If you go anywhere near a municipal gym or health club between the hours of 12 noon and 3pm, you are very likely to see quite a large number of senior citizens making their way to and from the latest form of pain management classes. They’re not referred to as that of course, but that is essentially what is happening. For several years the new idea for getting the oldies out of the surgery was to refer them up the system to the next stage – the pain clinic. It was sometimes hard to tell whether the idea was to reduce existing levels or to add to them but in general, they just supplied a couple of sessions with a physiotherapist who gave out written instructions for the senior to partake in exercises at home. Well, very few folk actually do them, especially those who never did sport when younger, or took up yoga or pilates in mid life. it is very obvious to the casual observer of any of the new classes, which seniors have had some experience in moving their limbs and trying to get their heart healthy and their joints free of the common problems.

The modern approach now is to send as many seniors to the gym for Ortago sessions as can be accommodated – these are basically well structured balance and mobility exercises done mostly sitting down but with an element of challenge. Easy they are not. When they first started in this area some 3 years ago, there was a maximum of 13 placed on each class. There being 3 classes per day for 4 days, that was over 150 helped to stay out of the couch potato group. Many of the seniors, especially the men who were often there as a recouperative stage after a knee or hip replacement. The immediate post op physio was supposed to be cotinued at home, byt they sddidn’t engage. Whereas the classes are a good social event for most. It’s amazing the amount of useful information you can glean from waiting outside for the class to go in. At the end of the class which involves stretching, cardio work, hand weights for strength and then standing work for balance, evryone is certainly very cheerful and proud of their efforts. So popular and effective are they, the max is now 22 per class. so that’s a good 20 plus every week. Now that’s Bending & Streching with benefits.