Knowledge is power…especially when you have your friends to support you! So why not put a healthy twist on your next night out with the ladies? Grab the girls and join us for an evening chock full of great information about women’s health issues including:

urinary incontinence
pelvic pain
pregnancy & postpartum concerns
lower back pain
cancer
lymphedema
post mastectomy
female sports activity and injury

We’ll have stations set up for each topic, so that you can easily find information on your specific area of interest. Wine and dessert will also be served.

May 17, 5-7 pm at Northern Physical Therapy in Coopersville
RSVP BY May 14 to northernpts.com/rsvp, 616.997.6172, or rsvp@northernpts.com

It’s time to tell our story, and show our support. Most of us know someone who has had cancer – a friend, family member or neighbor. Please join the Northern Physical Therapy team for Relay for Life in Sparta to raise money for the American Cancer Society. It is our goal to have the team raise more money than last year ($1100), and to have a participant on the track for the whole 24 hours. The event is June 8-9, 2012, noon – noon.

We are participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life because we want to make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer.

Almost everyone has been touched by cancer, either through their own personal battle or through someone they love.

Every day, the American Cancer Society is helping us stay well by preventing cancer or finding it at its earliest, most treatable stages. They assist families in finding the best resources to help their friend or loved one deal with a diagnosis and their journey to get well. The American Cancer Society is also rallying communities (like ours!) through events like Relay For Life, to fight back and find cures for this disease.

Please join the Northern Physical Therapy team or make a donation to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Together, we can help make sure that cancer never steals another year of anyone’s life!

Donate or Register to be part of our team by visiting our team page here.

This weekend was Coopersville's annual Outhouse Race, 5k Chill, and Chili Cookoff. You may remember we have a bit of a winning streak, as noted here. So we hyped things up a bit, encouraged you all to come check out the festivities, and hoped we would take home a trophy or two.

First things first...our awesome chili, which was prepared by Susan in our Coopersville office, took home a second place trophy this year! 

Terri, Susan, Terri's mom, and Josh, from our Coopersville clinic, helped serve and prepare our trophy-worthy chili!

Next up, the chilly 5k Chill.... Northern had an awesome presence. Diana, one of our Cedar Springs physical therapists, took first place in her age group! Gina, our co-owner and Coopersville therapist, took second in her age group. Way to go ladies...great job!!

Finally, and perhaps the most anticipated event of the day was the Outhouse Race. Remember, the Northern co-sponsored team took first place last year, so we had some big shoes to fill. This year our co-sponsored team won second place in speed and first place in Best of Show!

These runners were tired after the race!

Thanks to all who came out and supported Northern and our teams this year. A great day was had by all!

What do snow flurries and low temps mean to you? If you live in Coopersville, these cold winter days mean its time for the annual Coopersville Outhouse 500, Chili Cook-off, and the Coopersville Chill 5K run. Once again, Northern Physical Therapy is sponsoring the festivities, in particular, the Chill 5K. These festive and chilly events are going to be held on Saturday, February 25. The 5K begins at 10am at Coopersville High School and there will also be a Kiddie Run.

This year, we're encouraging you to join us in the Chill 5K (you can register here), and its not too early to start training. In fact, our weekly run club starts this Saturday, February 4. We'll meet at 8:30am at Riverside Park. We'll switch up the location on occasion to accommodate folks on different sides of town. Do join us!

In addition to the Chill 5K, the Outhouse 500 is always a spectacle. As a reminder, here is Northern's 2011 team, getting ready to start the race.

And can you guess who's team won the race? That's right... the team sponsored by Northern Physical Therapy, Hecksel & Hecksel, and Touch of Style.

While the day of the 5K can be pretty chilly, its easy to warm up with the Coopersville Chili Cook-off. Should you attend the chili cook-off this year, you must make it a point to stop by the Northern chili booth. Here we are with our winning chili trophy from last year. 

And just to go way back, here we are with our chili trophy in 2010. I think I'm sensing a pattern here...

If you're up for a challenge and heck of a fun time, do join us at the Coopersville Chill 5K on February 25. If you have any additional questions, contact Don Pratt at 616.889.8626 or via email.

Northern Physical Therapy is helping the Wayland community get in shape! We're excited to annouce we've partnered with Wayland Union Schools to open a new Community Fitness Center. The fitness center, which opens January 3, 2012, is located at Wayland Union High School and will be staffed and managed by Northern Physical Therapy.

Show your support to the Fitness Center and the community by liking them on Facebook!

To encourage overall health and wellness, all members will have access to a website that will provide health tips and be able to create their own personalized wellness plan. Our staff will always be on hand to assist you with equipment or answer any questions you may have.

To join the fitness center, participants will be part of an orientation session where they will be trained on using the equipment. We also offer various monthly membership programs at affordable rates!

 

	Fitness Center	Pool
Wayland Union District Residents
Adult	$15/month	$15/month
Senior Citizens (55 & over)	$10/month	$10/month
Non-Resident
Adult	$30/month	$30/month
Senior Citizen (55 & over)	$20/month	$20/month
Daily Use Rates
Adult	$3/day	$3/day
Senior Citizen (55 & over)	$2/day	$2/day
Non-Resident Student (7-12th gd)	$2/day	$2/day

Fitness Center Hours of Operation
Mon-Thurs. 5:30am-7:30am; 4:00-pm-8:00pm
Friday  5:30am-7:30am; 4:00pm-6:00pm
Saturday 8:00am-Noon    Sunday -closed

Pool Hours of Operation
Open Swim         Mon/Wed  6:00-8:00pm, Saturday 9:30-noon
Adult Lap Swim   Mon/Wed/Fri  6:00-7:20am
                            Saturday  8:00-9:30am

 

Visit the Wayland Community Fitness Center website for more information. We look forward to seeing you at the new facility! 

 

In an effort to celebrate good health, good friends, and good community, we hosted an open house at our Wayland clinic. Patients, community members, and friends all came out to help us celebrate the Wayland community we call home.

Janis Kemper is co-owner of NPT and a physical therapist at our Wayland clinic. She is pictured with a guest of our open house and Gina Otterbein, co-owner and physical therapist at our Coopersville clinic.

Wayland staff member Tess Tobolic is all smiles with one of our open house guests.

Good times were had by all.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in our open house. Wayland is our community!

The need for helping those facing hunger in our communities has never been greater. Due to rising food costs, the recession, and loss of jobs, people who never before sought help from local pantries are seeking assistance. But there is a way you can help make a difference! Between now and Thanksgiving, we will be collecting canned food goods at all five of our locations. We know times are challenging for many of us, but please consider finding a way to contribute. Every little bit can make a difference in your community!

The donations you make will be donated to the following charities:
Coopersville - Coopersville Cares
Grant – Love, Inc.
Cedar Springs/Sparta - North Kent Service Center
Wayland - Christian Neighbors

At Northern, we make it a goal to support the communities in which we live and work. One way we do so is by serving in the local Chambers of Commerce. Last week Susan Kloosterhouse, of our Coopersville office, became an official member of the Sparta Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Susan is excited to begin her term in office and participate in all the exciting events that are being planned for the next 3 years.

Susan is pictured here with Chamber Vice President Dana Quick and Chamber President Kelly DeWindt.

Each year our five clinics participate in a costume contest. The winner is determined in an online poll where all of our patients, friends, and community members can vote. Each clinic picked a theme and everyone dressed to impress. 

Up first is Farmer Mark and his Pumpkin Patch. This festive farm bunch belong to our Cedar Springs location.

Grease was the word for our Grant team. They even decorated the clinic to get in the spirit of things.

These cowgirls from our Sparta clinic had a great time getting in the spirit of Halloween. Giddy up ladies!

The gypsy gang from our Coopersville clinic had a consistent back and forth battle for first place, but ultimately came up just a few votes short and had to settle for second.

The sole winner (2 years in a row!) of our costume contest is.... drumroll please.....

The holiday gang in Wayland. These folks know how to put on a Halloween showdown!

Congrats to our Wayland team! We're already looking forward to see what you'll come up with next year.

Gina Otterbein, our co-owner and physical therapist, is among the 25 nominees for the 2011 Lakeshore Athena Award, which is presented annually to recognize women who demonstrate excellence and creativity in their profession, devote time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in their community, and actively support women in realizing and achieving their full leadership. Here, Gina is pictured with Carrie Borchers (fellow Athena nominee), and Andrea Snyder (who nominated both women for the award), at the awards reception.

Gina is a Coopersville resident, physical therapist, and co-owner of Northern Physical Therapy. She believes in giving back to her community and does so by volunteering her time with the Rotary Club of Coopersville, St. Michael’s Church, the Coopersville Chamber of Commerce, and is the Event Chair for the Del Shannon Car Show. She also sits on committees for both the Michigan Physical Therapy Association and the American Physical Therapy Association.

Gina stated: Women today wear many hats, maintaining duties as business leaders, organizational leaders, mothers, mentors, coaches and friends.... all of which can be overwhelming at times. I try to help other women learn how to handle the balance of all these terrific roles.

As noted by both the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce officials, the Athena Award program is not a competition, but rather a celebration of excellence where the honor of the award is in the nomination.

Gina is pictured at the awards luncheon with Gary Lutz of IT Resource, Andrea Snyder of STUDIO3TWENTY, and Carrie Borchers of IT Resource.