The current state of healthcare in our nation –and the world– is not wellness. It’s all after the fact.  Wellness and prevention are the wave of the future in healthcare. Cars are the second biggest purchase most people commonly make (the largest being a house). What do we do with our cars? We drive them around, give them baths, feed them gas, and maintain them. Many of us take care of our cars better than we take care of our own bodies. Semi-routinely, you peek at the tires to see if they look flat, change the oil and filters, check the fluids, and align the tires. We keep our cars “well” by preventing problems.  If you don’t maintain your car, change the oil, or check the fluids and belts, it’s going to cost a lot more than your standard trip to Fought Tire or Pep Boys.

We go to the doctor because something is wrong: “My knee’s been hurting. My fingers ache. It hurts when I look to the left.” Whatever becomes of it, new healthcare legislation is in play at Washington, D.C.: Healthcare is going to change. Wellness and prevention will be a bigger part of it. Two years ago Carson Physical Therapy began offering wellness and prevention services, specifically: massage. Carson Physical Therapy is now embarking on a new project, a new service: The Medically Oriented Gym.  Physical therapists are the medical experts in the area of musculoskeletal conditions as well as the instruction and administration of exercise as it relates to disease and dysfunction.

The Medically Oriented Gym (MOG) is a new concept in fitness, bridging physical therapy and the fitness center environment. The MOG encompasses wellness, exercise, and personal responsibility while integrating it with your healthcare. People exercise to stay healthy. Some do it on their own. Some need a push. Some need a gym. Some have medical issues that they feel keep them from exercise. Some aren’t comfortable in a typical fitness center. Some folks need a different type of gym. They need a different experience.

The MOG bridges that gap.  I first read about the MOG about 3 years ago in a trade publication. Some clinics in the northeast were doing it. I loved the idea and wanted to explore the concept with Carson Physical Therapy, but at the time we simply didn’t have the room.  We recently moved our clinic to a larger facility and part of the reason being the ability to offer the MOG.

If you go to a fitness center now, there will be some employees there. You might even see a personal trainer helping someone. At the MOG we will have a licensed physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, or certified athletic trainer present every day to help and guide you through the workout. Yes, the vast majority of the time your workout will be self directed,  but the therapist or trainer will be there to supervise and advance your program, give you a new challenge, make sure you’re exercising correctly, and answer questions.

Who benefits?  Who is a candidate for the medically oriented gym?
•    Clients with cardiovascular issues, diabetics, those with balance issues, or arthritis. In short, those with a medical condition.
•    Clients wishing to lose weight.
•    Clients who have had weight-loss surgery such as a Lap-Band or Gastric-Bypass procedure.
•    Clients who need to gain strength after battling cancer.
•    Clients with osteoporosis or general deconditioning.  Any age, any fitness level.
•    Clients who need “prehab” for an upcoming joint replacement surgery or other orthopedic surgery in the next 2-4 months.  
•    Clients who have finished their rehab but wish to continue their exercise program at a facility already familiar to them.
•    Finally, anyone who wants to get healthier.

The process is this: You join the MOG. A physical therapist performs an evaluation that assesses several items including (in no particular order) weight, strength, flexibility, balance, blood pressure, cardiovascular fitness. In short, we assess your general fitness level. When working with the therapist, your personal goals will be discussed, (“I don’t want to take so much medicine”, “I want to lose weight”, “I want to get ready for an Alaskan Cruise”, “I need to get ready for a knee replacement”). Based on that information, goals are established and an individualized exercise program is created. Information is shared with client’s family or referring physician. This program includes cardiovascular fitness, strengthening, flexibility, and balance. Periodic re-evaluations will be performed each month to measure against your baseline numbers.

In the current state of healthcare, prevention is a non-covered service (for the most part).  That sounds unfair to me too, but let me point out that your oil change and tire rotation isn’t included in your car insurance either. Our MOG will have a basic membership but we will also have some different tiers that will include massage packages and personal training sessions built in.

The MOG will be housed within Carson Physical Therapy, but as the gym grows, we hope to move it into its own facility, separate from the PT clinic. We’ve got to start somewhere. Until then, come check us out. Ask questions. Ask your doctor, is right for you? Ask yourself, are you ready to get healthy? Are you ready for a change?  Remember, your healthcare is your responsibility. Isn’t it time to change the oil? Rotate the tires?  Whether it’s with us at the MOG or somewhere else, isn’t it time to exercise?