John D’Rose says he was heading for a knee replacement six months ago, but joining in the Brightwater seniors’ exercise classes means he doesn’t need it now. With more muscle round the knee to support it, the pain is gone.
John is just one of the people the classes run at the Wanderers Club Rooms in Brightwater have helped.
“I was in the airforce for 28 years. Many from the forces have problems with their knees from all the running, heavy packs and standing on concrete a lot,” says John.
John is one of seven or eight attendees who were in the airforce.
Wanderers Sports Club director of sports, Marty Davis, the organiser of the exercise group, says he has done a lot of things in his sporting career that he is proud of, but this is one of the things he is proudest of.
Eighty-two-year-old Noel Scott tripped on a ball when he was playing bowls last year and was ‘three months out of action’ with a broken pelvis. He has just joined the group. Marty says there are now five 82 or 83-year-olds attending.
The seniors say it’s totally nonthreatening and not like a normal gym. Instead, they have some fun and the aches and pains disappear.
The seniors’ class started on Tuesdays but grew to 30 people attending, so a Thursday class was added. Now they are also meeting on a Friday, with most people attending once or twice a week. In between, many of them get together on their electric bikes and go out for lunch.