FROM a field of international experts, it was a physio who calls Tynedale his home who impressed most at a recent conference in Colombia.

Paul Hobrough, the owner of Hexham’s Physio&Therapy UK, was presented with the certificate for best presentation during the International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment conference.

Since introducing shockwave therapies to the Tyne Valley in 2016, Mr Hobrough has become one of the leaders in the treatment in the UK.

He was also in demand on a global scale, his appearance at Colombia following work-related trips to South Africa and China earlier this year.

Mr Hobrough said: “The award was really indicative of all the hard work I put in and I was up there with the greatest in the world.

“It felt great that they have asked me to celebrate the work we all do on shockwave by sharing research, and now we are doing some cross-Continent research on shockwave.

“On the back of what I did in Colombia, I will go to teach in Australia in May and Prague in January.

“I’ve got such a big international diary already in 2020, that it’s going to be such a huge year.”

Mr Hobrough’s recent work across the globe has extended his fanbase beyond the UK.

In addition to his Hexham clinic, he also runs a practice in London’s Harley Street and has worked in the past on athletics greats such as Sir Mo Farah, Steve Cram and Paula Radcliffe.

“By travelling around the world and working in these countries, I have ended up with quite a worldwide following so I have been doing some videos online for people across the world,” he said.

“I now have a lot of subscribes from Colombia because I have made a splash there, and the same happened when I went to South Africa.”

Another exciting date in Mr Hobrough’s diary is the release of his second book on January 23.

Following the success of his best-selling book of 2016, Running Free From Injuries, his next book The Runner’s Guide to Stretching acts as a prequel.

Although it wasn’t available to purchase until early next year, the book had already broke into the top 25 best sellers on Amazon on pre-order copies alone.