On 17 January, First Community Health and Care in partnership with Sport England and Active Surrey delivered the first ever group based exercise class in east Surrey to support patients suffering from Long Covid.
The session, held at The Merstham Hub in Redhill, saw a class of six patients begin a 6-week group exercise programme to support complex Long Covid symptoms including breathlessness, palpitations, chest pain and dizziness.
First Community has approximately 143 patients on their Long Covid Rehabilitation Pathway and receive approximately 15 new referrals each month. These patients receive regular home visits from therapists to support them with home adaptations, pacing advice, airway clearance and breathing and fatigue management.
Marlies Mehta, First Community’s Highly Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist was delighted to deliver the first class and said, “Long Covid has caused many patients to become isolated and scared to exercise due to the symptoms they’re experiencing.
“The programme will really benefit our patient’s confidence and enable them to gradually return to exercise in a supportive environment.
“Attending a group-based activity class helps to lift the barrier for accessing exercise activities and allows for social integration. It also boosts confidence and helps improve our patients physical and mental health.
“We’re so grateful for the funding we’ve received from Sport England and Active Surrey to enable us to deliver these sessions in a class environment and it’s been great to work in partnership to make this happen.”
Patients who have been referred to the Long Covid Rehabilitation Team by their GP and those who are physically and mentally ready are able to access the 6-week programme, facilitated by Marlies Mehta and a physiotherapy assistant.
The class focusses on breathing control, improving core strength through pilates based rehabilitation, stretches and strengthening.
Heidi Sumner, a local east Surrey resident (pictured far right), has endured Long Covid symptoms for over 18 months and shared her reflections after attending the first exercise class, “I’ve been receiving rehabilitation at home from First Community for a long time now which has really helped me manage my symptoms. At times it’s been quite socially isolating, so attending the class and meeting others with similar conditions has been fantastic.
“Marlies and the team have been so supportive, and the class has empowered me to try a range of new exercises that I haven’t been able to do previously which is really helping my rehabilitation journey.”
Pilates based exercises are carried out in either standing, sitting, or lying positions and therefore cover a large selection of physical abilities.
The gentle exercises help to activate breath control and are accessible to all participants. The programme can be carried out at various ability levels and patients are supported to adapt exercises, if required.
At the end of the course an assessment takes place to identify those who can continue exercise within a local gym facility with a level four instructor to expand the possibility of continuing exercise for greater mental and physical health benefits.
The exercise programme is funded until September 2023 and any patients who are physically able will then be signposted to the YMCA East Surrey to continue their exercise.
Photo caption: Patients attend the Long Covid Rehabilitation class delivered by Marlies Mehta, First Community’s Highly Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist.