Swimming their way to better health

Patients with profound learning and physical disabilities are benefitting from swimming sessions organised by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and Sport for Confidence.

The Learning Disability and Physiotherapy teams from EPUT and Sport for Confidence work together to provide essential hydrotherapy for patients in local swimming pools which enables them to continue to benefit from this treatment outside of the hospital.

Hydrotherapy is based on clinical need and is only offered for six weeks as part of a patient’s rehabilitation and is usually carried out at Basildon Hospital’s hydropool.

After the initial six weeks of hydrotherapy, patients wanted to continue swimming and getting the therapeutic benefits of water. This led to the move to community swimming pools.

Some of the benefits of hydrotherapy include:

• pain relief,
• relief of swelling and stiffness in the joints
• relaxation: reduced muscle tone
• improved range of movements of the affected joints
• muscle strengthening
• improved circulation
• cardiovascular fitness

Other benefits to patients of using local swimming pools include:

• they continue to receive hydrotherapy outside of the hospital
• improved independence and confidence
• improved general health and wellbeing
• Social interaction

Sally Morris, Chief Executive of EPUT said: “I am glad that we are working with Sport for Confidence to help people with learning and physical disabilities to continue to benefit from hydrotherapy outside of the hospital setting. This is a really good example of partnership work that is making a big difference in the lives of our patients.”

Find out more about Sport for Confidence