BE HEALT HY, BE HAPPY, B E F IT
1027 Burlington Ave.
Downers Grove, IL 60515
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Susan Gets Canine Therapy (For the Dogs)
What do you do when you’ve been doing
physical therapy for 30-plus years and
have seen inpatient, outpatient, and all the
patients there are to see? If you love dogs,
you go into canine rehab. Inspired by such
love, our own Susan Trchka completed
coursework in canine rehabilitation in
December.
Susan Gets
Canine Therapy
(For the Dogs)
She spent the first two weeks of November
in Coral Springs, Fla., at the Canine
Rehabilitation Institute. Although the
weather was nice, Susan was quite busy
with her first two classes, learning canine
anatomy and hands-on examination.
When it was time to go back for her final
class in December, Susan was selfdeprecating, as is her custom. “I’m really
looking forward to rolling around on the
floor with those dogs,” she said, poking
fun at her difficulty with kneeling. As there
is truth in humor, so was there dedication
in Susan’s heart. With her courses behind
her, she must now take leave from Be Fit
to start a 40-hour internship (on her own
dime!) at a vet clinic. Then she will have
completed her certification requirements.
The case could be made that Be Fit owner
Mary Lou Savino loves dogs even
Continued on next page
B E F I T N E W S L E T T E R /January 2017
INS ID E
• Susan the Canine Therapist
• Win a Lake Geneva Gift Certificate
• Back Pain and Sciatica Workshop
• Balance and Fall Prevention Workshop
• My PT Story
• Our Newest Hire
What’s the
Single Biggest
Mistake Back
Pain and Sciatica
Sufferers Make
That STOPS
HEALING?
Find out at the Low Back Pain
and Sciatica Workshop. Page 2
Want to Get Away to
The Most Beautiful
Place on Earth?
Win a $250 gift certificate
good at the Geneva Inn in
Lake Geneva, WI
BE FIT REFERRAL DRAWING
Eligibility: All current and former patients
or Pilates students. Entry: Refer someone,
or even yourself, for any of our services
(physical therapy, Pilates, or massage), and if
your referral schedules and attends a service,
your name goes into the drawing. Refer
“early and often” for more chances to win!
Contest Period: Sunday January 1st through
Saturday March 31st, 2017. Drawing Date:
Monday April 1st, 2017.
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
more than Susan does. Mary Lou has
been adopting rescue dogs for years, and
she also has pursued a canine therapist
certification, taking some online courses
through the University of Tennessee.
However, she recently took some time
off from classes due to the demands of
running this business.
Although there are no hard statistics for the
“working dog” or the canine therapist job
markets, it has been commonly reported
that both are projected to grow.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects
a 10-year growth rate of 19 percent for
the Veterinary Technician profession.
Furthermore, people consider dogs a
part of their families and expect services
comparable to what’s available for people
when their dogs become injured.
Susan, whose own Maltese-Poodle and
Maltese Shi Tzu have long ago replaced
her children at home, cited show and
sports dogs as an example. “For people
who put their dogs in shows and in
competitions,” she said, “they’ll go to the
ends of the earth to rehabilitate their dogs.”
Balance and Fall Prevention Workshop
Do you grip furniture in the night when you go to the
bathroom? Does your heart race as your feet move across
an icy parking lot? If you’ve fallen, then you know how
frightening losing your balance can be. Falls can lead to
that increase the risk of falling, including medications, home
safety, and dizziness. You will learn how to make your home
safer. Depending on audience attendance, there may also
be a demonstration of technique we teach patients to treat
This is our first balance workshop, and response has been
they are also a leading cause of decreased mobility and
extraordinary. Call soon because seating is limited. (630)
dependence on others for day-to-day living. Participants in
964-4008. The first 8 people to register will receive a gift.
this balance and fall prevention workshop learn about hazards
Are You Suffering from
Back Pain or Sciatica?
Join Us for The Back Pain and Sciatica Workshop
Thursday 1/12/2017, 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. ( New Day and Time)
without the side effects of surgery or pain medications. Spouses
have even referred each other for this event and learned:
training, or Pilates session, you can enter into our monthly drawing
for a $25 gift card to any Lettuce Entertain You restaurant. Winners
are drawn every first of the month. Please let us know if you haven’t
received a T-shirt.
MY PT STORY: MIKE
When I started with therapy, I had problems with dizziness
and mobility. I started seeing results from Day 1. The therapy
plan was right on for my problem. I had trouble walking and
head movements. I would get lightheaded and dizzy. Now,
after 10 sessions, I have no problems, and my mobility
has improved. Thanks to Susan, I feel great. Susan is very
knowledgeable, professional, and very PT oriented. I had a
great experience at Be Fit! I highly recommend Be Fit.
MY PT STORY: ARLENE
Before I came to Be Fit, I had trouble when I would turn in bed on
my left side. I felt like everything was spinning, and my stomach
BOTH WORKSHOPS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR LARGE GROUP PRESENTATIONS
area for showing how back pain and sciatica can be healed
Anytime you wear your Be Fit tee to any physical therapy, personal
dizziness. You can improve your balance, no matter your age!
serious injury such as fractures or head trauma. For seniors,
This workshop has been well received in the Downers Grove
Gordon won the Be Fit T-shirt contest
for November!
Mary Lou may yet become one of those
canine rehab practitioners that families
seek. She once rehabbed her own dog
and has ever since wanted to make other
dogs feel better. Actually, she joked, “that’s
my retirement strategy: to retire and work
on dogs. I may not use it for a while, but I
am a doggy person.”
Attention Seniors and Baby Boomers: Are You Afraid of Falling or Struggling With Balance?
Saturday 1/21/17, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
CONGRATULATIONS TO GORDON
Also, there has been a growth in demand
for working dogs. For instance, since 9/11
the global demand for bomb detection
dogs has outpaced supply.
� The causes of back pain and sciatica
� How to pick the right treatment
� How to stop contributing to their own pain
As always, Seating is Limited. So call soon: (630) 964-4008
felt woozy. My ear, nose, and throat doctor suggested I go to Be
Fit when I mentioned my dizziness to him. I have been extremely
happy coming to Be Fit. Between Larissa, Natalie, and Alfonso my
rehab was great!! I was surprised how the “crystals” in our ear-tube
got put in place. I am cured now, and I didn’t have to take any pills.
I would mention Be Fit to anyone who has a dizzy problem.
Welcome to Our Physical Therapist Assistant
We’re excited to welcome Ashley as our newest licensed physical therapist assistant.
She graduated from Fox College in August 2016 with an Associates Degree in
physical therapy. Before coming to Be Fit, she was a front desk manager for a
private practice specializing in occupational medicine, working with both physicians
and physical therapists. There she got to see how people progressed from medical
treatment through the physical therapy process. However, her desire to work in
physical therapy goes back to her high school days. She got to see the athletic
trainer treating student athletes. “He played a crucial role,” she says. “I saw that, and I
wanted to do that for people.” Say “Hi” to Ashley when you visit the clinic.