Didn't someone mention this in the last few days? Apparently it IS a "thing"!
Nuffield Health, the UK's largest healthcare charity, has launched a new Joint Pain Programme designed to help people better self-manage their chronic joint pain. The programme is available at all Nuffield Health gyms across the UK and is a FREE 12-week programme.
More details here:
healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...
PMR isn't mentioned - but fibromyalgia is - I'm sure you could talk your way in!
Thanks for making us aware of this. I've applied! Will let you know if I get accepted.
Hi, I’ve just finished the first 12 weeks of this program. It’s excellent and well worth doing. Free gym membership too 😊
Edited to say free gym membership for six months then option of continuing membership at half normal price. I believe spouses can have the reduced rate also.
hi Maisie. How Challenging was it? I have a lot of osteoarthritis as well as PMR.
Hello Nightingales We were encouraged only to do as much as we were comfortable with. I would say a lot depends on who takes the group and the other members. It was pretty generic but I don’t think that can be helped as trying to cover a lot of conditions, probably more geared up to OA, especially knees and hips. Note our “rehabilitation specialist” wasn’t a physiotherapist or nurse but a personal trainer, she was extremely nice and encouraging though. We ended up with only six lovely ladies in my group, formed a WhatsApp group to keep in touch. The exercises were varied, free weights (or no weights) , gym floor machines, aqua, chair yoga, resistance bands etc.
I would recommend giving it a go if the sessions are suitable times for you, there’s no compulsion to carry on, you can leave at any time if it’s not for you. Nuffield gyms are generally very smart and well equipped so it’s well worth it for the six months free membership and then the reduced rate even if you just want to use the pool. They usually have a huge range of different exercise classes too, with decent instruction too.
I’m happy to send you a message in chat if you want more details. All the best.
Thank you Maisie. Very helpful. I like the sound of it, especially aqua . I will be applying again when I feel better.
thanks, I’ve also applied. Not sure about timings as need to juggle work but hopefully will be able to fit it in. Sounds good, thanks again
Yes it's definitely a thing and PMR is recognised.I was accepted on the course but only two days of the week it runs locally are the same days I have my two grandchildren. So reluctantly I had to drop out.
Sounds really good unfortunately not a Center in my area .
Hope others are able to sign up for it.
Sure would be nice to have this in Canada!
Would be nice to have in southern California too.
Thanks, PMR Pro…I was interested & have 3 of the diseases listed, waiting to hear about another one…but the nearest gym is an hours drive away, and the hospitals are too far from me for regular attendance. Would be good to hear back if anybody goes through the whole course, good luck! S x
Thanks so much for the info , going to see if it's available at my nearest centre, hoping it's not just an English centre thing again , as then it becomes pointless when you have to do a three hour round trip that triggers more pain to use it!
I took part in the joint pain programme for 12 weeks prior to Christmas. It is free - they get you to sign up for half price gym membership afterwards.Each session starts with a discussion.. Eg diet, wellbeing, coping with pain etc and is followed by exercises or use of the gym equipment. They promote Nuffield's exercise classes ie Pilates, body balance, yoga. Not everyone completed the course. I felt that it helped me at the time and it has shown me how I do need to continue with exercise to help with my mobility.
Looks good but nothing within 2 hours drive for me, sadly
Yes PMRpro it was me. I wasn't sure if it was still running as I knew about it last year.
I signed up without problems and had a start date but had a bad relapse and cancelled. I will try again when I feel better. The nurse I spoke to was very pleasant
To be fair, I’m pretty much in remission atm. Don’t want to jinx myself, felt a bit of a fraud. Hope you feel better very soon. All the best
I've just signed up and looking forward to starting te course in a couple of weeks time
I applied a few months ago to a centre in yorkshire and was advised PMR not covered so possibly down to local interpretation as not strictly joint related
Neither is fibromyalgia - and that is included.
I attended this programme with the other half for 12 weeks, twice a week, ending 23rd December. I have PMR and GCA. We are now on 12 weeks of free gym use and are attending classes at least twice a week. We can use the gym and pool anytime we want, as we could during the Joint Pain course. I thoroughly recommend it. You do what you can as there are easy options for each exercise, whether during sessions in a hall or on machines. Everyone gets a log book. Half of the session for the 12 week course is to discuss a chapter in the book then the other 30 minutes in work. We are booked in for Beginners' Pilates next Sunday and, hopefully, Beginners' Tai Chi two days later. Booking for these extras opens 8 days before at 7am. All very organised. Trained instructors. You have to be assessed beforehand, after the course and after the extra 12 weeks if you stick to it.There are many Nuffield Health sites in the UK. It occurred to me part way through the course that I had completed a few paid health surveys in the past but did not associate those with NH.
I am not sure that we can both afford half price fees after the 24 weeks to the end of September, then full price after a year. We will be sad to drop it.
I have arthritis in one knee. He has it in a knee plus his wrists. They welcomed PMR as it causes joint pain.
Sacroiliac joint pain
omeprazole and joint pain
Sacroliac joint pain and PMR
Update on joint pain at 2.5mg 
