Ask Dr. Skendzel: What Makes Summit’s Exercise Prescription Approach Singular?

Reach your 2018 fitness goals with a customized exercise prescription from Summit Orthopedics.

exercise prescription

Research tells us that exercise has extraordinary power to preserve and extend our quality of life. Yet, it’s a lot easier to say we need to exercise than it is to make exercise a habit. Why is it so difficult for us to maintain an exercise program, especially when exercise is such an inexpensive and valuable investment in our health?

Summit’s exercise prescription is available to everyone

Summit Orthopedics has tackled this question, and offers a solution: a personalized exercise prescription at the Summit Wellness Center. You can access our exercise prescription program one of two ways.

  • Summit’s orthopedic physicians can “prescribe” a meeting with one of Summit’s performance specialists.
  • Individuals and small groups are invited to contact the wellness center directly to schedule a wellness consultation to discuss personal fitness goals.

Summit Wellness Center specialists are trained to design and coach you through an exercise program created to address your physical challenges. Sports medicine surgeon Dr. Jack Skendzel explains the benefits of this specialized approach to exercise.

Our exercise prescription is focused on your personal goals

“I think a lot of people conceive of exercise as general activity,” observes Dr. Skendzel. “It means running or walking or taking yoga classes. And although these are indeed examples of exercise, the benefits of these activities aren’t interchangeable for all patients. Someone with a knee injury may need a very different exercise program than someone with a herniated disc. Suggesting a vague notion of activity for a patient is like prescribing random medications for a specific medical condition. At Summit, we wanted to do better for our patients.”

Dr. Skendzel explains that exercise can have an impact on a wide range of the body’s structures and functions. “We can use exercise to achieve goals ranging from improved bone density and leaner muscle mass to better balance and endurance,” he says. “Or we can target specific weakened muscles following an injury or surgery. But successfully achieving any of these goals requires a specific personalized exercise prescription. And that’s where the Summit Wellness Center comes in.”

You have expert guidance at every step

The physical therapists and performance specialists at the Summit Wellness Center are exceptionally educated in exercise prescription. The Summit wellness facility is equipped with state-of-the art resources that enable exercise professionals to assess and monitor progress with precision. Summit’s wellness professionals design tailored exercise strategies to support meaningful outcomes for patients—whether they have general health or functionally specific goals.

Research tells us that people benefit from 150 minutes of exercise per week. But recommending 150 minutes of activity doesn’t give patients the specific direction they need. “By working with our specialists,” explains Dr. Skendzel, “individuals are guided to specific exercises designed for them. Just as important, they are coached through performing exercise at the right frequency, intensity, and duration for their needs and goals.”

An exercise prescription designed to deliver success

Knowledgeable exercise direction makes all the difference in realizing health goals. “We are referring our patients, and inviting our community, to design an individual program under the supervision of our performance specialists,” explains Dr. Skendzel. “Our wellness team has the knowledge and skills to help patients reach their physical goals. It is so satisfying to watch patients and community members use our program to achieve their health-related resolutions.”

If you’d like Summit’s wellness team to help you realize your health goals in 2018, take the first step and make an appointment for a free wellness consultation.

Summit Orthopedics offers comprehensive sports medicine expertise

From Olympians to pro athletes to kids in youth sports and those that just want to be more active—Summit Orthopedics delivers expert care by fellowship-trained sports medicine physicians. If you are recently injured or concerned about ongoing pain, Summit Orthopedics sports medicine specialists have the expertise to evaluate your discomfort and develop a plan to quickly and safely help you get back to being active.

Start your journey to stronger, healthier athletic condition. Find your sports medicine expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a sports medicine consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, Plymouth, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as several additional community clinics.

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  • Jack Skendzel, M.D.

    “An active lifestyle requires superior physical function, and I understand that my patients have exceptionally high standards for their performance and joint health. My goal is to return patients to optimal function so that they can continue to perform and master their personal athletic goals.”

    More about this expert

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