When her hips creaked in pain every time she sat or walked, Leung Pooi Ying, 80, knew that something was wrong. Her husband also noticed her walking slowly with a limp, affecting her day-to-day activities.
After a MRI scan during a doctor’s visit, she was told that her hips had “degenerated and was on the brink of collapse”. Under her doctor’s recommendation, she underwent a hip replacement surgery in 2020, which helps reduce pain and improve function.
She was later transferred to St Luke’s Hospital for recuperation and rehabilitation. During her stay here, she was prescribed with regular physiotherapy to restore strength and mobility. Pooi Ying recalled that the rehabilitation exercises were “innovative and engaging” due to the wide variety of rehabilitation options available. After a week, she was discharged and continued religiously with prescribed home exercises to improve her strength and balance.
The avid gardener has more than 80 plants in her apartment that she takes care of without fail every day. “Ageing is inevitable but we can do our best to maintain our health and mobility for as long as we can. I love walking and gardening, and want to do so for as long as I can.”
As Pooi Ying regained her mobility, she wants to do more to maintain her strength and age well physically. She now attends weekly Gym Tonic (GT) with her friends, an evidence-based, senior-friendly strength-training programme that improves the functional abilities of the elderly.
Pooi Ying is grateful for the assurance rendered by her physiotherapists during the monthly sessions. “They are always nearby to help me if I forget how to use the machines or have a specific need I would like to address. Everyone is so helpful here, they made me feel like we are a family”, said Pooi Ying.
Leung Pooi Ying with therapy associate Joy Tan at her weekly Gym Tonic (GT) session at St Luke’s Hospital.
