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Sprinting into a healthier future

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alexa Ann Helen Henderson
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs

The physical fitness of our service members is paramount to the ability of the Department of Defense to execute its mission across the globe.

Andersen’s 36th Medical Operations Squadron Physical Therapy Team is ensuring that Team Andersen is more than ready for anything that may come their way.

Maj. Elizabeth Liebner, 36th MDOS physical therapy officer, and Tech. Sgt. David Pienta, 36th MDOS physical therapy assistant, are implementing a new running clinic to teach and improve active duty service members running abilities April 19 at 3 p.m., held in the Coral Reef Fitness Center basketball courts.

“It’s a running program that I wanted to work with through the clinic because I get a lot of patients who get better within my care but once they are on their own they reinjure themselves,” Liebner said. “It is because of the way they are running, not because they aren’t trying or they aren’t doing the exercises I’ve given to them.”

The physical therapy team will hold the clinic every third Thursday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., so that service members can utilize their lunch break to attend the course. The clinic is open to all service members at all stages and levels of running experience.

“Another reason I wanted to open this clinic up is that all of us service members have to run a PT test,” Liebner said. “All of us have different goals; sometimes people are on the edge of failing or passing and this is what can push them over into a passing score.”

When the program opens, the team hopes to have classes with about 20-25 people and, pending member participation, they may expand it into a bigger program to accommodate the larger population.

“We are excited for it to open,” said Tech. Sgt. Leon Miller, 36th MDOS health promotions flight chief. “It is an innovative way for our patients to open their minds up and see a new perspective of running and injury prevention.”

While it’s a great program to help prevent injuries while running, it is also formed to help service members learn to enjoy running all while improving their speed and endurance. The class will start with a classroom portion to use visuals to explain the techniques before applying them on the court.

Liebner says that people with questions or who want to sign up can call the Health Promotions flight at 366-2419.