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FAMILY HEALTH

Polfit Wellness The Anaheim-based center helps patients regain their lives. by Amanda MolinaroPublished: December, 2010

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For special-needs patients at Polfit Wellness in Anaheim, the joy of the holidays is celebrated all year long. The facility helps those with disorders such as cerebral palsy, brain and spinal cord injuries and motor disorders, among others, to receive a variety of specialized treatments unique to Polfit Wellness and the Polfit Fitness Training Center.     Based on a Polish model of rehabilitation therapy coupled with a number of specialized European training techniques, Polfit Wellness provides tools for increasing patients’ agility and strength.     Using muscle massage and stretching, as well as the more intense TheraSuits and UGUL Cage techniques, therapists guide patients as they build strength on their own. One exercise in particular is what most patients are drawn to first: the Spider Web Apparatus Therapy.     “The Spider Web gets its name from the way it looks when its in use – like a web of bungee cords attached to a patient,” says Bridget Somerville, project manager for Polfit. “Using these strategically placed belts and bungee cords, the highly trained Polfit team gets patients up on a treadmill or stair-stepper, or moves them through custom-designed exercises without having to bear all their weight in the process.”     It may seem a bit daunting at first, but the Spider Web is a great tool for building strength and coordination.      “As patients gain balance, coordination and strength,” adds Somerville, “bungee cords are removed to increase their ability to perform functions on their own.”     Polfit Wellness trainers support all patients throughout their treatment sessions. Most are encouraged to attend intensive month-long therapy sessions, five days a week for five hours a day; these sessions are repeated three to four times per year. With these lengthy treatments, patients and their families visiting Polfit’s Anaheim location can enjoy an array of tourist attractions, including Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm and the Santa Ana Zoo. Because of this, many of Polfit’s patients come from out of the region.     “Due to the long stay, they look for fun things to do in the area in their free time,” says Somerville. “They also often have to bring siblings or other family members to make the lengthy stay possible or to help with the care of the patient.”     Cognitive development is also a big part of a Polfit Wellness patient’s recovery.     “Movement stimulates nerves,” says Ralph Radzki, a Polfit therapist. “Through these techniques, we find that the brain gets fired up and finds correct ways to make the body balance on its own.”     With newfound and hard-fought skills, patients can improve head control, swallowing and even their speech. As they regain their strength and balance, they begin to regain their lives.     For kids and adults alike who have been told they might never recover from a devastating injury, such as a sports accident or near-drowning experience, Polfit Wellness has brought renewed hope and quality of life to so many. That’s a miracle everyone can be thankful for.

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