Health in the 21st Century: UC Aquatic Therapy Class Benefits People with Multiple Sclerosis

A new aquatic therapy program at the University of Cincinnati’s Campus Recreation Center is geared toward increasing the endurance and flexibility of people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The new program is free to the 14 participants, thanks to support from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Waddell Center for Multiple Sclerosis. The class, which got underway this spring, meets from 11-11:45 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through June 2.

Multiple Sclerosis is an auto-immune disease that attacks the central nervous system, resulting in symptoms ranging from numbness in the limbs to paralysis.

The class is led by instructor Pam DeCourcy, who has taught aquatic fitness classes for 16 years and MS aquatic classes for six years.

Carol Wolkoff, program manager for the UC Campus Recreation Center, says the class can maximize muscle strength, plus maintain or increase endurance, flexibility and range of motion for the participants, as well as ease secondary symptoms related to MS, such as muscle atrophy and joint rigidity.

The Waddell Center for Multiple Sclerosis is a partnership that includes the UC College of Medicine and the UC Neuroscience Institute – a leading treatment, research and teaching center for complex neurological conditions. The Waddell Center, established in 2002 with a $5 million gift from Virgilee Waddell, an alumna of the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH, ’56) and her husband, Oliver Waddell, is recognized by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as the regional referral center for MS in Greater Cincinnati.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society funds research, education and support programs aimed at one day eliminating multiple sclerosis.

UC’s Campus Recreation Center is a state-of-the-art fitness and recreation facility for the UC community as well as the Cincinnati USA community.

Wolkoff says openings are available for people interested in participating in the program’s summer session June 16 through Aug. 6. Registration for the summer session opens on May 18. For details on registration, including obtaining a doctor’s referral for the program and parking information, call 513-556-0382.

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