent or guardian stays in the room throughout.
I was in a car accident. Should I come in?
Get urgent or emergency assessment first if there was any head injury, loss of consciousness, severe pain or symptoms down an arm or leg. Once you have been medically cleared, neck and mid-back stiffness after a collision is something we treat regularly, usually starting with mobilisation rather than adjusting.
Do you take X-rays or ask for scans?
Rarely. Imaging changes the plan in only a small number of cases, and most back and neck pain does not need it. We refer for imaging when the examination shows a specific reason — significant trauma, suspected fracture, progressive neurological signs or a history that warrants it — and we explain the reasoning before you go.
Can I come in during a severe flare-up?
Yes, and you should say so when you request a time so we can allow for a slower, gentler first session. In an acute episode the first visit is usually examination plus settling work — positioning, soft tissue and low-force technique — with firmer treatment held back until the area calms down.
What happens if chiropractic is not right for me?
You are told at the first visit, not after six of them. Some presentations belong with a physiotherapist, a GP, a rheumatologist or a pain service, and some need investigation before any hands-on care. In that case we explain why and point you to the right next step.

Request a time

Tell us what is going on and when you can come in

Send the form and you will get a reply by email with the appointment times currently available, including anything that has just opened up. Nothing is charged or committed at this stage.

If your pain came on after a serious injury, or you have numbness, weakness, or any change in bladder or bowel control, seek urgent medical care rather than waiting for a reply here.

We use these details only to reply about an appointment.

What the first visit involves