Fit & Strong!
Sessions include 60 minutes of flexibility exercises, fitness walking/low impact aerobics, and resistance training followed by 30 minutes of discussion and educational activities using goal setting and action plans designed to bolster arthritis self-management. Before the end of the program, instructors meet one-on-one with participants to create individual plans to continue physical activity after the program ends.
The program has been offered by senior centers, park facilities, and health care providers in 8 states. Participants appreciate the gradual approach to building their capacity for exercise that is easily incorporated into daily activity. Many have also enjoyed higher bone density and lower cholesterol levels!
Get in Touch
Fit & Strong
1747 W. Roosevelt Rd
Rm. 558
Chicago, IL 60608
United States (US)
FitandStrongUIC@gmail.com
312-355-3174
What People are Saying
“70 years old and Fit & Strong! What more could I ask for? The Fit & Strong! program has become and essential to my everyday living. It has infiltrated my every movement and thought. What a difference eight solid weeks of exercise has made. You cannot ask for a more information, action-packed program taught by people who are in the know. It has changed me and I am better for it.”
Program Details
Settings/Facilities
Community settings
Duration
3 times per week for 8 weeks. Each session lasts 90 minutes.
Program Costs
$2000 license, $500 covers 1-5 trainees, plus additional costs for equipment (adjustable ankle weights, elastic resistance bands, floor mats, and participant manuals).
Costs Include
Fee covers initial license, training, trainee materials, and technical assistance.
Outcomes
Efficacy trial results showed significant increases in self-efficacy for exercise, increased exercise participation, and decreased lower extremity stiffness and pain at two, six, and 12 months. Effectiveness trial results showed significant increases in physical activity, lower extremity function, lower extremity strength and mobility (risk factors for falls), and decreased anxiety and depression. Benefits persisted at 18 months.
Materials
Participant equipment: exercise bands, cd player, exercise music cds, mats, ankle weights; Training materials included in licensing
Staffing
Certified exercise instructor or Master Trainers for A Matter of Balance or Chronic Disease Self-Management Program.
Individual vs. Group
Small Group
Mode
In-person
Data Requirements
Standardized reporting forms
Languages
English, Spanish, Portuguese
