Maggie’s Story
“With the guidance of the exercise physiologists, we tailored a program to suit my needs.
Maggie suffers from Polymyalgia Rheumatica, or PMR, causing widespread aching and soreness in her limbs and joints.
The musculoskeletal disorder nearly left her wheelchair-bound, and she was taking a range of different medications to manage her pain levels.
After just three months using the facilities at Care Forward’s Wellness Centre, she started to notice a significant improvement.
Consulting with her doctors, she began to reduce her medication levels as her health improved and her pain levels began to fade.
One year since entering the Centre, her pain is gone, she is living medication-free and her fitness has improved significantly.
People aged 50 years and over are most commonly affected by polymyalgia rheumatica, and it becomes more common as people get older.
“It’s a very safe environment, with like-minded people and great staff who know what they’re doing,” Maggie said.
“With the guidance of the exercise physiologists, we tailored a program to suit my needs.
“The program changes according to your level – I’m now on a program to increase my strength.
“My inflammation markers are all down, my blood pressure is normal and I now have no pain.
“I now do a lot [of exercise] at home as well, which is excellent.”
Many musculoskeletal disorders such as PMR can be significantly improved by exercise physiology classes and activities.