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Physical Therapy Wellness Day takes place Sept. 15 offering different free events to students
By Kendall Westgate, WestgateK@Findlay.edu
Looking for a free fitness consult, massage, wellness screening, or exercise class? Check out the University of Findlay Physical Therapy Wellness Day on Sept. 15.
“During the event, we are offering free exercise classes (including pilates, zumba, and HIIT), massages, vital checks (blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiration rate), balance screens, senior fitness tests and flexibility/strength tests,” PT Wellness Day Chair Alli Jacobs said.
PT Wellness Day takes place on Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Koehler Fitness and Recreation Complex on UF’s campus. Each event is on a “walk-in” basis and free for the public. They will also accept donations to benefit the VCU-Marquette Challenge to further physical therapy research.
“I am excited to put into action the concepts we have learned in class and to show the community the many great benefits that exercise can have on overall wellness,” Jacobs said. “We are looking forward to getting the community excited about living healthier lifestyles through movement and exercise.”
Third year Doctor of Physical Therapy student and President of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Organization (DPTSO) Meredith Gardner will teach Zumba classes throughout the event.
“We will do four 30-minute sessions of moderate to high-intensity dance workouts that involve basic movements like squatting, lunging, jumps, kicks and easy step sequences that I will go over with the attendees before we start the music,” Gardner said. “The dance and exercise moves I present can be adapted to any skill level, even for those who have never danced before. It is a low-pressure environment that allows anyone to get their heart rate up and dance to have some fun.”
Many other PT students are also involved in this event. They will run other exercise classes, along with the massages and wellness screenings.
“PT wellness day would not be possible without student volunteers,” Jacobs said. “PT students will be taking vitals, giving massages, and administering the screens and tests.”
Jacobs shares what she is looking forward to about this event.
“I am excited to put into action the concepts we have learned in class and to show the community the many great benefits that exercise can have on overall wellness,” Jacobs said. “We are looking forward to getting the community excited about living healthier lifestyles through movement and exercise.”
This day helps advocate the use of movement as medicine and the benefits of regular exercise to lead a healthy lifestyle, according to Gardner.
“I am simply looking forward to welcoming our campus to a space in which they can have fun with fitness,” Gardner said. “Our aim of this year was to have a large turnout of students and staff that are looking to do an exercise class, have their vitals checked, test their fitness levels with our balance and endurance tasks and maybe even receive a massage at the end of a stressful week.”
