RJAH patients benefit from Cricket Shropshire rehabilitation sessions

Patients at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) are benefiting from a successful programme delivered in partnership with Cricket Shropshire on the Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI).

The initiative forms part of a wider programme developed by Luke Rushton, Senior Physiotherapist in the MCSI Therapy Team, to bring more sport-based sessions into patients’ rehabilitation.

Over the past two and a half years, Luke has approached a wide range of sports clubs and groups with the aim of offering regular activity afternoons throughout the year, linking patients with local clubs and coaches.

Designed to complement patients’ clinical rehabilitation, the sessions support movement and confidence while helping people with spinal cord injuries reconnect with sport and social activity in an enjoyable setting.

Tyler Ibbotson, Cricket Shropshire’s Inclusion Officer, said: “We come in once a month to deliver alternative multi-sport cricket related activity for patients and we see the positive impact both socially and physically for them.”

Fellow coach Naomi Payne said: “Our sessions provide a different kind of physiotherapy. Cricket uses a different skill set, so you’re obviously using different muscles and parts of the body you wouldn’t normally use in other physiotherapy sessions.

Cricket Shropshire joined the initiative around 18 months ago and was keen to develop the opportunity further.

The organisation secured a National Lottery grant to support the cost of its involvement and provide equipment for MCSI. Its coaches now attend regularly, most recently on a monthly basis.

When asked to describe the partnership with Gobowen in three words Naomi said: “Rewarding, inspiring and exciting.”

Cricket Shropshire’s Development Administrator Vanessa Russell who has attended a number of the sessions said: “Happy, togetherness and rewarding.”

Tyler said: “Inclusive, connecting and empowering.”

When asked to pinpoint a time that was most memorable for them, Vanessa said: “For me, it would be Christmas.

“We had a really busy session with patients that day and brought wrapped presents for everyone. Any gifts left over were donated to the hospital. It created such a lovely atmosphere.”

Naomi said: “All of the visits have got their highlights, but for me it was seeing quite a young chap who was fairly reserved at the start, which is absolutely fine, but then in one of the most recent sessions we did, he got stuck into absolutely everything.”

The broader sports programme continues to grow, with a Boccia group due to visit on 10 November.

Luke said: “We are grateful to Cricket Shropshire for supporting us with this programme. In the 18 months since it launched, it has proved to be extremely popular with many of our spinal injury patients.

“The cricket-related multi-sports activities that they have laid on have proved to be of huge benefit to the patients and has given them something a little different from their routine rehabilitation.

“We look forward to continuing to work with Cricket Shropshire as the programme progresses, and I am confident we will see further benefits from these sessions.”