The Medical Fitness program at Game Shape Physical Therapy offers an environment for safe and effective exercise programs to improve overall health, wellness, and performance. Each program is custom designed to achieve the client’s health and fitness goals, taking into account any current limitations they may have due to injury or illness.
Our certified personal trainers and exercise physiologists specialize in injury prevention, rehabilitation and exercise science. They have spent a significant amount of time training directly under our doctors of physical therapy and our licensed physical therapy assistants. Their education is a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and they have continuing education in working with special needs clients.
Who can benefit from a Medical Fitness program?
- Individuals with risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart disease or high cholesterol.
- Physical therapy patients who have completed treatment but would like to remain active or achieve a higher level of activity
- Individuals with an upcoming orthopedic surgical procedure (joint replacement, ACL reconstruction, etc.) who would like to better prepare for surgery
- Children with reduced activity levels, slow metabolism, poor eating habits and obesity challenges
- Older adults and seniors with a history of falls or osteoarthritis
- Individuals with chronic medical conditions that limit their normal daily function, such as stroke, cancer, multiple sclerosis or polymyositis
- Children or young adults with autism, traumatic brain injury or attention deficit disorders
What to expect:
- A complete health and fitness assessment on the first visit, with regular re-assessments to measure progress
- A custom program designed by our team of healthcare professionals to help the client achieve their health and fitness goals
- A minimum of one session/week directly guided by a certified personal trainer or exercise physiologist and supervised by a licensed physical therapist
- A safe, supportive and motivating environment that will ease the family’s anxiety and concerns
Game Shape’s Offers Physical Therapy Patients a Post Rehabilitation “Bridge” Program:
We all know that most insurance companies do not care to understand how long it truly takes for injuries to fully recover. Fortunately for those of you in the northern Monmouth County area, you no longer have to worry about running out of physical therapy benefits prior to feeling 100% recovered. That’s because Game Shape Physical Therapy is the area’s ONLY physical therapy facility to offer Post-Rehabilitation Personal Training in a supervised, well-equipped fitness studio.
Post Rehabilitation Personal Training is available to recent physical therapy graduates, or current patients with therapist approval, who want or need to continue rehabilitative personal training with the assistance and oversight of an expert fitness and wellness professional. This service is particularly popular among those who suffer from medical conditions associated with:
- Shoulder, Hip and Knee Surgeries
- Chronic Back Pain
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Neuromuscular Disorders
We believe that a patient’s ability to reach maximum recovery is dependent upon a team approach between the referring physician (if any exists), the physical therapist and the personal trainer. Continuous communication between these professionals is our approach.
What Our Referring Physicians Have to Say:
“Transitioning patients to physical activity requires knowledge, patience and understanding. Game Shape Physical Therapy not only rehabilitates people after an injury but also guides them from a sedentary state to active lifestyle. Patients who transition to a post-rehab personal training program (“Bridge Program”) is more likely to achieve their physical and lifestyle goals. I couldn’t recommend them more highly.”
Dr. C.G., MD
What Our Post-Rehab Bridge Clients Have to Say:
“I made the transition from physical therapy to the medical fitness “bridge” program…I was overweight and very out of shape. In the past five months I’ve been working out three times a week with a personal trainer. My endurance, flexibility and strength have improved greatly. Joanne the trainer is very knowledgeable and works well with all the gym members. I’m looking forward to the next six months, getting in better shape and losing more weight.”
Michael C.
Game Shape’s Offers a Variety of Medical Fitness Programs:
Game Shape offers a “Medical Fitness Program”, which is a closely-supervised program designed for people of all ages living with chronic disease. The program is done in a fun, safe environment and offers a balance of stretching, flexibility, strengthening exercises, postural education, and balance training. The personal trainer, along with a physical therapist, will design an exercise regimen to match the medical needs and fitness goals of the client.
Special Needs Children and Young Adults: We also offer Special-Needs Children and Young Adults, a Medical Fitness Program, which caters to these individuals who might not fit into the general population, or who may not have discovered their true unique abilities yet. We build their trust through leadership, compassion and understanding. We have a great track record of special-needs teens who have lost weight, improved balance and coordination, and most of all have developed a confidence they never knew they had!
Childhood Obesity: The objective of this program is to reduce body weight and overall body fat percentage. This will be accomplished by using cardiovascular movements in combination with light weight training, to actively burn calories and enhance metabolism, thereby promoting lean muscle mass. Other components of the program are to improve flexibility and coordination.
The Childhood Obesity Fitness Program will help educate both the parents and the child by offering various avenues of knowledge by way of nutritional handouts, internet sources, current articles and exercise packets that can be followed at home and at school. A fun way for children to exercise, build self-esteem and gain confidence!
Older Adults and Seniors with Chronic Medical Conditions: We pledge that it’s never too late to get in shape! This training program is like no other chair fitness program you have ever experienced. You will be working with simple tools: a set of weights, a ball and an elastic band. You will be sitting and standing and using all of the equipment. This program will help you with balance, everyday tasks and help you stay independent. Come and join the fun and hopefully make new friends!
What Our Medical Fitness Clients Have to Say:
“The medical fitness program has made a huge difference and impact on my life — helping me to improve and maintain my physical and mental quality of life after being affected by sudden stroke in 2008! How many people can say they enjoy working out and have laughing times and funny outbursts or experiences? I can!”
Denise S.
“My son has made great strides in achieving better balance, coordination and strength all because of the caring personal trainers at Game Shape. Daniel has been afflicted with autism since birth and he has a very severe attention deficit disorder. Yet the trainers and therapists have been extremely caring and worked one-on-one with him for the past year, and WOW what a difference. There is hope. Thanks to Game Shape!
Sarah H.