Escape the pain in Moray with exercise
An exercise class aimed at helping Moray people to deal with chronic pain is searching for funding in order to continue for free.
The Escape-Pain programme is designed to benefit people with osteoarthritis in their knees and hips, as well as those with chronic lower back problems.
Tracey Carrington-Hume, a professional fitness instructor, used to run the programme at Elgin Community Centre.
However that building was closed at the end of March by Moray Council, which also withdrew its funding for the free classes.
Tracey said: “I’m passionate about this because there are so many people who could benefit – and they’re not getting the help they need.”
Shirley Towns was an auxiliary nurse at Dr Gray’s for many years until she had to leave in 2022 because she was in so much pain.
The 67-year-old said: “It got to the point where I couldn’t walk from the ward to the hospital canteen, so I took early retirement.
“I went from someone who’d always been used to working to finding myself stuck at home, feeling down and depressed, being prescribed so many painkillers I felt in danger of becoming like a zombie.
“One day I remember watching two women about a decade older than myself who were walking down the street. I just burst into tears at the sight because I couldn’t do what they were doing.
“It certainly wasn’t the active retirement I’d envisaged for myself.”
Shirley, who’s from Lossie, says her life was turned around about 18 months ago after she spotted an advert for one of Tracey’s exercise classes.
Escape stands for Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritic Pain using Exercise.
The programme integrates coping strategies with an exercise regime that’s individualised for each participant.
Shirley said: “I loved it. Doing exercise has helped my mobility so much.
“My life was totally miserable beforehand. By contrast, I still get the occasional ache and pain but it’s nothing that can’t be handled by taking a paracetamol.”
Another who joined the Escape-Pain programme is Charlie Christie, a 64-year-old HGV driver from Dufftown, who’s been on the waiting list for a new hip for the last two years.
Charlie, along with the other participants, attended the Escape-Pain sessions twice a week.
Each contained about 20 minutes of discussion, followed by about 40 minutes of exercise.
Tracey said: “At the moment there are lots of people stuck on waiting lists whose conditions are only getting worse because of inactivity.
“We don’t go all out and try to make people do things that are going to hurt them
“But a joint is a bit like a door hinge. If it’s not used it becomes rusty and creaks and makes a lot of noise.
“With the right guidance and the proper care and supervision, it can be made to function better again.
“So the programme provides a way for people to increase their range of mobility and the strength in their joints.”
Tracey is looking for funding to continue the Escape-Pain programme for free at a new venue, the Ex-Servicemen’s Club in Elgin, where she also runs her Active Seniors classes, which are now attended by both Charlie and Shirley.
Tracey can be contacted by emailing peakphysique05@yahoo.co.uk
People interested in the classes can ask for a referral through a health professional or do it themselves.
