These water-based exercises are recommended to help with a variety of conditions.

It shouldn’t hurt to do these exercises but it’s OK to feel the joints and muscles work.

See your doctor or physiotherapist if your pain or movement gets worse from doing these exercises. Tell the pool staff and see your doctor if you feel unwell while doing these exercises.

Warm Up

Warm up for 5 minutes. Walk slowly following a square shaped path:

• Forwards 10 steps
• Sideways to left for 10 steps
• Backwards for 10 steps
• Sideways to right for 10 steps

Vary by:

• swinging opposite arms forward and backward while stepping forwards and backwards.
• lifting both arms sideways as stepping to side.
• keeping legs straight like a toy soldier.
• opening and closing fingers, moving wrists.

EASIER:
1. Walk forwards and backwards holding onto the handrail, 10 steps in each direction
2. Walk sideways holding onto the bar, 10 steps in each direction.

HARDER:
1. Walk faster, raising knees or feet higher (marching).
2. Hold a float in front when walking forwards/backwards or to the side when walking sideways.
3. Walk on tiptoes.

Cooling down and stretching

Ideally stretch each muscle group for a total of 2 minutes – e.g. 2 x 60 seconds. You can repeat warm-up exercises as part of the cool down.