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Public Relations

2010 Physical Therapy Month Activities Across Ohio!

by Suzanne Giuffre EdD, MS, PT, PCS, PR Committee

October is an important month for physical therapy.  This is the time where physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapy students celebrate what it means to help people build and maintain functional mobility in their lives. Pain, general body stiffness, poor posture, and injury can drastically affect a person’s ability to move in everyday life.

The theme for National Physical Therapy Month 2010 is to promote physical activity to combat obesity.  Obesity can be another barrier for people to reach their optimal function.

Physical therapists can design exercise programs that help build strength and endurance, increase flexibility, and enhance coordination and balance 

Thank you to everyone who shared your 2010 PT Month celebrations:

Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron, OH:

Coloring contest (kids draw a picture of themselves doing physical therapy!); Move Across America --APTA Pediatrics section initiated project (we have a large map of the USA in our gym and patients can track their destination/goal with stickers on the map as well as track their progress on goal sheets); name tags for the patients to make and wear to PT sessions; crossword puzzles (for hospital staff members) with 1 winner picked for a chair massage at the end of the month; candy baskets on the floors and to different departments/clinics with facts about PT and ideas to stay active; table tents that have been dispersed around the hospital (cafeteria, etc.) with tips on how to keep your family active;  T-shirts for PTs to wear throughout the month, and  luncheon for all PTs to celebrate.

Atrium Sports Medicine & Physical Therapy, Lebanon, OH:

For the past 4 years we have been offering a free feet and shoe wear assessment to our community. The staff dresses in NFL, college or even our local high school football jerseys and the entire event is around a “foot” ball theme. Example, “Kick Off” is the registration, "First Down” is instruction in basic calf stretching, the “Huddle” is the actual foot / shoe-wear assessments with our PT’s, and so on. After the assessment the PTAs on staff instruct each participant in individual exercises based on the mini assessment. We also have a local performance shoe retailer on site to do product demo’s and educate the participants about the different types of shoe wear. We finish off, the “Touchdown,” with some door prizes, and an Extra Point for talking with any of our other Sports Medicine Staff about our Wellness Programs

Clermont College at UC East, Batavia, OH:

The PTA faculty and students participated in a 5K/3.1 mile run/walk for the purpose of raising student scholarship foundation monies. Two faculty members and a handful of PTA major students participated; Jean Shannon, PT, ACCE, along  with a current PTA student, Jos Stone, both earned top honors in their  respective divisions for the 5K run. Sam Coppoletti, PT, DPT, CSCS, PTA faculty member,  finished third in his age and division in walking. Times may found online at www.runningtime.net.

Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH:

The 20th Annual Cleveland State University Physical Therapy Prestige Speaker Day was held. The DPT faculty, students and PT clinicians the community welcomed Dr. Susan Whitney, a distinguished clinician and researcher from the University of Pittsburgh for this year's event. The event also honored several DPT students’ academic achievement and service awards follows:

DPT First Year Awards:

  • Marilyn B. Memorial Scholarship: Julie Vaughan
  • Elaine L. Apicella Memorial Scholarship:  Matthew Marcus

DPT Second Year Award:  

  • Nancy J. Patton Memorial Scholarship:  Brittany Jones

DPT Third Year Award: 

  • Dianne B Cherry Leadership Award:  Alysha Dowhan Walter

Kid Dynamics LLC, Maineville, OH:

From the research I completed this spring, as part of my Doctor of Health Science degree from the Univ. of Indianapolis, I found that preschool teachers and parents are relatively unaware that PTs can play a primary role in health promotion, obesity prevention, and physical activity programs. (This research will be published in the spring issue of the Pediatric Physical Therapy journal). The results of this study inspired me to begin conducting workshops for teachers (on health promotion, obesity prevention, and including physical activity into the school curriculum) and for therapists (encouraging and providing strategies to get involved in school based health promotion, obesity prevention, and physical activity programs). In October, I conducted a workshop for preschool teachers in northeastern Ohio and for therapists in southwestern Ohio. Both workshops were very well received.

Shawnee State University:

The PTA Club held a "Kick-off to PT Month" event in which we put together and distributed informational brochures, performed massages, led mini physical activity classes, and raffled off one health/exercise related magazine subscription. 

Sports Rehabilitation Consultants Physical Therapy, North Royalton, OH:

In recognition of National Physical Therapy Month, Sports Rehab hosted a Patient Appreciation Open House that was open to the public.  Health, wellness and fitness activities were planned featuring two special presentations on Improving Performance, and Benefits of Chi: Balance & Function. SRC physical therapists provided physical therapy and golf performance screens. In addition to children's activities and a tour of the facility, healthy snacks were provided.  A press release was used to advertise this event.

The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, OH:

The outpatient PT staff provided a lecture called “Maintaining Balance and Preventing Falls” for the members of a local health club and their families. Included were free screenings to determine risk for falls.

Tudor Physical Therapy Centers, Austintown, Boardman, Columbiana, Cornersburg, east Liverpool, Newton Falls and Warren, OH:

We celebrated National Physical Therapy Month by holding a customer appreciation day at each of our clinics. We ordered balloons and served refreshments all day to our patients. Personalized thank you cards were given out to each patient thanking them for choosing our facility and for sharing this event with our staff.

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH:

The students and faculty kicked off October with their traditional PT potluck picnic. Community PT’s are also invited to the afternoon of fun, food and friends. The annual corn hole tourney is used to sponsor a needy family at Christmas. Later in the month, a prominent speaker is invited to share experience and expertise. The box lunch event is open to current PT students, guest students from our undergraduate Health Sciences program and faculty. In an effort to generate awareness of the PT career choice, these current undergraduate Health Sciences students are invited to participate. Door prizes are awarded to the participants.

Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH:

“Where There is a Wheel, There is a Way” is done annually for Faculty, Staff and Students on campus who get to experience using a wheelchair at eight different locations.  Prizes are given to those who complete six of the eight stations.  DPT students educate individuals about use of a wheelchair, proper wheelchair etiquette and possible barriers to mobility in the environment.  The students also educated individuals on “People First Language” and make sure they know about the disability office on campus.

 

Please access PR resources through the links below.

DISTRICT PR EVENT FORMS

Is your District holding a PR event? Please fill out the District PR Event Form and send to the OPTA office!

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