2018 Special Olympics Winter Games

Second-year graduate Nazareth PT and OT students volunteered at the 2018 Special Olympics Winter Games on February 24th at the Riverside Convention Center. The students conducted FUNFitness Healthy Athlete Screenings for the participants following the games. FUNFitness is a part of the Healthy Athletes initiative from the Special Olympics to screen athletes in seven areas of health. This consisted of performing functional measures such as range of motion, balance, endurance, and strength testing. Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and physical therapy students are needed to lead these screenings. Participants were given education on exercises and stretches for injury prevention and promotion of a healthy lifestyle. 

Kevin and Andrey measuring hamstring length

Students had the opportunity to work with a variety of athletes that participated in events such as cross-country skiing and floor hockey. It was a humbling experience to see the drive and dedication of these athletes to their sport. The smiles on their faces were indescribable telling us about how the games went and the fun they had, and of course, showing off their medals.

This was a great opportunity to collaborate with the Special Olympics and be able to contribute our area of expertise for this event. It gave us as students the chance to practice our skills and patient education, especially in the area of prevention, which is becoming a major focus of the PT profession. Screening and promoting healthy behaviors early can lead to better outcomes down the road and a decreased risk for a large portion of preventable conditions.

Overall, we ended up evaluating over 90 athletes and providing them with exercises and patient education manuals to take with them for future reference. It was a great way to promote health and wellness in the community and opportunity for us to work with another population unique from ones that we have been exposed to in our on-campus clinics. I appreciated the chance to enhance my patient education and communication skills as well as a chance to collaborate with my fellow students.

Naz PT, OT, and Music Therapy students and faculty participating in the Fit Feet screening station

Students in the Class of 2019 screened over 90 athletes at the FUNFitness screening station