Covid: Animal hydrotherapy access 'better than people's'

Warm water in hydrotherapy pools is said to help reduce pressure on joints

Hydrotherapy pools are more widely available for animals in Wales than for people, a charity has warned.

Many facilities used by those with muscle-wasting conditions remain closed due to the pandemic.

Charities want pools to re-open for those dependent on them to help with severe health conditions.

The Welsh government said evidence of hydrotherapy's effectiveness was "limited" but health boards should restart services when possible.

Muscular Dystrophy UK said hydrotherapy, which involves exercising in warm water, remains largely absent from clinical guidelines.

It said the treatment is chronically under-funded and this has been exacerbated by Covid.

For many in Wales, hydrotherapy cannot be easily accessed, but, according to the charity, it has remained widely available for animals.

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Janet Neilson, 70, from Swansea, said the last time she used a hydrotherapy pool was February 2020.

Janet Neilson said hydrotherapy left her feeling "ready to go", but she's had "none of that over the past two years"

She has facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, a disorder mostly affecting the muscles of the face, shoulder blades and upper arms.

"I have felt compelled to take other action to help relax my muscles and have been paying £40 a session for acupuncture," she said.

"I shouldn't have to be spending so much money just because hydrotherapy pools are not available. It's very unfair and the situation needs to change.

"There are exercises you can do in the water in hydrotherapy, because the water is a really nice temperature, which I can't personally do on land.

"For instance to strengthen your leg muscles you can pretend you're cycling in the water, well you can't do that in the house, and then I got another exercise where I've got to stretch my arms right back."

Muscular Dystrophy UK's care director, Robert Burley, said: "There were more hydrotherapy pools available to animals in Wales then there were to people living with muscle-wasting conditions.

"It shows just the challenge that people were facing even before Covid in accessing these kind of facilities.

"It would be great if venues that have hub hydrotherapy pools that perhaps aren't normally open to the public could open their doors to people with muscle-wasting conditions to increase the access to hydrotherapy."

Hydrotherapy can make stretching and movement exercises more effective

Mr Burley said hydrotherapy could make "a real difference" for people with broken bones, rheumatism or arthritis.

The Welsh government said the National Institute for Health Care and Excellence said hydrotherapy should only be considered in addition to more effective treatments.

"NHS Wales is under extreme pressure at the moment and is prioritising resources to dealing with the pandemic," a spokesman said.

"We would expect health boards to consider re-starting services such as hydrotherapy when they are in a position to do so."

The charity says hydrotherapy is more easily available for animals, especially during the pandemic

What have the health boards said?

Betsi Cadwaladr health board has one pool at Bangor's Ysbyty Gwynedd, which has been closed since the start of the pandemic.

Assistant director of therapy services Carys Norgain said: "We have been unable to reopen our pool due to the need to follow stringent infection prevention controls during the pandemic."

Cardiff and Vale health board said its adult outpatient pool was unavailable because of Covid, but added that hydrotherapy pools at the Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales and in its spinal and neuro specialised rehab unit were "open and services are operating through them".

Swansea Bay health board said its two pools at Singleton and Neath Port Talbot hospitals were open with extended opening hours to accommodate more patients, but its Morriston Hospital pool has not reopened because of coronavirus.

A spokesman said hydrotherapy was not a standalone rehab option and that it offered other "equally effective" rehabilitation programmes.

Hywel Dda health board has a hydrotherapy pool at Glangwilli Hospital in Carmarthen and runs sessions from a Pembrokeshire leisure centre. But its hydrotherapy services have been cut back because of the pandemic.

"Some patients who may have historically received hydro are receiving alternate treatments," a spokesman said.

"In that situation, we are offering land-based rehabilitation that is equally as effective."

Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board said one of its two hydrotherapy pools was open at Merthyr Tydfil's Prince Charles Hospital.

"Our pool in Royal Glamorgan Hospital is temporarily closed, but this is for maintenance/upgrade and is not Covid-related," a spokesman said.

Aneurin Bevan health board and Powys health board were approached, but did not comment.