Services and Benefits

Hydrotherapy is defined as: “a form of physiotherapy treatment conducted in a heated pool where clients undertake specially designed exercises to help regain or enhance their well-being”.

Hydrotherapy is conducted in a pool containing water which is typically heated to 32-36°C - that is to just below blood temperature and is a level which assists healing.

The perceived benefits of hydrotherapy include:

• Relief of pain
• Ease of movement
• Reduction of muscle spasm
• Reduction of oedema (swelling)
• Enhanced relaxation
• Re-education of functional activities
• Enhanced cardio-vascular fitness

Examples of other hydrotherapy pools are:

Thamesdown, Swindon - though built 30 years ago, this is the very model of how a community pool should be run.

Brookfields Clinic, Highclere - currently the nearest facility to Newbury; within a private physiotherapy clinic.

Oxford Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital - a superb design; used mainly by hospital patients; one of six pools in Oxford.

Image courtesy of Shapemaster LtdPut simply, power assisted exercise is the use of exercise equipment which incorporates motors to assist the user in achieving the range of movements required.

Most equipment permits the user, if they wish, to add his/her contribution to the exercise (i.e. adding strength in the same direction as the motor, not resisting it).

Types of equipment include cycling machines, ‘upright exercisers’ (rather like those in conventional gyms, except they are equipped with motors), ‘toning tables’ (which provide gentle mobility exercises in a lying position) and vibration platforms and tables.

Recent research conducted at Leeds Metropolitan University showed in the case of users of power-assisted exercise equipment it was found:

Image courtesy of Shapemaster Ltda) their flexibility usually improved markedly;
b) their blood pressure sometimes improved;
c) in most cases there was a very marked enhanced feeling of well-being.

Examples of PAEGs:

BASIC, Salford - The Brain and Spinal Injury Centre, affiliated to the Manchester Clinical Neuroscience Centre

Tibshelf Cardiac Rehabilitation Support Centre, Derbyshire - also used by stroke victims, MS sufferers and those with other disorders.

MS Therapy Centres - many MS centres include power-assisted exercise equipment among their facilities.

Hydrotherapy is well known to benefit a wide range of conditions, notably:

• Arthritis.
• Pain in the back, neck, and shoulder; sports injuries.
• Balance and co-ordination problems; dementia; Parkinson’s Disease.
• Post-operative rehabilitation, especially hip and knee replacements.
• Cerebral Palsy, MS and other neurological disorders.
• Autism, Down’s Syndrome, learning difficulties.

While power-assisted exercise is less well researched than hydrotherapy there is a wealth of empirical evidence to suggest a strong overlap with the conditions benefitting from hydrotherapy. Additionally, power-assisted exercise is very important in improving the mobility of older people, especially when overweight. Indeed, West Berkshire Council is especially keen to promote health and fitness for its citizens and sponsors an initiative called ‘Activity for Health’, which comprises the running of activities for various groups at the Council’s leisure centres. It is proving to be a great success and the Council is keen to explore a partnership to provide it access to this gym.

In researching the feasibility studies for both the hydrotherapy pool and the power-assisted exercise gym we visited many other similar facilities, held discussions with their managements and spoke to potential users. There will be many differing types of users:

• Support groups - Demand from groups, usually organised charities, will be high. Those especially positive are the Alzheimer’s Society, Arthritis Care, Cancer Care, Mencap, the MS Society, the Parkinson’s Society and Newbury Stroke Club.
• Hospital out-patients - This is usually a prime source of clients requiring, for instance, therapies to assist post-operative rehabilitation for replacement hips and knees, cardiovascular problems, etc.
• Referrals from GPs and elsewhere - This is generally the greatest source of clients for a typical therapy centre. For instance, referrals account for 1100 clients in a year at the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool, Swindon, and clients average twelve visits each.
• Self-referrals - Subject to certain conditions, including an initial assessment, we propose allowing self-referrals who believe they will benefit from either hydrotherapy or power-assisted exercise.
• Private clinics - Some private physiotherapy clinics wish to hire the pool and/or gym for their own client sessions.
• Special schools, units and centres - Many local special schools or units either have or would like their own pools and gyms. The alternative is to share a community pool. In addition, the Ormonde Centre, located at Newbury College, has expressed interest in dedicated sessions.
• Ante- & Post-natal classes - In some areas of the country hydrotherapy is popular, especially to ease back pain.
• Sports clubs - Several local clubs have expressed interest in evening pool hires. These include Newbury Rugby Club, to replace its current weekly visits to Oxford.
• Learning to swim classes - While warm water pools are not suitable for most swimming classes, the elderly and parents of very young babies are suitable clients.
• Mobility classes for the elderly and infirm - The use of both hydrotherapy and power-assisted exercise for gentle exercises for the elderly and infirm is proving a great success and is popular, not least because it also introduces a social element and some fun into the lives of the more fragile within our community.