PTs Connect with Special Olympics Athletes

Physical Therapy students working on a person in a gymnasium

The main gym at Catholic University of America in late September was a cacophony of laughter and chatter as health care professionals and students provided health services and education for young Special Olympics athletes.

At the event, hosted by Healthy Athletes for the DC Special Olympics, 46 physical therapy (PT) students and eight faculty and staff members from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences were on hand to help with FUNFitness screenings, which test athletes’ flexibility, strength, balance, and aerobic fitness.

“We have a lot of theoretical knowledge of how to do these things, and it’s great to bring it into the real world and see how to deal with patients and interact with them,” firstyear PT student Oliver Hecht said of the experience. “It’s a fun opportunity for us.”