By Lorraine Anyango and Faith Lawino
Did you know that Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has a fully functional gym? Did you know you can access the facility and services by paying just Ksh 150 per visit?
Did you also know that the gym is open on week days from Monday to Friday from 8am-5pm close of business?
It is also possible to book exercise sessions during weekends with the gym instructors.
This gym does more than exist, it is equipped functional and it produces positive results. It offers
Fitness programs ranging from muscular or joint exercises, overall body wellness, posture correction and many more.
At this facility, you are able to attain all your dream body goals from getting a flat tummy mostly for the ladies, body toning, body building and importantly keeping healthy to keep diseases and infections at bay.
JOOTRH further has staff that treats you with attention and care. The gym services are administered under the physiotherapy department, with an objective to maintain, promote and restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, patient education and health promotion.
The exercise space has trainers who will take you through the exercise processes and teach you on how to use the gym equipment’s.
Exercise enables blood flow through the body, helps in removal of excess fat in the body and prevents opportunistic infections that arise from excess weight. Such include obesity and increased chances of getting diabetes.
“Exercise alone is not enough since whatever you consume or eat, will determine your overall health and body weight.” Physiotherapist Mr. Morris Mike states.
The gym instructors and physiotherapists advises gym goers to watch on their diet to bar regaining unwanted weight. After one has achieved their body goals, they maintain consistency and keep exercising since keeping fit is not all about losing weight. The physiotherapy department not only attend to patients but is concerned with the well-being and health of individuals.
JOOTRH physiotherapy department provides services to both children and adults. The department has a children’s gym section which offers several services. The children’s exercise room accommodates kids below 5 years of age.
The exercise room contains various equipment’s including balance ball, swing, crutches, baby walkers and many more.
Balance ball helps in correction of posture and sitting position. The swing is specifically to improve sensory balance of children with epilepsy or children with autism.
The department also offers heat treatment, electrotherapy and also cold therapy through use of ice. Heat therapy or heat treatment is used to improve blood circulation due to increased pressure.
The Physiotherapist in charge, Mr. Anthony Ayora, states that heat treatment is used to increase muscle flexibility and reduce discomfort. The cold treatment through use of ice, is used in acute injuries to prevent swelling or inflammation.
Consequently, the adults’ section also trains physiotherapy patients and children above 5 years who can take and follow instructions. The spacious exercise room contains equipment’s from treadmills, upright bikes spin bikes, leg extension machine, dumb bells, exercise balls and various equipment’s room.
The treadmill also called the running machine, enables one to walk or run at a comfortable pace in an indoor setting. The upright bike enables you to work on the lower body and improve lung oxygenation. The spine bike gives the benefits of outdoor biking and also enables you work on the lower body.
The leg extension machine enables you work on each leg separately. The exercise ball helps to improve posture and balance. It stimulates the core muscles, the deep pelvic, abdominal and lower back.
JOOTRH also offers exercises that do not require equipment’s and one can do them with a lot of ease and fun too. At JOOTRH gym, you get out smiling, service to wellness and fitness is the core mandate. Health is wealth or rather health and fitness is a boon.
