Endless Pools® WaterWell® Pool Provides a "Real Workout" plus Family Fun "There are so many things I used to do, like play tennis, volleyball and do a lot of hiking. I can get that similar effect in the WaterWell [pool]. It’s one of the few places where I can get a good workout." Joan suffers from multiple sclerosis, and her workouts are possible because of the Endless Pools WaterWell pool in her home. Joan's aquatic workouts deliver results. "When I last saw my neurologist," she recounts, "she said, 'You really have good muscle tone and strong muscles, despite the fact that you have MS.' I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I can use my muscles safely in the water. That makes a big difference."
"Right now, my limitations with MS are not nearly as severe as some people," Joan reflects. For her aboveground WaterWell pool, Joan selected from Endless Pools' array of accessibility options to make getting in and out as easy and convenient as possible.
A RARE DIAGNOSIS
"About 8 years ago," Joan recalls, "I started noticing that when I was walking, my right leg landed heavily." As her symptoms kept getting worse, Joan went to see a neurologist and was diagnosed with PPMS, Primary Progressive MS, a rare form of multiple sclerosis in which there are no relapses or remissions. PPMS is the diagnosis in only 15 percent of multiple sclerosis cases.
Since Joan has PPMS, she says "My walking's never going to get better...The goal is to slow down the progression as much as possible, so that's why I continue to exercise."
Given her condition, getting around can be difficult, and many of Joan’s favorite activities have become off limits. Fortunately, regular exercise is still possible – and convenient – thanks to her WaterWell therapy pool.
FINDING THE PERFECT SOLUTION
Before Joan ever heard of Endless Pools, she recalls telling her kids, "I want a pool in my house. Then I thought, Yeah! That's not realistic unless you have tons of money. That wasn't going to really happen."
When Joan and her husband, Mel came across the WaterWell therapy pool, they knew it was exactly what they'd been looking for. Best of all, the compact pool was the perfect fit for their space and budget.
"We didn't know there was such a thing as a WaterWell [pool]," she says. "Mel and I, independently of each other, went online and discovered Endless Pools and then discovered that they had these WaterWell pools.”
Before installing her WaterWell pool, Joan had been exercising at the local YMCA pool but because of mobility limitations, getting in had become difficult. Having a compact pool right in her own basement provided Joan with a better, more convenient exercise solution. "What I'd been doing mostly at the Y was exercise that was more upright; it wasn't necessarily swimming. The WaterWell pool is perfect because I can do everything I want to do in here except swim laps, and I'm totally fine with that."
A FAMILY FRIENDLY SPACE FOR FUN AND RELAXATION With Endless Pools' modular design, Joan was able to have her WaterWell therapy pool installed in their existing basement. Easy access makes Joan's pool workouts possible, while accessibility features like a bench and steps inside her pool allow her to safely and comfortably incorporate leg exercises that would be difficult for her to accomplish on land. The downstairs pool is also a popular destination for family fun. Joan and Mel are thrilled by how much their grandchildren enjoy the basement pool when they visit. Joan says, "Sometimes it’s the first thing they do...get out of the car, go down to the basement, put their suits on and they’re in the pool." Mel also appreciates the safety aspects for his grandkids, "They learned how to get really comfortable in the water because of the WaterWell [pool]."
"Because I was always so active and played tennis and volleyball and did backpacking and hiking," Joan recalls, "I really thought I'd be able to do that with the grandkids. Not so much now because of the MS, but I get in the water with them and I can do all kinds of fun things with them in the water. I can be more physical with them in the water than I can on land, and I love that, and they do. It's a really nice thing to do, to share the pool with them." In addition to enjoying quality time with their grandchildren, the couple find they enjoy using the WaterWell pool to exercise and hang out together. Mel didn’t anticipate how much he'd enjoy it. "I thought it was something Joan would use, but I find I use it every other day. I've had four hip operations, and this soothes the aches and pains that come with that...this is a way to keep going!" Joan describes how the pool has become a regular part of their life together. "My husband and I exercise in it together sometimes. It's a nice thing to do together as a couple. We have a TV down there if we want to watch something. We’re exercising, but it’s relaxing at the same time." WARM WATER THERAPY EASES ACHES AND PAINS With MS, it's common for heat to worsen symptoms. That's why the National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommends water temperatures under 85 degrees F for aquatic therapy. But for Joan’s PPMS, 91 degrees is the sweet spot. Joan’s friends and family agree! "Everyone else who gets in it says, 'Yeah, this is the perfect temperature.' No one thinks it's too warm. My husband uses it regularly. I have some friends who have physical limitations and they come over and use it. The rest of my family uses it, my friends and my brothers in law, the grandkids, and everyone likes that temperature. "I have two friends who've had aches and pains, who've had different physical ailments, so they come over fairly regularly and use it.
Joan exercises in her Endless Pools WaterWell pool to try to stave off the progression of her multiple sclerosis. "It's really nice to be able to move my legs like I used to be able to on land," she says. "I can do it in water because of the buoyancy."
A SMALL POOL WITH LOTS OF OPTIONS FOR EXERCISE
Of her workouts, Joan says, "I wouldn't really call it a routine." She likes to keep her workouts fresh by mixing things up.
"I use the foam dumbbells; I do a lot of those with arms." To maximize her upper-body exercise, Joan chose a deeper model WaterWell pool "because I wanted as much of my body as possible to be in the water. I'm 5'7". I wanted it to be as high up on the chest as possible. I'm really glad we did that."
For her lower body, Joan does "jogging in place, different types of jumping jacks. It's really nice to be able to move my legs like I used to be able to on land. I can do it in water because of the buoyancy."
THE VERSATILE WATERWELL POOL CONTINUES TO DELIVER WELLNESS, CONVENIENCE, AND FUN
Of her WaterWell pool, Joan says, "I still am very pleased that I have this, and I think it's good that I am able to get the aerobic benefit and keep the muscles toned. This is a way I can do that easily and enjoyably and comfortably.
"I wanted to have something that I know I will use regularly because it's so convenient that there's no reason why I wouldn't want to get in. It's perfect!"
Published on: October 19th, 2022
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