We have created a variety of class settings that will enhance and reinforce the individual care you have received from your physical therapist. These classes are designed to help you re-integrate into previous or improved activities of daily living. Since 1994, we've also worked with personal trainers and their clients at The Marsh training center. Through these classes, we've helped individuals return to their regular health club routine and sports activities. Space for these classes is limited. Please contact us at 952-935-4037 for registration information.

Balance Basics
Balance Basics is a great class for those individuals who feel dizzy, unsteady, or have a fear of falling. Instructors Anna Holmes MPT and Johnna Stob PTA utilize highly technical and reliable testing to identify each individual's baseline balance. The therapists choose appropriate exercises for strengthening, posture, flexibility, balance, gait and functional activities. A variety of these exercises will be performed at each session, lasting up to one hour. Each participant will be challenged at their own individual pace. A maximum of 8 participants is allowed (4 per therapist) to ensure high quality performance of the exercises, as well as safety. At the end of the series, all balance testing will be repeated and improvements measured. Over the past year and a half, we have shown a 95% improvement for participants of our balance class!

Introduction to Movement Therapies
Designed for the newcomer to the world (realm) of exercise training, this class emphasizes body mechanics and enhanced body awareness to allow for safe exercise in a variety of settings. It is an eclectic mix of stretching, advanced spinal stabilization, exercises, ergonomic education, and an introduction to Pilates and Iyengar based yoga. Upon completion of this class, the participants will process the skills needed to pursue any type of strength training or movement-related therapies in the setting of their choice with significantly decreased risk of injury.

Pilates
Physical Therapist Shawn Murphy-Marquis can integrate the exercise principles and core strengthening activities of Pilates into your program as you transition from Physical Therapy to your independent exercise activities. Enjoy the benefit of this powerful modality as you progress along your continuum of care. Both beginners and advanced Pilates practitioners will be challenged in a safe and closly supervised environment.

Rehabdominals
Join Licensed Physical Therapist Shawn Marquis for this two-class series focusing on the lower abdominal muscles and their relationship to core strength and spinal stability. You will learn exercise techniques that target the lower abdominals and how to better utilize these muscles during your workouts and everyday activities.

SIT FIT - Ergonomic Consultation:
Developed by Merz PT, Sit Fit is a program designed to help office workers and light manufacturing business minimize lost time due to stress and strain resulting from poor ergonomics. Approximately one million people annualy take time off from work because of repetitive motion or over exertion to treat or recover from musculoskeletal pain. Participants of this program will learn about the five most commom causes of back, neck and arm pain caused by poor work station set ups and how to correct a faulty set up in a cost effective manner. Key points include:

• Identify and self convert poorly designed office work stations
• Understand the role that posture and lifestyle play in soft tissue strains and pains
• Understand the basic physiology of muscular strains induced by poor ergonomic design
• Understand the relationship between ergonomic design and common workplace ailments such as headaches, carpal tunel syndrome, and back/neck pain
• Demonstrate competence with an office friendly, yoga-based program to help participants begin practicing a preventing approach in dealing with workplace stressors

This program concludes with instruction in 8 basic exercises specifically designed to increase their ergonomic knowledge and skills to reduce musculoskeletal loads, and strains which will allow users to maximize their health and productivity.