The Salford Royal Hospital Axial SpA Group offers NASS affiliated group hydrotherapy and gym sessions.
Cost: Free
There is no charge for the sessions. The hospital offer free parking for blue badge holders; other car drivers would have to pay to park on hospital grounds or on the adjoining council-run pay and display car park.
Who are the sessions suitable for?
These sessions are for people with a diagnosis of axial SpA (including ankylosing spondylitis) who are under the care of hospitals within the Northern Care Alliance in Manchester. This includes Salford, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury. You can access the gym and hydrotherapy pool during these sessions.
They are ideal for people who have already met a physiotherapist and received some advice on exercise. The gym sessions are available to those who want to work through their pre-planned individualised exercise programme. The hydrotherapy sessions offers group based exercise according to the physiotherapy department’s standard axial SpA pool routine.
When do sessions run?
Sessions run fortnightly on a Thursday morning. The gym opens at 07:45. The first pool session is 08:30 and then further pool sessions run at 09:00 and 09:30 as required. The pool sessions are allocated on a first come, first serve basis with those arriving earlier in the gym getting the opportunity to access the earlier pool sessions.
Some people will want to arrive at 0745 to have 40 minutes in the gym and then the 0830-0900 pool session; others could arrive at 0845 for 40 minutes in the gym and then the 0930-1000 pool session.
What happens in the sessions?
A combined rehabilitation session is offered which includes 30-45 minutes in the gym followed by a 30 minute hydrotherapy group session. The gym holds around 20 people, the hydrotherapy pool has a capacity of around 6-7 people at a time.
Between 1 and 3 pool groups run per session, dependent on the total number of people in the group.
Pool sessions are supported and run by Salford Royal Hospital therapy assistants and the rheumatology physiotherapist pops in as needed. The gym session is run by the rheumatology physiotherapist. A drop-in with the consultant physiotherapist for advice on management and flares is offered at the start of each session.
Important information
This is an affiliated NASS group and not a NASS branch. This means you will be covered under Salford Royal Hospital and their policies and procedures.