A FOOT injury in a gym had put paid to a young woman’s enjoyment of wearing high heels, a judge heard yesterday.
Judge Jacqueline Linnane awarded €7,500 damages in the Circuit Civil Court to 33-year-old Ailish Costello, of Walkinstown Avenue, Dublin.
She told William O’Brien, counsel for Ms Costello, that his client had not been properly instructed by Sheldon Park Leisure Club staff in the use of a training machine.
Judge Linnane, who was given an in-court demonstration of how the cross trainer machine worked, said there had been evidence of a gym induction programme of only 20 minutes on the day Ms Costello had joined the club in the Sheldon Park Hotel, Kylemore Road, Dublin.
Ms Costello told Mr O’Brien she had broken the big toe of her left foot and injured her ankle in January 2004 when the machine had suddenly gone into reverse.
She said the machine had suddenly thrown her forward, jamming her left foot and leg. There had been a loud bang and the machine had stopped.
Fiona Walsh, club manager at the time, told the court newcomers received instruction in all of the gym trainer machines.
The judge said it was clear from the evidence Ms Costello had not been properly instructed and did not know how the trainer was to be stopped. She was not satisfied there had been supervision of the trainers in use on the day.
Ms Costello said she was unable to wear high heels and told the judge: “I do love my shoes.”
She said she had been advised by her physiotherapist to wear flat shoes.
During 2008, she had become pregnant and had suffered extra pain in her injured foot.