By Erin Jester
- The University of Florida provides free, specialized group fitness classes for Gainesville residents with neurological disorders and age-related health challenges.
- Led by Doctor of Physical Therapy students and faculty, these programs offer tailored support to help participants safely push their physical limits.
- Community members can access both the Gaitor Challenge for older adults and the Neuro Wellness program for those with conditions like Parkinson’s disease and stroke.
Like any college town, Gainesville is dense with gyms and fitness studios for every activity, from CrossFit to rock climbing. But for locals who need specialized exercise routines due to neurological disorders or aging, there is only one place to go for free group classes: the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions.
At the Department of Physical Therapy’s clinical space, on the second floor of the CVS at 1621 SW 13th St., classes give Alachua County residents a chance to work up a sweat while Doctor of Physical Therapy students and faculty supervisors guide them through tailored exercises.
On tap are the Gaitor Challenge, a weekly walking and exercise class for older adults, and the Neuro Wellness program, a high-intensity circuit exercise class designed for people with neurological disorders. UF physical therapy students lead both classes.
“The mission is to provide options to exercise, with resources,” said Shakeel Ahmed, Ph.D., a clinical assistant professor of physical therapy and a faculty adviser for the Gaitor Challenge.
That program started about 15 years ago as an outdoor walking group and transitioned to the indoor space last year, eliminating the possibility of inclement weather and allowing organizers to add the circuit exercise component. Each class — held from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays while UF classes are in session — includes a vitals check and warmup. Then, leaders crank up the music and get started.
John Highsmith, 83, and his wife Dianna, 77, joined the Gaitor Challenge in 2018 for the social aspect and for managing chronic health conditions. Plus, they can do it together.
“When she’s feeling good, I’m feeling good,” John Highsmith said.
The Neuro Wellness program grew out of a care gap that faculty members noticed while supervising the Physical Therapy Equal Access Clinic — a UF resource that offers pro bono physical therapy services to medically underserved people in Gainesville. It became clear that local people living with neurological disorders needed exercise but could not always access regular gyms, so three years ago, the department expanded its offerings to include that community. The group meets several times each semester during the physical therapy students’ neurorehabilitation class.
Kelly Hawkins, D.P.T., Ph.D., a research assistant professor of physical therapy at UF, and Rachelle Studer-Byrnes, D.P.T., a clinical assistant professor, supervise the students who run the class.
“A lot of people with neurological conditions need assistance to work out safely,” Hawkins said. “But signing up for one-on-one personal training once or twice a week is a significant financial hit.”
For a long time, the clinicians said, the prevailing thought was that people with neurological conditions should not exert themselves. But more research and changing attitudes over the past several decades have turned that idea on its head. Class participants have had a range of diagnoses: stroke, Parkinson’s disease, cerebellar ataxia, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. For Parkinson’s especially, Studer-Byrnes said, “now we see that some of the best medicine they could have is exercise.”
During the Gaitor Challenge class, for example, physical therapy students take participants through 12-minute circuits incorporating resistance bands, free weights and kettlebells, sometimes with assistive devices like grip assists or harnesses. Students and supervisors monitor participants’ heart rates throughout the class to make sure no one is working past their safe ranges.
“The whole goal of this class is to push them to their limits,” second-year physical therapy student Madelyn Corliss said.
Thailand McMillan, 55, was always an active person. A former member of the military, he was on the football team at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. His life changed after being diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia, which affects balance, coordination and fine motor skills, but it did not dampen his desire to stay fit. McMillan’s physical therapist referred him to the Neuro Wellness program to get some specialized attention on top of his regular gym routine.
“In this environment, I can really push the envelope a bit because I have the support of the students and the instructors, so I can tease out where my limitations and boundaries should be,” McMillan said. “I think, oftentimes, people get really caught up on being able to measure the physical tangible improvements, but mentally and psychologically, getting the courage and the motivation to come and work out with these opportunities is invaluable.”To get involved in the Gaitor Challenge, email Shakeel Ahmed at shakeel81@phhp.ufl.edu. To learn more about the Neuro Wellness program, email Kelly Hawkins at khawkinsdpt@phhp.ufl.edu or Rachelle Studer-Byrnes at rstuder@phhp.ufl.edu.
