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By Janice Lane Palko
Shannon Mathis and Jackie McMurray, co-owners of Life in Motion Gym, saw a need and stepped up to address it. “We were both physical therapists,” said Shannon, “and often times when patients were discharged from PT, we had no appropriate place to recommend to them. They needed a place where they could safely train and continue to heal and make progress.”
“We have experience in neurological and vestibular physical therapy, and have worked with people with Parkinson’s Disease, strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, multiple sclerosis, neuropathy, and general balance issues, and we decided that we needed to provide that missing piece—a gym that offers well researched, specialized wellness programs for after you are discharged from physical therapy,” said Jackie.
Located at 3735 Saxonburg Boulevard, Life in Motion also has an orthopedic physical therapist on staff, Sarah Andrews, who helps with chronic or ongoing back, knees, hip or shoulder issues. In addition, Jennifer Fish, who is a master at teaching group classes, has multiple years of experience working with older adults with strength, balance, and mobility issues, is on staff.
Life in Motion Gym offers three main services: one-on-one training, group classes, and memberships. These can offer a variety of benefits depending on what your goals and interests are. Since their services are out of pocket, they are not limited by insurance constraints, and have the freedom, time and creativity to tailor your program to you in order to achieve your goals.
“We always like to start with a free consultation where we do an assessment, get to know each other better, and discuss what service may be best for you,” said Shannon. “We also do reassessments every so often to make sure you are staying on track or if we need to adjust your exercises.”
“We are also a point of contact in the healthcare continuum for our members. We have accumulated many resources in the community that we can give to them for certain issues or concerns. We are here to support them not just at the gym but in their daily lives. We also can recommend if they need a referral to their doctor or a physical therapist at a traditional clinic.”
Life in Motion Gym is getting rave reviews from its clients. “In addition to our members enjoying the gym and the classes, we weren’t expecting how much Life in Motion has impacted their lives in other ways. They enjoy the camaraderie and often socialize with each other after class, such as going to lunch,” said Shannon.
Life in Motion also offers a free monthly speaker on subjects like dementia, nutrition, acupuncture, and finding appropriate home care.
Since Life in Motion is a gym, attending is not covered by insurance, but it does qualify for gym membership coverage such as Silver Sneakers.
“We have found that by filling this void in the community, our members are able to stay active and focus on a good quality of life,” said Jackie.
For more information on Life in Motion Gym, visit the website at: lifeinmotiongym.com or call (412) 213-8524 or email: info@lifeinmotiongym.com