Craig Gibbs just wanted a relaxing foot massage at Rockhampton shopping centre. But now he's been maimed for l - Daily Mail

[Wayne Flower]

By WAYNE FLOWER, MELBOURNE CORRESPONDENT

Published: 08:43 EST, 18 December 2024 | Updated: 08:44 EST, 18 December 2024


A routine visit to a shopping centre massage clinic has left a Queensland man with life-changing injuries.

Craig Gibbs, 55, visited the massage clinic in Parkhurst, north of Rockhampton, while visiting the local shopping centre unaware how his plans for a foot massage would change his life.

By the time his ordeal was over, Mr Gibbs had sustained third degree burns, a month-long hospital stay and ongoing pain and anxiety.

Mr Gibbs requires regular foot massages to help deal with a medical condition known as neuropathy which causes nerve damage in the legs, and creates blood flow problems that lead to the endless feeling of 'pins and needles' in feet.

Fed up with painkillers, Mr Gibbs told Daily Mail Australia he found a simple foot massage would help alleviate the awful tingling sensation for anywhere up to three days at a time.

He said he went into the clinic for a quick massage when he was 'up-sold' a moxibustion treatment.

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine treatment that involves burning a dried herb called 'moxa' on or near the skin to stimulate the flow of qi, or 'life force'.

It's thought to improve body function, reduce side effects of cancer treatments, and help with a variety of other conditions.

Willing to try anything to help alleviate the endless tingling, Mr Gibbs, who was managing a local resort at the time, said he agreed to give the treatment a try, handing over more than $200 for the session.

The treatment saw what was essentially a hot pot placed upon his leg.

'I'd never heard of it but they had this big display, foot massage, acupuncture, moxibustion and they sort of up-sold me to that,' he said.

Mr Gibbs said he was forced to use a mobile app to help translate his instructions to the workers, who appeared to be of Chinese origin.

He had been insistent the condition he suffered from meant he had lost feeling 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 happened next is the stuff of nightmares.

Distracted by the hustle and bustle of a busy shopping centre crowd, Mr Gibbs claimed the workers left the device on his leg cooking him for nearly an hour.

Unable to feel the pain, it was only that night in bed that he discovered a large weeping blister had formed on his leg.

'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.'

Mr Gibbs said the injury continued to cause him problems, making it difficult for him to carry out simple tasks such as mowing the lawn.

Aided by a walking stick, Mr Gibbs claims the massage clinic's owner had taken no responsibility for his shocking injuries, forcing him to commence civil legal action that is set to hit the courts.

Maurice Blackburn associate Sarah Williams told Daily Mail Australia health care providers had an obligation to inform themselves of any medical conditions and be appropriately qualified to provide the treatment in line with 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 a result of this incident, Craig now has grave injuries and this serves as an important reminder to health providers to ask the appropriate questions at the front end of any treatment.'

Mr Gibbs said he wasn't minded to pursue legal action, but felt the business owners ought be held responsible for their actions.

'The doctors told me if they did this to someone they'd be struck of 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.'

Mr Gibbs said the scar remained a constant reminder of the horrible day a simple decision ended with drastic consequences.

'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.

'If I'd just stuck to my normal foot massage without being up-sold this stuff, I wouldn't be going through this.'

Queensland