Physiotherapy in Peckham gym boosts health of people with neurological conditions

People with neurological conditions like stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease are being encouraged to join free exercise classes to get active and improve long term health.

Guy's and St Thomas' Community Stroke and Neuro-rehabilitation team provides the 12 week exercise programme from Peckham Pulse Leisure Centre for patients with neurological conditions who live in Lambeth and Southwark.

Research shows that regular exercise helps people with neurological conditions improve physical function. It also reduces symptoms and promotes brain repair. At least 1 in 6 people in England live with a neurological condition.

The innovative community physiotherapy team have also reduced the waiting time for the popular exercise programme – from more than 1 year to 6 months. The team achieved this by reducing the need for GP clearance before patients join the programme and educating physiotherapists how to identify people who should not take part in physical activity.

Michelle Duncan, 41 from Camberwell has neurosarcoidosis, a condition that affects the nervous system that can lead to weakness or paralysis of muscles. Michelle, who is a wheelchair user, was diagnosed in 2001 and referred by Guy’s and St Thomas’ @home service to attend the twice weekly classes at Peckham Pulse in May 2026.

Michelle said: “I wanted to get a little bit more strength and get back into fitness again – because before I was in a wheelchair I used to go to the gym.

“I was a bit apprehensive about going to the gym by myself in a wheelchair and starting over again, and how to do things safely.

“They checked my blood pressure to make sure it’s not too high. Then Rory [the physiotherapist] asked me what my goals were. He created a plan for me.

“I’m not too far from the gym. I take a bus to go there. The other day the bus stop was closed because of roadworks so I had to wheel myself to the bottom of the road. I noticed I had more stamina. I had more endurance.

“When I’m [at the gym] I’m using the arm bike. I’m using my arms and my shoulders and I’m doing the same thing when I’m pushing the wheelchair, so it did help me!

My legs got stronger, and It’s kind of pushed me to do more things. I’m more confident getting on the bus by myself now, coming home by myself, letting myself in.

Since completing the course Michelle has joined the gym at Peckham Pulse.

Rory Butterworth, a community stroke physiotherapist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ who runs the neurological gym group, said: “A gym environment can be especially challenging to someone where one side of their body is weaker or they get fatigued very easily or they are in a wheelchair. The aim of the group is to build independence. Attending a gym, with a bit of support, influences their long term lifestyle, health and their mood, and ability to do things as well. 

“Throughout the class we monitor their progress. If on the first day they can only walk for 5 minutes and by the end of the 12 weeks they are walking for 15, 20 minutes, that can be a big motivator.

"We try to introduce strength and conditioning principles, teaching someone how to exercise in a gym, how to know when they should increase the exercises they’re doing. Maybe it's lifting a weight, or if they’re on the bike, how to make it challenging enough so they see the gains from doing it. 

“We have people who have never been in a gym or done any exercise before. We also have those who used to go and were quite active and then had a stroke or another neurological condition that has stopped them going to the gym.

“Everyone does what's best for them in a supported environment.”

After completing the programme patients who live in Southwark get free gym membership and swim sessions. In Lambeth patients can join an Aspire gym.

Speak to a health professional to arrange referral on to the programme.

More information is available at: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/stroke-neuro-rehab

World Physiotherapy Day is on 8 September.