Therapist treats Hong Kong elderly and China’s poor for free with gentle form of chiropractic
After three years of travel and study, Sampsun Wong developed Yide Therapy. Now he gives free aqua therapy treatment to old people in Hong Kong, runs a medical centre and travels around China offering help to the needy
The crowd is small at the Kennedy Town Swimming Pool early in the morning. But around a dozen people in their swimsuits and goggles concentrate in one corner of the 1.2-metre-deep (4ft deep) training pools, counting the beats and lifting their legs up high.
Most of them – in their 60s and some even in their late 70s – could not do the same moves on land. But the lukewarm water’s buoyancy supports their weight, allowing them to work on their flexibility without the risk of falling.
While Wong often recommends exercises for patients, for those with knee pain, regular exercising puts pressure on the kneecap, exacerbating the pain, slowing the recovery process – if it recovers at all.
That was when Wong started exploring alternative methods.
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As a certified aquatic fitness instructor himself, and a physical education degree holder, Wong used his knowledge to create a workout routine – including cardio and aerobic exercises and stretches – for his client and other patients who were interested in joining him.