Adaptive Fitness Thrives: Increased Visits, New Classes, and Groundbreaking Research in 2025

The Stephen A. Orthwein Center had a strong year of growth and impact in FY2025, focused on adaptive fitness, wellness, and inclusive exercise programs for people with disabilities and older adults.

Highlights include:

• Participant growth: Served 392 participants — an impressive 11% increase from the prior year, showing expanding reach in the community.

• Visit volume: Recorded 14,587 visits — a solid 9% increase year-over-year, reflecting higher engagement and utilization of the facility's accessible equipment and services.

• Personalized training: Delivered 4,197 hours of 1:1 Exercise Trainings to 148 unique participants — a 3% increase, highlighting the value of individualized support from adaptive exercise specialists.

• Research collaboration success: Completed the 14-week WATCH Research Study (Wheelchair user physical activity training intervention to enhance cardiometabolic health) with 20 participants in partnership with Washington University in St. Louis. An additional 8 participants are carrying over into the next fiscal year. This NIH-funded randomized controlled trial compares tailored, coached exercise (using the Center's adaptive gym) against independent access, aiming to improve cardiovascular health outcomes for wheelchair users.

New offerings:

• Added a new group exercise class: Dance, Dance, Dance — bringing more fun, engaging options to build fitness in a supportive group setting.

• Launched Small Group Training in September — an 8-week program in groups of 3, combining expert guidance, customized workouts, and a motivating environment to help members achieve goals safely and effectively.

These results demonstrate continued momentum in promoting independence, health, and community through accessible fitness. The additions like new classes and small-group sessions, plus the ongoing research impact, position the Center well for even more growth ahead.