2011 Health and Wellness Expo Recap
Posted by Jeni P. on Fri, Oct 21, 2011 @ 12:33 PM
In an effort to further promote WSPT’s passionate involvement in the health of the Bronx, WSPT proudly hosted the 3rd Annual Wellness Expo on October 13th.
The event attracted over 100 attendees; existing patients and members of WSPT, their friends and families, and newcomers. Once people arrived, they were given full access to all the Expo had to offer. This was not just about Physical Therapy, but about educating those in attendance on overall health. There were 15 exhibitors at the event. Ten of the exhibitions were by individuals educating those present on spinal injuries, orthopedics, preventative care, nutrition and sleep therapy. WSPT also provided advice on how insurance can be used most effectively in order to receive the greatest benefits in a time when healthcare is most needed; many people do not understand their plans and therefor might be weary of seeking out preventive medical care.
Members arriving were greeted by our friendly staff, and given a free bag of Popchips, a delicious and healthy alternative to fried or baked potato chips. Once inside the venue, attendees were welcome to receive free Physical Therapy screenings. Anyone could approach our talented PT staff with an ache or pain and receive an assessment on any body part or condition. There were also free five minute massages provided by Jason Bonilla, a licensed Massage Therapist who has been devoted to WSPT for years.
Possibly the biggest success of the night was the showcasing of all the group exercise classes offered at WSPT: pilates, yoga, tai chi, hip hop core and Zumba. The group TRX class utilized all of the innovative and effective equipment. Lilibeth’s baseline class, a class geared towards the fitness beginner, or those with serious injuries, was a great success and helped encourage many of our current physical therapy patients to join the wellness program, reinforcing that WSPT is a familiar and safe place for those who are insecure about beginning a fitness regimen. The Director of Operations here at WSPT, Allan Torres, taught a self-defense class for women. Besides the regular choke holds, Allan decided to use props such as a pocket book, training participants of the class how to protect themselves should they fall victim to a real life assault.
Nicole Bernadette, WSPT’s Wellness Coordinator, was on-hand to answer any wellness questions and promote the BronxFit program. She quizzed attendees’ knowledge of basic nutrition by providing a food label, and asking them to guess which food the label belonged to. Many found it was a lot more challenging than they had anticipated. BronxFit has an element of nutritional counseling in it, and learning the proper was to feed and fuel your body not only helps one heal after an injury, but reach their fitness goals.
The Wellness Expo was a huge success. WSPT set out to expose the community to all the facility has to offer, and to thank theBronxfor being such an amazing supporter of WSPT as a leader in the Physical Therapy field. Since the Expo, there has been an increase in the fitness classes, as participants got to see that exercise can be rewarding and, most importantly, fun. WSPT hopes to continue growing and expanding, always keeping an eye out for new and fresh ways to help keep you healthy!