A gym aimed at improving the aftercare and rehabilitation of patients, including those recovering from major surgery, has opened in Clacton.
Run by East Suffolk and North Essex (NHS) Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) a team of physiotherapists will work with patients who have undergone, or are waiting for, major surgery such as total knee or hip replacements.
Based at Kennedy Way, the new facility will help increase clinic capacity and reduce waiting lists for other patients awaiting procedures. It will be similar to the Trust’s existing gyms at Harwich Hospital and at Mill Road, in Colchester.
From left, ESNEFT physios Levi Agobado, Noel Wong and Jack Thurston try out the new equipment
The facility, which was a response to the additional activity generated by the new Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre, will also help ESNEFT patients who want to join community gyms become more confident using fitness equipment, help athletes keen to return to high-level sporting activity after injury, and provide back classes which include a wellness and mindfulness session on the last week.
Aileen Dove is the lead for MSK (Musculoskeletal) therapies at North East Essex Community Services, which is part of ESNEFT. She said: “The aim is to provide high quality, evidence-based rehabilitation in a brand-new facility.
“It’s also about equity of care, providing for people in the area rather than them having to spend time travelling elsewhere.
“It will be used solely by our physiotherapy team who will work with patients at all stages of their recovery.
“We will have an area that accommodates more challenging equipment to help people recovering from ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries return to sport or high levels of activity.
“We are also looking to put on extra classes for people who want to join gyms in the community that have not been able to have demonstrations on exercise equipment before.
“We hope that such sessions will give them more confidence and make community gyms more accessible.”
Julie Vine from Holland-on-Sea attends a class for patients with back problems and said: “It’s great to have a facility like this in the local community, so that people don’t have to travel too far.
Julie Vine, right, does some seated dumbell exercises with physio Natasha Allsop
“It has helped me a lot as I have back pain and have received a lot of information and ideas to help me – things I can do to help myself.”
Alex Wrycraft, a gateway administrator for North East Essex Community Services, said her partner Michael Brown would be attending a lower limb class at the gym, while on a waiting list for a knee replacement.
Alex said: “Michael has been offered an appointment in Colchester but is quite anxious about driving, so wasn’t really happy to go there.
“He has managed to be put on a waiting list to come to this gym and that’s a really positive outcome.”
The gym has been made possible from funds allocated for new physiotherapy pathways as part of the Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre, which opened at Colchester Hospital last year.
People will be able to self-refer to the service but will have to undergo a full assessment initially.
Simba Chandiwana, Associate Director of Operations (North East Essex Community Services) cuts the ribbon to open the new gym, watched by colleagues from North East Essex Community Services.