During July and August, the MD Support Centre delivered weekly aquatic exercise classes at the Xcel Centre in Coventry. Led by our physiotherapists Dan, Ulrike, and Tzoulia, the six-week programme was designed to improve mobility, flexibility, and overall wellbeing of our MD community.
The classes featured a variety of exercises designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles while enhancing stability and balance. Using pool noodles and floats to aid buoyancy and create resistance, participants could adapt the exercises to their own ability under the guidance of the physiotherapists. The sessions also offered the opportunity to stay in the pool after class to enjoy swimming or spend extra time in the water.
A transformative experience
For Kaye, a lifelong dancer affected by muscular dystrophy, the classes have been life changing. “Swimming has never been my thing. I’ve always found it hard work, but I signed up because it took me out of my comfort zone,” she said. Despite swimming not being one of Kaye’s strengths, the aquatic exercise classes were transformative from the very first session.
She said, “I found instantaneously that the water makes you weightless, and you can do things you can’t normally do when standing. The exercises have given me so much more flexibility. After the first session, I felt like I’d had physiotherapy, but instead of lying on a couch, I was actively engaged in the water. I’ve loved it and afterwards I felt taller, straighter, and more stretched.”
Kaye had noticed a decline in her mobility over the last 18 months. She said, “It has started to affect things I took for granted – hopping and jumping, moving quickly, and turning. Where previously, I could stand on one leg, now I have to use the ballet barre to support myself if I’m demonstrating things in class. When you’ve got MD, you feel quite tight and heavier. Everything you do feels like a major effort. When you’re in the water, the water does that for you. I can’t jog anymore, but I can jog in the water. I don’t jump anymore, but I can jump in the water.
“Swimming has liberated me. I feel freer in myself, and it’s been a blessing.”
Benefits of aquatic exercise classes go beyond the physical impact
Kaye also discovered an unexpected emotional impact of the classes. “It’s allowed me to realise that I can do more than I think,” she said. “I recently had to empty three rooms of furniture, which I couldn’t have done before. But what I’ve learnt in the pool, combined with what I know about dancing, helped me not to feel so frightened. It’s given me a lot of confidence.”
Beyond the physical benefits, the social aspect of sessions has also been rewarding. She said, “There were ten of us the first week, and I’ve gotten to know them. You’re meeting like-minded people who understand what it feels like to have MD. I’ve made new friends, widened my social circle, and gained confidence.”
With overwhelmingly positive feedback, the aquatic exercise classes have proven to be invaluable for many, offering not only physical benefits but also emotional support and a renewed sense of community. Feedback so far shows that attendees are eager to continue, with Kaye saying, “I don’t want it to end. But even if it does, I’ll keep going to the pool. The weightlessness and the freedom it provides have been a big benefit to me.”
We are hoping to offer aquatic exercise sessions again in the future. If you feel this is something you would benefit from, please speak with your physiotherapist in the first instance.