I have recently been referred for a series of 4 one to one Hydrotherapy sessions at my NHS hospital. When these finish I can take up a course of six classes targeted at either back/core or hip/knee. I am very grateful for the opportunity and have found the comfort of warm, weight bearing water a revelation. I really would like to continue and would pay for the right treatment. I am sure they help my dodgy knees, grotty back and all the other bits which take it in turns to drop off! I have tried swimming in the past but local pools are, cold, crowded and often distinctly grubby. I pathetically struggle to motivate myself even though I know I should! I am also much more likely to benefit when someone guides my exercise. I like a bit of bossing, stops me taking short cuts.
Has anyone else any advice re accessing hydrotherapy. Have suggested husband might like to build me a lovely warm pool in the garden. Got rude reply and the offer of a couple of buckets.😉
I live in the Oxford area and can drive.
Advice welcomed! 😊
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Gillyflower70
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Hydrotherapy is just wonderful, one of the few 'exercise' sessions I can do. I'm in Scotland and go to a local outdoor spa, beautifully warm in all weathers, it is good to stretch and wander about in the warm water. Great for wellbeing too.
Hi, ask your physio when you have your last organised session if there are any patient groups. My hospital rheumy physio referred me to a lady who organised a former RA/mobility impaired patients’ group at a local private school which is for physically and mentally impaired children and had a lovely hydro pool. It was £10 an hour once a week for a group of maximum of 10 people and there is no tuition as such ... you do your thing, but there were water weights, rubber rings, floats and noodles all available. It was excellent and then the lockdowns etc. stopped it and now it’s being (very slowly) refurbished.
You could see if there are kids’ pools at the local main pools which have adult only sessions for disabled or sometimes seniors as the kids pools are much warmer usually. It’s a shame to stop the good work once you start getting fitter so hope you can find a way to continue. I’m very motivated and adapted gym and general exercises to water and you’ll have a lot of exercises your physio shows you. Hope you enjoy your upcoming sessions! Sorry also I don’t know of anything in your area though. I’m in Yorkshire. Mmrr’s outdoor spa sounds perfect!
Thank you for this. I couldn’t agree more. I am continuing to research. I have asked several people , including physio at the hospital but all they know about are the local pools which really are not suitable. I’m not being picky- I have tried!! I’ll continue as I’m sure these exercises help. I hope you get your pool back soon!
Thank you it’s been hard for the centre as the school/hydro centre relies on charity so they haven’t got a lot of money to do things quickly. I’d say do your research as you are doing and look online for the centre that have a smaller/kids/weather pool. A shame the hospital physio hasn’t found any places. Don’t give up .. keep searching and maybe you could phone your local council/leisure services department and enquire. It’s important there are safe accessible steps in and out of the pool and it’s warm enough.
I used to do regular sessions in hydropool {including a resistance wave} at our local leisure centre - unfortunately in their wisdom, the management decided it was no longer needed and closed it.
I too know the benefit of hydrotherapy and here in Bournemouth our private Nuffield hospital has a warm pool which a group of us use on a rota basis as there are too many of us to all fit in the pool at once. I’d suggest you put messages on local Community group Facebook pages to ask, also ring local hotels and private hospitals as their indoor pools are sometimes warm enough, good luck.
Thank you. I will follow up your FB idea. Sadly none of the private hospitals around us have pools. Only the NHS hospital which understandably is overstretched. Glad you have found somewhere.
About 6 weeks ago I joined ‘Bluetits’ - a wld swimming group and have been swimming in the sea twice a week. I have honestly never felt better. I think the combination of swimming (or bobbing about in the waves) and cold water has helped me enormously.The group swims through the winter (more in rivers, lakes etc than the sea) and all of them swear they are healthier as a result.
I’m lucky as we have blue flag beaches along my bit of coast. I’m not sure about swimming in rivers but have found a private pool at a local hotel which I can use.
I am in Gloucestershire and my son had the same problems as you in public swimming pools. When he started going blue in them due to the cold, after just a few minutes, we gave up. The NHS physio was no help at first but then one day she said a patient had told her about the hydrotherapy pool in Swindon. We tried it out and for 7 years we went once a week and it was wonderful!
Depending on which side of Oxford you live it isn't too difficult to get to. There has been people there from Oxfordshire while we were using it. You need a referral form filled out by the GP or physio, but it is very basic, not time consuming. During school hours it is used by the special schools, but afternoons and weekends are open to the public, and two evenings a week too.
We only stopped going because of covid and I was finding the 50 minute drive difficult. and yes, you can tell how many hydro pools there are in Gloucestershire if I have to drive 50 minutes to get to Swindon and that was the closest!
I tired every hotel, spa (the local one charges huge fees to keep 'the riff-raff out') NHS and public pool as well as several care homes that have their own, but either they didn't take people without a physio or had a long waiting list, or some other excuse why they didn't want us riff-raff people! Or it was just tooooooo cold!
I hope you can find somewhere. The government and NHS keep saying about how the population is ageing and how older people have to keep active to keep healthy, but not only do we not have a hydrotherapy pool near us, we don't even have a public pool in our local town!
Unfortunately I am the other side of Oxford and unable to drive in the dark (Winter would be restricted) I fear the undoubted good it would do me would be undone by the journey. I really do appreciate the advice.
THat is one of the reasons why we haven't gone back since the lockdowns; my son found that although it was so good for him, sitting in the car took some of it away. I hope you can find something closer.
Yes, I had hydrotherapy at my local hospital. It really is wonderful to have that break from your body, even if only for half an hour. I can't really say it had long term benefits but there were opportunities to go for evening sessions too, and the NASS charity have sessions in some areas if you have a diagnosis of a spondyloarthropathy. It was as good for my mental health as much as my physical.
Unfortunately my local hospital pool lost its funding and hydrotherapy stopped. I don't know if it's started again but I find any water is good. I hate public swimming pools but have been swimming outdoors a few times and even cold water helps me. It just takes some getting used to.
Do ask your NHS physio if she can recommend somewhere nearby that has that sort of facility. Otherwise check out local health clubs or spa facilities. You may find one of them offers an aqua fit class which would be ideal.
Have a look at David Lloyd club i see there's one in cowley not sure if close to you but check it out.I go to mine has quality pool and warm jacuzzi and the water jets are great for my ra,like gentle massage.feel great after!
I'm in the North of Scotland so I don't think my pool is going to be of much use to you. I have been attending our local hydrotherapy pool twice a week for a few months as part of my recovery from a serious bike accident in March. I have found these sessions have been a great aid to my rehabilitation. I have been targeting the hip and back exercises . Some of these exercises are so much easier and effective than what you can do on dry land.
I found this but it looks as if it might be the wrong side of Oxford. There appear to be a lot of hydrotherapy centres and when you look more closely they are for dogs and horses. Yet again animals seem to be better catered for than humans 😉
To be honest I’d ask at your next session where you could sign up to continue on your own. You might find someone with a private pool that caters for teaching learners - they tend to be warmer than normal pools - who you could work with.
Afraid we are too far the other side of Oxford. These both look exactly what I need but unfortunately they are too far away. By the time I’d driven there and back I’d be thoroughly pooped, will suggest to husband we move house!?!I shall contact them and see if they know anyone more our way. Thank you so much.
Do you have a nuffield health gym nearby. They offer a joint pain course which is great and gives you free membership for 6 months (and half price afterwards). They have a good pool set up with a spa etc. My local gym also do Aqua Therapy classes which have been a godsend.
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