Leah Patterson-Baker star speaks about her unexpected surgery.

Home and Away star Ada Nicodemou has shared news of a “wake-up call” that she experienced with her health last year, which resulted in her losing all feeling in her left foot.

Writing in her column for Australia’s Stellar Magazine, the actor, who plays Leah Patterson-Baker, revealed that she herniated a disc in her spine in early 2023, after she sneezed while preparing to go and exercise.

“I had to come to terms with the fact I couldn’t push my body the way I used to. It was a wake-up call, physically and emotionally,” she wrote (quotes via Yahoo! Lifestyle). “I started to think about exercise differently, realising that health isn’t about extremes.”

Nicodemou added that, after undergoing an operation, she has slowed down a little and has come to realise that “health is more than appearance”.

“Now, I focus on what makes me feel good: pilates, walks, light weight training, and a more balanced approach,” she said. “Instead of chasing a perfect body, I’m being kind to myself and listening to what my body needs.”

She also spoke about how following other people’s examples isn’t always the best approach, suggesting that everyone should focus on a health regime that works for them personally.

“We’re constantly bombarded by what celebrities and influencers are doing to stay fit, but the truth is, what works for one person doesn’t always work for another,” she said.

Earlier this year, Nicodemou confirmed that she is in a relationship with her Home and Away co-star James Stewart, who plays Leah’s husband Justin Morgan.

Later speaking about how the pair’s castmates discovered the news, she said that “word got around” the set after she had already confided in the people that she is “close with”.

“I figured I didn’t need to tell anyone else,” she said. “We didn’t need a group email, people just worked it out.”

The star has also spoken about how her and Stewart’s romantic feelings took them by surprise, after they developed following almost three decades of friendship.

“There were no feelings for a really, really long time,” she said. “There was this chemistry for the first time – this spark that happened that wasn’t there before and it was weird.”

Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.45pm on Channel 5, with repeat screenings at 6pm on 5STAR and first-look screenings at 6.30pm on 5STAR. Selected classic episodes are available via Prime Video in the UK.