Newport Live has become the first leisure provider in Wales to deliver the Good Boost programme to help people with musculoskeletal conditions be more active and sociable.
The programme follows funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the Healthy Ageing Challenge. Newport Live is taking a leading role in a two-year research project examining how leisure centres & facilities may be transformed into musculoskeletal (MSK) hubs within the community.
The charitable trust will be the leisure provider in charge of delivering sessions that seek to improve people’s lives by getting them moving with gentle water and land-based exercise in a fun and social environment.
Delivered in partnership with Good Boost, ukactive, Orthopaedic Research UK, ESCAPE-pain, and Arthritis Action, sessions provide individually tailored rehabilitation in a low-impact and low-pain setting, making use of technology created by musculoskeletal specialists. This helps people control their musculoskeletal disorders and to progress in their exercises at their own pace.
Ellis Redman, Wellbeing Ambassador at Newport Live, said: “People who would have otherwise stayed at home or would be struggling to get by day to day in pain have come through our doors thanks to the Good Boost initiative. Giving them the chance to use the artificial intelligence app from Good Boost, which offers aquatic and land-based rehabilitation sessions to lessen their discomfort and increase their mobility, has been very fulfilling. We have witnessed the participants’ confidence grow week by week.”
Andrea Ovey, Director of Business Development, said: “Good Boost was a hugely important programme for Newport Live to bring to the leisure trust, the city and to Wales. Good Boost targets people who need that extra element of support and guidance, which the committed team at Newport Live can do. The members who have signed up to Good Boost to date have seen results that improve their mental and physical wellbeing.”
People with a wide range of health concerns, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, musculoskeletal diseases, hip and knee pain, or those who have just had hip and knee joint replacement surgery can benefit from Good Boost sessions. The lessons run for an hour and are divided into a 10-minute warm-up, followed by 3 to 4-minute individual exercises and enjoyable group activities.
To find out further information about Good Boost at Newport Live visit newportlive.co.uk/GoodBoost.