About Miles Cowan

About Miles Cowan

North Dorset Podiatrist and Physical Therapist

I have lived and worked in Shaftesbury for the past 15 years. Prior to that I was living out in Spain, in the region of Asturias, on the Costa Del Sol…, “Marbs!”,  as they say, in the Only Way Is Essex. Call it what you will…, but I suppose this period of my life was like an extended sabbatical…,  I was working on my suntan and attempting to learn the dialect…, “Una cerveza por favour!” Sometimes these things just have to be done! Living in a warm, sunny climate is great of course, especially when you compare it to a typically, seemingly endless, dark. grey, overcast day in Blighty! However, all is not well in paradise! The grass is not greener & all that…, & everywhere you go, you encounter another, unique set of problems. I will not bore you with the details, only to say that one lives and learns from life’s experiences! (Cue the music to House of the Rising Sun)

In my early career I joined the Armed Forces, working and training as a Royal Marines Commando. During my time in the Marines I travelled to the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Norway and the U.S.A.

An integral part of being a Royal Marine, is maintaining  a high standard of physical fitness. Prior to leaving the Marines, I trained as a Physical Training Instructor and I also developed an interest in Sports medicine and the treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries. This was also partly due to the niggling injuries that I also developed during my time in the military, some of which have continued to affect me to this day. In particular, a chronic back injury, which acts as an ever present reminder, that the body doesn’t stay young forever! My patients keep saying to me: “Don’t get old Miles!”…, as they struggle to reach forward and put there socks back on. Its sod’s law but the older we get, are feet seem to get further and further away!

I am very lucky to meet so many different characters through my work. I could write a book because of all the conversations & the life experiences I get to learn about everyday. So anyway I digress…

When I left the military, I moved to London and worked in the fitness industry. It was during that time that I started to become aware of osteopathy & it was not long before I had embarked on a four year degree course at the British School of Osteopathy. This course was very intense with a large academic workload, combined with practical training, in learning the technical aspects of osteopathy. I found the whole thing fascinating and I was completely absorbed in learning about the art and science of osteopathy.

Having qualified as an osteopath , I moved out of London and started working in a number of different clinics in the Midlands. I did this for several  years and it provided me with lots of experience, working with patients and developing my skills as an osteopath. I also started to forge a particular interest in problems that effect the lower limb. I then decided that I wanted to do a degree in Podiatry and having moved back to Dorset, I enrolled on another 3 years of studying at the University of Southampton. My training as a podiatrist included a number of placements with the NHS and having qualified I worked in various hospitals and specialist Diabetic foot clinics within the NHS.

I know work full time in private practice, in my clinic in Shaftesbury and I am kept very busy helping patients who present with a wide range of issues, including neck & back pain, shoulder injuries and all conditions affecting the foot and the lower limb. Unfortunately due to the back problem that I have developed, I am unable to bend for extended periods and this has restricted my work activities to some degree.

My most recent venture has involved a project to set up  a business online. I am currently very involved in training as a Functional Medicine practitioner and I am looking to set up an online/ virtual practice, helping people who are suffering from long-term/chronic health conditions. Functional medicine is all about getting to the root cause of dysfunction within the body, working on the premise that disease begins in the gut. The full range of diagnostic medical lab tests maybe used, to assist in gathering objective data, to build up a picture of what is happening within the body. This information is then used to tailor a treatment plan that takes into account all the things that affect an individuals health – including, genetic, lifestyle and dietary factors. Treatment often includes improving a patients gut health and looking at the balance of flora within the microbiome, which has widespread affects on every system within the body.

For a more detailed explanation of how Miles can help you, please follow the links below:

Physical Therapy Podiatry

What to expect on your first visit

Miles will carry out a thorough assessment of your problem. This will include taking a medical case history and a physical examination.  If you are taking any medications, then it is useful to bring a list of these with you, along with any medical reports, including x-ray or scan results. The idea is to build a complete picture of all the factors that maybe contributing to the problem.

For patients who are coming for osteopathic treatment, a postural analysis will be carried out and you maybe required to undress to your underwear.

Having assessed your problem, it will be discussed with you the best course of action. This will include an explanation of the diagnosis, treatment and the best way to manage your specific condition.  In some circumstances, it may be necessary to refer you for further investigations prior to commencing treatment. However, in most cases, treatment takes place immediately after the first consultation and the aim is to resolve the problem as soon as possible.

Treatment costs:

Osteopathy: Initial consultation & treatment – £60 (1 hour)

Osteopathy: Follow up treatments- £55 (40 minutes)

Podiatry/Chiropody: Initial consultation & treatment- £55 (1 hour)

Podiatry/Chiropody: Follow  up treatments- £50 (45 minutes)