"Hydrotherapy sessions have taken years off the progression of my muscle-wasting condition"
14 May 2025
When Charles Gibbs was approaching his 30s, he started noticing small but significant changes to his physical health.
While walking his dogs, the father of two would sometimes fall without warning when his knee gave out. He would also appear to be "standing to attention" to compensate for the progressive weakening of his back muscles.
After seeing his GP and undergoing various tests, he was diagnosed with limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), a genetic disorder which is progressive and causes muscle weakness and degeneration.
“It was a relief to put a name to what the problem was,” admitted Charles, now 68, from the village of Creigiau, Cardiff. “I was fortunate in some ways because, by the time I was diagnosed, I had already been able to play football with my son and had done a great many things that most parents do with their children.”
Charles, whose mother also had MD, saw his mobility gradually deteriorate over the next four decades to the point where he became wheelchair dependent and would need help with everyday tasks such as getting dressed.
He added: “To sum up muscular dystrophy, everything is heavy. It feels like I have sandbags tied to my arms and legs all the time.
“But I am looked after very well by my wife, Julie, and I always count my blessings.”
When Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s Centre for Spinal and Neuro Rehabilitation moved from Rookwood Hospital in Llandaff to University Hospital Llandough (UHL) two years ago, it underwent a significant upgrade.
One of the most impressive investments was a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool which is used by both inpatients and outpatients with a range of neurological conditions, including neuromuscular diseases and those with learning disabilities.
The pool has step access with handrails, a ceiling hoist and accessible chair to transfer patients in and out of the pool safely. The South East Wales Adult Neuromuscular Physiotherapy Team has a designated session at the pool to support people with neuromuscular disease and advise on suitable movement, strengthening exercises, stretching and swimming.
Since visiting the heated pool for weekly sessions, grandfather-of-two Charles believes “years” have been taken off the progression of his muscular dystrophy.
“When I had my first session, the physiotherapist let me do whatever I was comfortable doing so I could establish my confidence in the water. We then moved onto a program of stretches and exercises.
“I ended up with blood running through parts of my body that seemingly hadn’t had blood in them for years!”, joked Charles. “It was an extraordinary experience – I’d forgotten how good [swimming] was.
“After my sessions, I always feel amazingly more agile. I can do things comparatively effortlessly compared to what it was like before. I’ll be on good form for certainly a couple of days afterwards.”
He concluded: “Managing a disability is constantly having to maintain self-esteem and having a desire to ‘be like other people’. The effects of the hydrotherapy sessions do much to contribute to those two targets.”
Charles’ wife, Julie Gibbs, said she has noticed improvements in her husband’s wellbeing since starting the hydrotherapy sessions at UHL. “Charles has an exercise regime at home, and after being in the pool finds it much easier to do them. It really loosens him up.
“Considering he’s only in the pool for around 45 minutes, the impact on him is phenomenal. To see him being able to almost stand up [in the pool] for the first time in 12 years was really emotional for us all.
“The positivity we see from the hydrotherapy team is huge. There’s a warmth and camaraderie among them which is wonderful.”
The South East Wales Adult Neuromuscular Team at UHL includes a consultant, clinical nurse specialists and specialist physiotherapists. Patients with confirmed or suspected neuromuscular diseases from across South East Wales who are likely to benefit from hydrotherapy can be offered a short course of hydrotherapy.
Hayley Davis, Specialist Neuromuscular Physiotherapist for South East Wales, said: “It’s brilliant to see Charles in the water, moving so freely and really benefiting from the service we offer. It’s a very rewarding job, and it’s touching when we get excellent feedback from our patients.
“Hydrotherapy provides a form of cardiovascular exercise with patients being able to use muscles more actively, having a positive impact on the respiratory system and the heart which can commonly be affected with neuromuscular disease.”
In addition, the South East Wales Adult Neuromuscular Service also hosts a support group once a month at UHL for people with neuromuscular diseases to give them an opportunity to share their experiences and advice with one another.
For more information on the service provided for those with neuromuscular disease, please contact the South East Wales Adult Neuromuscular Service on 02921 824709.