TAKING THE PLUNGE

November 2017

Water seems to have a miraculous, and therapeutic, effect on the human body. I know it does for me. I feel more relaxed and more interested in movement. Since I have had MS, being submerged in water makes movement much easier as the weight of my body is already supported by the buoyancy of the water

So I jumped at the chance of trying hydrotherapy at the Centre when the physio team offered me an 8 week course.

I was asked to bring 2 volunteers with me, to get changed and showered, before and after. I asked  a team of 3 friends who were happy to oblige.

I admit I had a few niggling little anxieties: did the physio team have experience of dealing with a wheelchair user like me, in the pool? After all, I have just limited movement in my right arm and hand, pus good head movement: how would I cope with being in the water?  My confidence level was not high. 

However, I need not have worried. Everything went swimmingly!I felt totally comfortable and very relaxed in the lovely, warm water.

I felt completely safe and supported by my physio, who was clearly highly trained and very experienced. Changing was a breeze with my volunteer friends who managed the manual handling with ease (one was a retired nurse, and one was a retired professional carer, so perfect for the job!).

Week by week I saw improvements: better breathing and better

sitting posture in my wheelchair. I certainly enjoyed it more and more each week. In particular, it was a real pleasure to move part of my anatomy that in a wheelchair, remains static: my pelvis!

The therapy itself progressed steadily from week to week. I was most impressed by the way my physio developed the program of hydrotherapy, constantly adding new exercises or the level of difficulty.  Meanwhile, however, things seemed to come more easily to me. My volunteer-friends were always watching, and they confirmed the improvements they clearly saw for themselves.

Overall, I loved my experience of hydrotherapy and have put my name down to repeat it sometime next year. Never has therapy been so thoroughly enjoyable!

If you would like to try hydrotherapy, speak to any of the physio team, who will be happy to make arrangements to add your name to the list. Go on, why not take the plunge?!