‘I could lose my leg in two years’: how a simple foot massage turned into a nightmare
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A simple treatment designed to alleviate chronic pain took an unexpected turn, leaving one man with injuries that would change his life forever.
What started as a routine visit to a local massage clinic quickly spiralled into a life-altering ordeal for him.
The aftermath of this experience has raised serious questions about safety standards and responsibility.
A routine visit to a shopping centre massage clinic has left Craig Gibbs, 55, with life-altering injuries after a simple foot massage turned into a horrific ordeal.
While visiting a shopping centre in Parkhurst, near Rockhampton, Mr Gibbs had hoped for a quick foot massage to help alleviate his ongoing battle with neuropathy, a condition that causes nerve damage and persistent tingling in his feet.
However, the seemingly innocent decision took a devastating turn when he was convinced to try a moxibustion treatment, an ancient Chinese practice. The treatment involves burning a dried herb called 'moxa' on or near the skin to stimulate the flow of life force, or 'qi'.
Unaware of the potential risks, Mr Gibbs handed over more than $200 for the session. Despite struggling to communicate with the workers—who appeared to be of Chinese origin—he was persuaded to go ahead with the treatment.
Mr Gibbs had repeatedly explained that his neuropathy meant he couldn’t feel anything in his legs.
'I thought "they must know what they're doing", but I don't think they understood that the whole thing with neuropathy is you can't feel anything. I could be walking over hot coals or nails and will not feel it.'
What followed was nothing short of a nightmare. Distracted by the busy shopping centre atmosphere, Mr Gibbs said the clinic staff left the heated device on his leg for almost an hour, unaware of the damage being done.
The next night, Mr Gibbs discovered a large blister had formed on his leg. His ordeal quickly escalated, leading to emergency treatment, a month-long hospital stay, and two failed skin grafts.
'Over the next 48 hours I was taken to emergency and then was at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the next day they were operating,' Mr Gibbs said. 'I was in that hospital for a month. Two skin grafts didn't work and now it's like I've got a permanent brand on my leg.'
His leg injury has left him with ongoing pain, making simple tasks, like mowing the lawn, difficult. Aided by a walking stick, Mr Gibbs has now taken legal action after the clinic’s owner refused to take responsibility for his injuries.
Maurice Blackburn associate Sarah Williams explained that healthcare providers have a duty to understand their clients' medical conditions and ensure they are properly qualified to provide treatments that meet Australian standards.
'These sorts of injuries are uncommon, however when things go wrong, they can have very serious consequences for the people involved,' she said.
As Mr Gibbs navigates the consequences of this traumatic experience, he said he wasn’t initially keen on pursuing legal action. However, he felt the clinic owners should be held accountable for their actions.
'The doctors told me if they did this to someone they'd be struck off the registrar. He said these people cannot be allowed to get away with it,' Mr Gibbs said. 'And now I'm paying for it ... I could lose my leg in two years.'
The scarring from the injury continues to haunt Mr Gibbs, serving as a constant reminder of the fateful decision that changed his life.
'This is an ugly thing they've left on my leg ... and it's a case of how often does this happen,' he said. 'It's not okay. I'm not letting them brand my leg like that and just think "oh, it's another day". Who does that? I don't understand that.’
‘They knew I had neuropathy, he looked at an app so he knew what it was. Well just say "no we don't do this". That's all they had to say.'
Reflecting on the situation, he added, 'If I'd just stuck to my normal foot massage without being up-sold this stuff, I wouldn't be going through this.'
After hearing this story, do you think enough is being done to protect consumers from dangerous treatments? Share your thoughts in the comments.
What started as a routine visit to a local massage clinic quickly spiralled into a life-altering ordeal for him.
The aftermath of this experience has raised serious questions about safety standards and responsibility.
A routine visit to a shopping centre massage clinic has left Craig Gibbs, 55, with life-altering injuries after a simple foot massage turned into a horrific ordeal.
While visiting a shopping centre in Parkhurst, near Rockhampton, Mr Gibbs had hoped for a quick foot massage to help alleviate his ongoing battle with neuropathy, a condition that causes nerve damage and persistent tingling in his feet.
However, the seemingly innocent decision took a devastating turn when he was convinced to try a moxibustion treatment, an ancient Chinese practice. The treatment involves burning a dried herb called 'moxa' on or near the skin to stimulate the flow of life force, or 'qi'.
Unaware of the potential risks, Mr Gibbs handed over more than $200 for the session. Despite struggling to communicate with the workers—who appeared to be of Chinese origin—he was persuaded to go ahead with the treatment.
Mr Gibbs had repeatedly explained that his neuropathy meant he couldn’t feel anything in his legs.
'I thought "they must know what they're doing", but I don't think they understood that the whole thing with neuropathy is you can't feel anything. I could be walking over hot coals or nails and will not feel it.'
What followed was nothing short of a nightmare. Distracted by the busy shopping centre atmosphere, Mr Gibbs said the clinic staff left the heated device on his leg for almost an hour, unaware of the damage being done.
The next night, Mr Gibbs discovered a large blister had formed on his leg. His ordeal quickly escalated, leading to emergency treatment, a month-long hospital stay, and two failed skin grafts.
'Over the next 48 hours I was taken to emergency and then was at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the next day they were operating,' Mr Gibbs said. 'I was in that hospital for a month. Two skin grafts didn't work and now it's like I've got a permanent brand on my leg.'
His leg injury has left him with ongoing pain, making simple tasks, like mowing the lawn, difficult. Aided by a walking stick, Mr Gibbs has now taken legal action after the clinic’s owner refused to take responsibility for his injuries.
Maurice Blackburn associate Sarah Williams explained that healthcare providers have a duty to understand their clients' medical conditions and ensure they are properly qualified to provide treatments that meet Australian standards.
'These sorts of injuries are uncommon, however when things go wrong, they can have very serious consequences for the people involved,' she said.
As Mr Gibbs navigates the consequences of this traumatic experience, he said he wasn’t initially keen on pursuing legal action. However, he felt the clinic owners should be held accountable for their actions.
'The doctors told me if they did this to someone they'd be struck off the registrar. He said these people cannot be allowed to get away with it,' Mr Gibbs said. 'And now I'm paying for it ... I could lose my leg in two years.'
The scarring from the injury continues to haunt Mr Gibbs, serving as a constant reminder of the fateful decision that changed his life.
'This is an ugly thing they've left on my leg ... and it's a case of how often does this happen,' he said. 'It's not okay. I'm not letting them brand my leg like that and just think "oh, it's another day". Who does that? I don't understand that.’
‘They knew I had neuropathy, he looked at an app so he knew what it was. Well just say "no we don't do this". That's all they had to say.'
Reflecting on the situation, he added, 'If I'd just stuck to my normal foot massage without being up-sold this stuff, I wouldn't be going through this.'
After hearing this story, do you think enough is being done to protect consumers from dangerous treatments? Share your thoughts in the comments.
