July 21, 2003
Fun Fitness For Kids
Genesis Offers Balance Tests at 2003 Health & Fitness Expo
Davenport, IA - Why should you think about your child's balance? Balance is much more than being able to stand on one leg. Balance is the ability to control body position while moving through space. Your child balances or controls his or her body positioning while he/she sits, stands and walks.
On Thursday, July 24 and Friday, July 25, Genesis Children's Therapy and Wellness Center, a division of Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation Center, will put on FUNfitness for kids at the Genesis Health & Fitness Expo in the Davenport RiverCenter. Children, ages 2-12 can test their balance, flexibility, and strength with a series of challenges, such as standing on one leg and reaching activities. Children will be tested for developmental milestones in their balance, flexibility, and strength. Scorecards with the results will be given to each participant.
"Balance affects everything we do," says Dana Dailey, Physical Therapist at Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation Center. "It helps keep you upright while engaging in activities, prevents falls and allows you to avoid injury to yourself or others."
Balance uses more than your child's brain, muscles, and bones. Balance incorporates the child's central nervous system and the ability to integrate input from his or her inner ears, eyes, muscles, and sensations from lower extremities, such as hands and feet.
Several things affect your child's balance. "A medical diagnosis affecting joints and muscles, vision, sense of body in space and inner ears can all affect balance," says Dailey.
Balance can change with age so it requires use to maintain it. "It's a 'use it or lose it' philosophy," adds Dailey. "Decreased activity and changes in lifestyle can cause balance to deteriorate."
What are some warning signs that a child may have poor balance? Difficulty sitting, standing or walking can all be signs as well as tripping and falling. Poor balance can lead to injury caused by falls or tripping. If your child has poor balance, it can be improved through physical therapy. Physical therapy can help improve flexibility, strength, balance, endurance, visual input, processing the body's position in space, fall prevention and safety.
For more information about the Genesis Children's Therapy and Wellness Center contact the Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation Center, located at the Genesis Plaza, 2535 Maplecrest Road, Bettendorf. Or call 563-421-3460.
Genesis Health System is the corporate sponsor of the Genesis Health & Fitness Expo. Staff members from Genesis Medical Center, Illini and DeWitt Community Hospitals will provide interactive exhibits on a variety of health and fitness topics, including body fat analysis, bone density screening and fun fitness for kids.
In addition to sponsoring the Genesis Health & Fitness Expo, Genesis Health System is honored to be the Official Bix Volunteer Sponsor for the more than 5,000 volunteers who give their time to make the Bix 7 a premier event. "Every year in an amazing display of unity, these volunteers perform the multitude of tasks needed to make this world-class race a success," says Leo Bressanelli, President and CEO of Genesis Health System.
Genesis Medical Center is also providing emergency medical services on race day. A medical tent will be staff and equipped to handle a large number of participants in need of medical assistance during the race. Nurses and physicians will also be on standby in the emergency departments at both Genesis Medical Center's East and West campuses.
