Overview

The following topics will be covered in this article:

QCPT Get Fit/Stay Fit Program Goals

1. The Supervised Group Program
2. Group Strength Classes
3. Group Pilates Classes
4. Dance Exercise Classes
5. Yoga Classes
6. Kid Fitness

The Premium Independent Program

1. A combination of the above group classes with individualized personal fitness sessions
2. One-on-one body shape coaching, including nutritional education and life style counseling

Additional Services

1. QCPT Moist Heat Wellness Massage
2. Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Julee Concession
3. Registration, Orientation and Payment
4. Member Application/Health History Form and Initial Assessment Form
5. QCPT Wellness Club® Welcome Letter and Other Forms
6. Instructions for Exercise
7. Gym Availability

QCPT Get Fit/Stay Fit Program - Goals

1. The QCPT Get Fit/Stay Fit targets a multitude of health and fitness goals, from muscular hypertrophy, toning and weight loss to joint and muscular rehabilitation and improvement of athletic performance.
2. In addition to strength training classes with free weights in the QCPT Get Fit/Stay Fit Program, there are classes where floor-work exercises and new equipment utilize body weight's resistance to gravity, combined with sound biomechanical and physiological principles, rather than using free weights.
3. This program provides physical therapy patients, QCPT Wellness Club® members and clients with an enjoyable way of attaining flexibility, as well as excellent balance and body conditioning, while acquiring new skills through group Pilates classes, Dance Exercises and Yoga classes.
4. The QCPT Get Fit/Stay Fit Program also provides nutritional education and support coaching for permanent weight loss goals.
5. The overall aim of the program is to give individuals the tools and incentive for living an active and healthy lifestyle.

Increased Attention on Reconditioning

A renewed interest and increased attention in reconditioning has been one result of the necessities of war, where a reconditioning program for the convalescent hospital patient was started at the moment that convalescence began - while the patient was still in bed. Patients were removed from the overprotective sympathy and sickbed atmosphere of the hospital as soon as possible and segregated in a Reconditioning Unit to continue their convalescence.

The methods used in reconditioning have been adapted to civilian life, where progressive physical training, education and recreation are planned to direct attention away from disability and illness quickly and toward healthy activities that promote physical and mental fitness.

While it's true that you will lose fitness, when you stop exercising, how quickly you lose it depends on several factors: how fit you ate, how long you've been exercising, and how long it's been since you stopped exercising.

The principle of use/ disuse simply means that when we stop working out, we generally begin to decondition, and lose both strength and aerobic fitness. Most of us need to stop exercising on occasion for any number of reasons. Illness, injury, holidays, work, travel and social commitments can interfere with training routines. When this happens, we often see a decline in our level of conditioning.

According to information in www.sportsmedicine.about.com, deconditioning in fit athletes doesn't appear to happen as quickly or as drastically as in beginning exercisers. In addition, the time it takes to regain fitness appears to depend on your original level of fitness and how long you've stopped exercising.

In a study that evaluated the benefits of six weeks of effort training, or "interval training," in subjects with and without chronic pain, the conclusion was also reached that a training effort protocol reduced the deconditioning syndrome in people regardless of whether or not they had pain. A significant increase overall was observed in:

1. Maximum, oxygen uptake,
2. Maximum tolerance power,
3. Duration of recovery,
4. Cardiac adaptation of effort, and
5. self-assurance

For further information, refer to: ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi

Note to the Franchisee: The following summary of the New York State Physical Therapy Practice Act is not written in the exact language of the law. It is intended as an information educational tool for the benefit of employers and employees of Quality Care Physical Therapy® in New York State. Please check your own state's laws and regulations.

According to the Physical Therapy Practice Act, physical therapists take a patient's health history, observe posture and movement, evaluate an injury, and develop a plan of care. Treatment may include: over and above manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, management of pain, application of therapeutic modalities, training in daily living activities, safety, patient/ client education in health and - most importantly, in the context of the QCPT Wellness Club® - wellness activities.

Quality Care Physical Therapy® is developing a core competency that will enhance excellent physical therapy treatment and provide income in both good times and bad times, and this niche is a growing involvement with wellness activities at the QCPT Wellness Club®.

One thing that has led to an emphasis on physical fitness has been the increased attention on deconditioning due to general inactivity as well as bed rest after illness or injury. This has detrimental effects on important body systems and can result in reduced functional capacity. Risk factors for deconditioning include illness, disability, aging, obesity, chronic disease and medications.

Reconditioning of deconditioned individuals requires a multifaceted approach that includes walking, turning, exercise, a physically active mindset and nutrition.

Because reconditioning is a long process that may be overwhelming to the patient and caregivers. Quality Care Physical Therapy® believes that a specific treatment plan must be established to meet the unique needs of each individual.

Exercise should be associated with a specific individual's life style, recreation, professional and/ or personal goals. Therefore, when a Personal Fitness Trainer (PFI) is developing an exercise program, one of the main objectives, along with considering the health and orthopedic needs of the individual, is to assist in developing and achieving individual objectives.

One way to strength-train very efficiently without free weights is to use your body as a resistance to the pull of gravity. This can be done in dance floor-work exercises or by using inclined equipment specially designed for working against an increased pull of gravity.

In any kind of motion, the center of gravity continually moves in and out of the base of support and determines the overall stability of the movement. The line of gravity passes through certain bodily reference points, and determining these reference points can assist in the assessment of postural and movement patterns. In order for there to be equilibrium at a joint, the line of gravity must pass through the axis of rotation. When this does not occur, the active muscles and ligaments are called upon for support. If muscle tone is inhibited or muscles too relaxed, spinal curves will be exaggerated.

Neutral or natural spine is a position that promotes only normal curves in the spine. The proper positioning of the ligaments and muscles of the vertebral column make for correct posture and better overall biomechanics of movement. When neutral spine is maintained, the forces gravity produces are distributed properly over the weight-bearing joints, and tension is not overly exerted on the ligaments and muscles. This allows for resiliency and flexibility. Neutral spine should be pain-free. It is important to determine, though, if a spinal curvature is genetically inherited rather than simply poor posture.

As we train, it is important to continually strengthen and challenge the skeletal muscles in order to maintain stability while varying our line of gravity. A fall-recovery sequence controlled by the musculo-skeletal system occurs in walking and other types of human activity, where the line of gravity moves in and out of the existing base of support.

When a muscle or muscle group is unable to perform the intended movement, the body compensates by recruiting additional muscles that should not be employed in that particular movement. To make an exercise effective, it is important to correct any such movement substitutions.

Proper functional exercise can refer both to correct biomechanical movements, as they relate to the musculo-skeletal relationship, as well as to the orthopedic needs of each joint and associated muscular system. For example, it can increase the range of motion of a joint following surgery.

Step-by-step Improvements

There should be daily practice in the following:

1. Gradual increase in walking distances,
2. Aerobic exercise with concentration on improvement in heart rate,
3. Deep breathing exercises.
4. Meditation for anxiety reduction.
5. Frequent stretching to improve flexibility.

Lee Kitksey, MD and wrter of Your Guide to Optimal Health, advised that "comfortable incremental improvements in exertion get you where you wish to be."

In order to maintain a good level of fitness while taking time off from training, the client should:

1. Never quit completely. Try to exercise at least once per week.
2. Cross-train through injuries.
3. Use a body weight workout (no equipment needed) when traveling.
4. Use circuit training routines for fast, high-intensity exercise 2-3 times a week.
5. Practice efficient strength training.
6. Use fast workouts to maintain fitness with limited time.
7. Refresh motivation and goal-setting skills.
8. Remember that rest and recovery can be as important as training.
9. Add 30 second sprints to a routine for fast fitness.
10. Remember that short, high-intensity exercise burns mote calories.
11. Maintain endurance with shuttle runs.

For more information, see www.sportsmedicine.about.com.

QCPT strives to promote the following wellness goals:

1. Physical, mental and spiritual fulfillment by means of wellness activities.
2. Relief from musculoskeletal pain and injury through physical therapy.
3. An overall pain-free, healthy lifestyle for all patients and members.
4. A peaceful, positive and artistic environment in which to achieve excellent results.

Among the benefits that QCPT Wellness Club® clients/ members can receive are the following:

1. Increasing flexibility
2. Developing balance and coordination
3. Living pain-free
4. Losing weight
5. Rejuvenating
6. Improving concentration

1. Building strength and endurance
2. Renewing awareness
3. Managing stress
4. Maximizing vitality and energy
5. Aging gracefully and slowly
6. Having fun while becoming healthy