No need for hip surgery thanks to fitness programme

Owners of a Manchester care village are delighted with the effects a fitness programme has had on one of their residents, resulting in the cancellation of major surgery.

Resident of , Malcolm Loveless, 80, had been scheduled for hip replacement surgery before a personalised fitness programme, organised by instructor Gilmour Zamudzandu, had such positive effects that an operation was judged to no longer be necessary.

Malcolm has progressed from being unable to tie his shoelaces and experiencing severe pain, to being able to walk without a walking stick.

General manager Julie Washington is delighted with the positive effects that an on-site exercise studio has had, saying: “It’s amazing to watch residents regaining increased levels of independence through our progressive exercise programme. It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that exercise is for young people, but the truth is that exercise becomes more important the older you get, not less. Promoting the opportunity to keep fit is a real priority at Belong, because we see proof of the benefits every day.”

Commenting on his progress, Malcolm said: “The difference that regular exercise has made to my life is incredible. When I first started going to the sessions, I thought that they were too much, but Gilmour said to me that there was no gain without pain, and he was right. Every session the pain became a little less, and now I’m more mobile than I’ve been in years. My wife and I live on a first floor apartment and I never use the lift anymore, I can manage the stairs no problem.”

Residents at Belong Atherton who wish to use the exercise studio are given one-to-one assessments to achieve results that benefit both physical and mental well-being.