From pain to podium: a young golfer's story
For Hudson, 16, the summer was supposed to be about golf. A competitive athlete studying at the prestigious Leadbetter Golf Academy in Orlando, he returned home to Toronto in May following a training stint. But instead of preparing for competition, persistent back pain brought those plans to a halt.
"My back had been bothering me for three weeks to a month," he recalls. "At my level, if you're not close to 100 per cent, it's hard to compete. We didn't know what the summer was going to look like."
The situation was made more complex by the fact that Hudson lives with Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that can sometimes contribute to musculoskeletal symptoms. At first, he and his parents wondered whether the pain might be related to inflammation in the sacroiliac (SI) joint – the joint that connects the sacrum, at the base of the spine, to the pelvis – which can be a source of pain for some people living with Crohn's disease.
As long-time Medcan Dedicated Care members, Hudson's parents brought him to his Dedicated Care physician, Dr. Taras Nahirny. What followed was a highly coordinated, multidisciplinary approach involving physician assessment, diagnostic testing, and bloodwork. The team at Medcan worked together to identify the root cause of Hudson's pain with the goal to get him back into performance mode.
Following numerous evaluations, Hudson's care team determined that the issue wasn't inflammatory after all – it was muscular. With the right diagnosis in place, Dr. Nahirny referred Hudson to Dr. Evelyn Lock, chiropractor at Medcan's Kingsway location, where the team mobilized quickly. "Everything happened fast," says Hudson. "It wasn't, 'We'll see you in two weeks.' It was, 'We'll see you tomorrow.' I got care right away."
Hudson and his parents also appreciated the convenience of having care so close to home. The Kingsway clinic is just a few minutes away. “It makes a difference for a young man who is travelling all the time," says Hudson's mother, Cynthia Thomas.
Care that went beyond physical recovery
Over the next three weeks, Hudson visited Medcan Kingsway regularly, sometimes for back-to-back one-hour chiropractic sessions. The relationship he built with his care team – particularly Dr. Lock – became a defining part of his experience.
Hudson arrived expecting chiropractic treatment. What he received, he says, was much more.
"Dr. Lock gave me movements and stretches, but she also worked on the mindset with me," he says. "She helped me understand that something could feel sore, but that didn't necessarily mean I couldn't perform."
As any golfer knows, mental resilience can be just as important as physical ability, and the strategies Hudson learned quickly became a key part of his recovery and performance. Dr. Lock introduced Hudson to breathing exercises to help calm both his nerves and muscle tension. She also taught focus techniques he could use before and during tournaments. "One exercise was about focusing so intently on a single point that everything else disappears," he explains. "When I used that on the golf course, instead of thinking about pain or worrying about my back, I could focus on the ball and the shot in front of me."
The result was greater confidence – not only in his body, but in his ability to manage challenges as they arose. "The stretches helped me physically, but the mindset work will help me with future injuries, too," he says. "Dr. Lock taught me to trust the process and what my body is capable of."
"Dr. Lock taught me to trust the process and trust what my body is capable of."- Hudson, Dedicated Care Client
Dr. Lock's impact extended beyond Hudson's treatment. "She's incredibly passionate and engaging," says Darren Brownlee, Site Manager at Medcan Kingsway. "She made a real impression – not just on Hudson, but on other members of his family and our Kingsway team, too."
There's a team behind every athlete
For Hudson and his family, the experience reinforced the value of having healthcare providers who communicate and collaborate. "If they didn't understand the connection to Crohn's disease, it could have gone down a completely different path," says Hudson. "Instead, everyone was working together and looking at the whole picture."
His mother agrees. "Things get done quickly at Medcan, and it’s wholistic," she says. "We have Dr. Nahirny, we have Dr. Lock, and they're talking to each other. It was bang, bang, bang – everything came together."
That support was especially meaningful as Hudson prepares to return to Florida, where he trains and competes away from home for much of the year. His mother says that being away from family can be challenging, but knowing he has a care team that understands his history and is invested in his success provides peace of mind.
Back on the course – and reaching new heights
Just two weeks after beginning treatment, Hudson decided to test himself in a Canadian Junior Golf Association tournament. "We treated it as a way to see how my body would respond," he says. "I used everything Dr. Lock taught me."
And not only did he compete – he won. And his victory was more than a personal achievement. The result earned him eligibility to represent Canada at an international competition in Mexico later this summer.
"Coming off an injury and playing that well was pretty incredible," he says. "When I got back to the car, my dad and I talked about how, not that long before, we weren't even sure I'd be golfing much that summer."
The following Monday, he returned to Medcan for a scheduled follow-up appointment. This time carrying something unexpected: a gold medal.
Instead of keeping it, he handed it to Dr. Lock. “This is because of you,” he said.
"When you accomplish something, you have to recognize the people who helped you get there," Hudson says. "I immediately thought of Dr. Lock and my Medcan team. They played a huge role in helping me get back to where I needed to be."
"Coming off an injury and playing that well was pretty incredible. My dad and I weren't even sure I'd be golfing much this summer."- Hudson, Dedicated Care Client
Looking ahead and moving forward
Today, Hudson is preparing for a busy season that includes representing Canada at the North America Cup in Mexico and competing in national-level tournaments. His long-term goal is to play collegiate golf in the United States and pursue the sport as far as his talent will take him.
But no matter where golf leads, he knows success is rarely an individual effort. "Behind every winning athlete, there's a team. Having people who understand both my body and my mindset has made a huge difference."
"Behind every winning athlete, there's a team. Having people who understand both my body and my mindset has made a huge difference."- Hudson, Dedicated Care Client
For Hudson, that support didn't just help him recover from an injury. It gave him the confidence to keep chasing his dream. "Their efforts deserve to be recognized," he says. "They really care. And that's what made all the difference."
For the Kingsway team, the moment reflected something deeper than a single clinical outcome. "We're a small team here, and when clients come in as often as this family has, we build real relationships," says Darren, General Manager of Medcan’s Kingsway location. "We've gotten to know them, and they've gotten to know us. What Dr. Locke was able to do for this young client was meaningful – it had a real impact. It's a powerful example of multidisciplinary care in action, and what makes us so unique."
While the family had long been Medcan clients and regularly visited Medcan in Toronto’s financial district, the Kingsway has quickly become their local home for its continuity of care, convenience and the trusted care they’ve come to know and expect from Medcan.
This story isn't just about a win on the golf course. It's about what can happen when care is connected, personalized and built around the individual. Young athletes deserve unique care and attention – and we’re proud to be part of Hudson’s journey.
Related services
For individuals and families in need of a primary care physician, Dedicated Care provides same or next-day appointments, virtually or in-person. Highly personalized care is provided by your physician and a clinical team, to give medical advice, discuss results and ensure timely referrals. For support with pain, injury or physiotherapy, learn more about our Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation services.