Former Detroit Lion, Mike Utley, to Fund Physical Therapy Scholarship

Former Detroit Lion, Mike Utley, is offering a person with a spinal cord injury (SCI), the opportunity to maximize their recovery and improve their quality of life, by providing a scholarship to DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.

Through the generous support of the Mike Utley Foundation, Utley will be funding a scholarship to Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM). The Scholarship provides one free month of intense sessions designed to help the person engage in health, fitness and rehabilitation at the highest level after the program is completed.  The program will include physical therapy, biofeedback therapy, personal training and nutrition consultations. 

As a leader in the treatment of spinal cord injury, RIM sees more SCI patients than any other program in Michigan, including the most complex cases. RIM is also home to the Center for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery (CSCIR). The CSCIR is one of the first hospital-based programs of its kind in the U.S. to provide long-term, high-intensity, activity-based therapy, to optimize health and function in persons with spinal cord injury. The program incorporates the latest scientific research and innovative therapeutic techniques, in the quest to make recovery from spinal cord injury a reality.

Utley, was paralyzed during an NFL game in 1991. In the years since his injury he has inspired others with his own drive, determination and incredible motivation to strive for optimal physical performance.

Applications are now being accepted for the Mike Utley Scholarship. To download the scholarship application form, please visit www.RIMrehab.org and click on the “Community Programs” tab.  The deadline for submitting the application is May 1, 2011. 

About the Mike Utley Foundation

The Mike Utley Foundation was established January 2, 1992 to provide funding for research, rehabilitation and education for those living with spinal cord injuries. The Mike Utley Foundation encourages those disabled by such injuries to expand their potential through rehabilitation, physical training, education and a determined pursuit of personal goals. In addition to innovative research, the Foundation financially supports rehabilitation projects, patient and family assistance programs, patient equipment, patient and family education and therapeutic recreational programs.

Dr. John McDonald to Present Keynote at RIM's Rehabilitation Symposium

John W. McDonald, MD, PhD, a neurologist and research scientist, who directs the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute, will be the keynote presenter at Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s 2011 Rehabilitation Symposium.

McDonald is credited for developing “activity-based restoration” (ABR) therapies designed to help patients with long-term spinal cord injuries recover sensation, movement and independence. ABR was publically acknowledged as producing the substantial and delayed recovery of actor/activist Christopher Reeve, whom McDonald worked with. McDonald has lead several multi-center clinical trials in spinal cord injury repair, including the first human stem cell transplantation study with the company Diacrin.

Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s 2011 Symposium will be held April 29 at the MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit. The targeted audience is case managers, insurance adjusters and other rehabilitation professionals. The conference is free, however there is a $30 fee to attend the lunch and keynote presentation.

To learn more about the conference or to register, visit www.RIMrehab.org/symposium

Free Yoga Class for Persons with Disabilities

Many associate Yoga with a series of complicated, intricate movements that are difficult to perform, however, Yoga is not solely physical and anyone who wishes to connect with their physical, mental and spiritual selves can benefit, including persons with disabilities.

Jennifer Weiszhaar, a physical therapist at Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s (RIM) Novi Center, teaches an adaptive yoga class and believes the mind and body are connected, no matter what the disability.

“People in wheelchairs can still experience the energy flowing throughout their bodies and feel the opening of the chest and lengthening of the spine,” Weiszhaar says.

For the adaptive yoga class, a partner will assist each participant in feeling the experience of the pose. Props, such as blankets, towels and pillows will be used for support and Weiszhaar will even encourage those comfortable with getting out of their wheelchairs onto the mats to do so.

Weiszhaar has been practicing yoga for about eight years.  She has been trained by author, instructor and motivational speaker, Matthew Sanford. After a car accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, he became an advocate for the mind/body relationship and centers everything in his life around yoga and the life lessons he believes it has taught him.

Weiszhaar’s adaptive yoga class will take place on April 6, 2011 from 2-3 pm at RIM’s Novi Center, located at

42005 W. 12 Mile Rd.

The class is free but you must call in advance to register at 313-745-9748.

By: Carly Knazze, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan 

Meet Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2011

Sharina Jones, 31, of Troy, was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2011 on Saturday, March 5, at the Ms. Wheelchair Michigan Pageant held at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids.

“I can’t believe it. When they called my name on stage, my husband said I had this confused look on my face,” says Jones.

Jones was shot and paralyzed when she was only 5-years-old by a 7-year-old boy playing with a gun. However, life in a wheelchair has not confined her. She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Oakland University and a master’s degree in business administration from Wayne State University. She enjoys hand-cycling, mono-skiing, playing wheelchair basketball and writing. Jones is currently writing an autobiography relating to her many experiences being in a wheelchair. 

As the new Ms. Wheelchair Michigan, Jones will travel across the state, visit advocacy groups and make public appearances to create awareness, acceptance and understanding of disabilities to the general public.

Her platform is to help newly injured individuals get comfortable enough to get socially involved and help them towards living a fulfilling life. She especially wants to focus on helping injured military veterans.

“I believe becoming socially involved gives a person confidence, independence and self respect,” says Jones. 

Jones’ pageant sponsor is the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM), where she receives physical therapy three times a week as part of RIM’s Center for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Program.

Jones will compete for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America 2012, August 1-7, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the Amway Grand Hotel.

The pageant is not a beauty contest; instead the abilities, endeavors and achievements of women who use wheelchairs are recognized and honored in this annual pageant.

If you are interested in more information about the Ms. Wheelchair Michigan, Inc. organization please visit www.mswheelchairmichigan.org

How Many Calories Can You Burn Walking?

For many people, beginning an exercise program can be intimidating. More than ever, from the Biggest Loser to those 90-day plans that show people exercising to near exhaustion, we see the television portray the need for strenuous activity to gain results. 

So is that what you have to do? The answer is no. An exercise program should begin with a trip to your physician, especially if you have been sedentary. Once you have clearance, find yourself a comfortable pair of shoes and begin to "pound the pavement" or your hallways at work. Walking can be a powerful tool for you as you begin a new lifestyle.

In 2009, an independent sports scientist performed a study to gauge the caloric expenditure of golfers; yes golfers. The results were amazing; those who walked nine holes with a push cart burned 718 calories and walked on average 2.5 miles.

Adding in extra steps to your day in the form of walking for exercise can help you achieve your goals, without the strenuous activities you see on television. Try to walk 20 minutes each day, either on your lunch break or after dinner to burn off those extra calories.
 

Here is a simple equation to help you determine the number of calories you can burn by walking:
            For moderate walking:
            Calories burned = 0.029 x weight (lbs) x time (minutes)

            For Vigorous walking:
            Calories burned = 0.048 x weight (lbs) x time (minutes)

Did You Know?
• There are 3500 calories in 1lb of fat.
• Creating a 500 calorie deficit over 7 days = 3500 calories burned.
• A 200lb person walking for one hour at a brisk pace (3.5 mph) can burn up to 365 calories.
• Walking is less strenuous on your joints and generally can be done anywhere, work or
  home.
• Adding hills or speeding up your pace can increase the calories burned during your walk.

By: Craig DeLeon, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan