Re: Listing of Rehabilitation and Exercise Groups in Saskatchewan

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Sorry, this is in Saskatchewan, not Alberta....

Listing of Rehabilitation and Exercise Groups

Arthritis & Exercise

When you are in pain, exercise is the farthest thing from your mind, right?

For people with arthritis, pain and stiffness may be a daily part of life.

Exercise may seem out of the question. Through research we have learned that

regular exercise is beneficial for everyone-even if you have one of the more

than 100 forms of arthritis.

If you have arthritis, regular exercise can:

* relieve pain and stiffness

* increase flexibility and improve balance

* help you relax and sleep better

There are many ways to achieve the benefits of regular exercise. Walk with a

friend, do some gardening, or do exercises prescribed by your doctor or

therapist. The key is to listen to your body. Stop if an activity causes

pain, exercise at your own pace, and be gentle with yourself!

Twinges'n Hinges

Now there's programs designed for people with arthritis. The Twinges'n

Hinges Aquatic Program is a recreational program conducted in a heated pool.

The program provides the opportunity for persons with arthritis to meet

others and to have fun.

Program participants are led by trained personnel through a series of

specially designed exercises which, with the aid of the water's buoyancy and

resistance, can help improve joint flexibility. The trained instructors lead

a set of approved activities in a fun, motivational, and social environment.

It's a safe, enjoyable way to improve your strength and flexibility. The

warm water and gentle movements can also help to relieve pain and stiffness.

The program has been designed by The Arthritis Society physiotherapists with

your special needs in mind, so you can actively participate even if you have

advanced arthritis.

Classes range from 45 minutes to an hour in length and are held two or three

times per week, for eight weeks.

Instructors:

We are proud to add 13 new Twinges'n Hinges Instructors to our provincial

list. Trained in September 2000 at the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa in Moose

Jaw, under the direction of Todd Sharpe and Donna . These men and women

are excited to get our program up and running in their own communities in

Saskatchewan.

Those leading classes have successfully completed a six to ten hour

specialized training workshop conducted by a trainer approved by The

Arthritis Society. Training includes the teaching of activities for use with

those who have arthritis as well as general understanding of and sensitivity

toward arthritis and those who have it.

Is Twinges'n Hinges for me?

You will enjoy Twinges'n Hinges if you:

* enjoy being in a pool

* like exercising in a class environment

* are able to get in and out of the pool without assistance

* are just starting out with a regular exercise program

* don't know how to swim

Any adult with arthritis may join the aquatic program. People with multiple

or severe joint problems or who have had joint surgery are encouraged to

check with their doctors about the need for special precautions.

Where are the programs held?

This is a list of rehabilitation centres and associations which provide

guidance on how to maintain and improve joint function and improve quality

of Life. We've also included a list of fitness centres that provide land and

water exercise programs.Check you local recreational facility for any

programs not listed here.

Carlyle:

Carlyle Skyline

Estevan:

Estevan Leisure Center

Regina:

Wascana Rehab Centre - (Pool Program plus assessment): The Arthritis

Society's Twinges'n Hinges

SouthEast Leisure Centre - (Joint Muscular Strength & Endurance Aquasize

program) City Program

North West Leisure Centre - (Joint Muscular Strength & Endurance Aquasize

program) City Program

YWCA - (Osteofit Exercise and Education)

YMCA -(Senior Aquafit) The Arthritis Society's Twinges'n Hinges

Dr. Schwann Centre -(Muskulo Skeletal Rehab & Conditioning Program)

Moose Jaw:

Temple Gardens Mineral Spa - Moose Jaw (Twinges'n Hinges)

Saskatoon:

YWCA - Saskatoon- Twinges'n Hinges

Saskatoon City Hospital Rehab. Pool - Contact: Donna Geer

Weyburn:

Souris Valley Aquatics Centre

Training Sessions:

Swift Current are presently working on another training session being

co-ordinated for early 2001 for the Twinges'n Hinges.

The Arthritis Society is developing a new program: PACE (People with

Arthritis Can Exercise - land based exercise program). We hope to train

instructors for the province and by 2001 have the PACE program up and

running in Regina & Saskatoon. We are planning to expand in other areas of

Saskatchewan depending where the new instructors are from.

If you are interested in training to be an instructor in either of these

programs, please call Janine or Donna at 1- or fax at (306)

565-8731.

Contact you local Health Board for more details on Arthritis Aquatic

Programs that are available in rural Saskatchewan.

Videos:

There are exercise videos that people with arthritis can use at home to

exercise with. You may borrow these from our Lender's Library in Regina for

one month at a time. For more information to see if the videos are

available, call in Regina at 352-3312 or toll free at 1-.