• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • MyUSA
  • Library
  • USAHS Shop
  • Continuing Education
  • Request Information
  • Apply Now

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

Clinical Excellence Through Graduate Education

Menu
  • Academics
    • DEGREE PROGRAMS ― Click here to browse all of our degree programs
    • College of Rehabilitative Sciences
      • Occupational Therapy Programs
        • Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
        • Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
        • Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PPOTD)
      • Physical Therapy Graduate Programs
        • Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
        • Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT)
      • Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP)
    • College of Health Sciences
      • Master of Health Administration (MHA)
      • Master of Health Science (MHS)
      • Doctor of Education (EdD)
      • School of Nursing
        • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
        • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
        • Post-Graduate Nursing Certificates
      • Continuing Education
        • Clinical Orthopedic Residency
        • Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship
        • Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
        • Physical Therapy Online Courses for International Students
      Close
    • Admissions & Aid
      • Admissions & Aid

        USAHS focuses on providing the best and more appropriate academic and financial aid counseling throughout the admissions process. Whether applying to a first-professional, campus based program or a post-professional distance program, an assigned Enrollment Advisor is available to assist you from application to acceptance.

        Admissions & Aid Home
      • Application Deadlines
      • Catalog/Handbook
      • Financial Aid
      • Academic Calendar
      • COVID-19 Information
      Close
    • About
      • General
        • History
        • Accreditation
        • B Corp Certified
        • Student Achievement Data
        • Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
        • News
        • Diversity and Inclusion
        • Partnerships
      • People
        • Alumni
        • Leadership
        • Board of Directors
        • Careers
        • Student Ambassador Program
        • Our Faculty
        • Contact Us
      • Campuses
        • San Marcos, CA
        • St. Augustine, Florida
        • Miami, FL
        • Austin, Texas
        • Dallas, Texas
      • Campuses and Locations
      • Admission Questions? Get In Touch
      Close
    • Events
    • MyUSA
    • USAHS Shop
    • Continuing Education
    • Blog

    June 2022 Leave a Comment

    Is DPT Worth It?

    Is DPT Worth It?

    Is a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Worth It? If you’re dreaming about helping patients restore their mobility and quality of life, and you’re exploring what it would take to become a physical therapist, you may be wondering, “Is a degree in physical therapy worth it?” The answer to this question depends, of course, on your personal career goals. Some people choose to become physical therapist assistants because only a two-year associate degree is required. It’s true that pursuing a doctorate takes time and effort; however, there are countless advantages to earning a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. To that end, let’s look at some of the factors that make a Doctor in Physical Therapy (DPT) degree the best first step on an exceptional career Read more

    Recent University News

    The OT Pinning Ceremony: Marking the Move from Classroom to Pract … Video Included

    The OT Pinning Ceremony: Marking the Move from Classroom to Pract …

    Students Explore the Emotional Aspect of Stuttering Video Included

    Students Explore the Emotional Aspect of Stuttering

    Searching for Equity: The Library’s LGBTQIA2+ Resources

    Searching for Equity: The Library’s LGBTQIA2+ Resources

    A Day in the Life of a Nurse Manager

    A Day in the Life of a Nurse Manager

    More Like This

    • USAHS
    • All stories
    • Videos
    Home of USA.edu - Health Sciences
    Menu
    • Academics
      • DEGREE PROGRAMS ― Click here to browse all of our degree programs
      • College of Rehabilitative Sciences
        • Occupational Therapy Programs
          • Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
          • Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
          • Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PPOTD)
        • Physical Therapy Graduate Programs
          • Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
          • Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT)
        • Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP)
      • College of Health Sciences
        • Master of Health Administration (MHA)
        • Master of Health Science (MHS)
        • Doctor of Education (EdD)
        • School of Nursing
          • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
          • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
          • Post-Graduate Nursing Certificates
        • Continuing Education
          • Clinical Orthopedic Residency
          • Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship
          • Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
          • Physical Therapy Online Courses for International Students
        Close
      • Admissions & Aid
        • Admissions & Aid

          USAHS focuses on providing the best and more appropriate academic and financial aid counseling throughout the admissions process. Whether applying to a first-professional, campus based program or a post-professional distance program, an assigned Enrollment Advisor is available to assist you from application to acceptance.

          Admissions & Aid Home
        • Application Deadlines
        • Catalog/Handbook
        • Financial Aid
        • Academic Calendar
        • COVID-19 Information
        Close
      • About
        • General
          • History
          • Accreditation
          • B Corp Certified
          • Student Achievement Data
          • Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
          • News
          • Diversity and Inclusion
          • Partnerships
        • People
          • Alumni
          • Leadership
          • Board of Directors
          • Careers
          • Student Ambassador Program
          • Our Faculty
          • Contact Us
        • Campuses
          • San Marcos, CA
          • St. Augustine, Florida
          • Miami, FL
          • Austin, Texas
          • Dallas, Texas
        • Campuses and Locations
        • Admission Questions? Get In Touch
        Close
      • Events
      • MyUSA
      • USAHS Shop
      • Continuing Education
      • Blog
      • Request Information
      • Apply Now
      Categories
      Close
      • Physical Therapy PT
      • Occupational Therapy OT
      • Speech-Language Pathology SLP
      • Nursing MSN & DNP
      • Health Administration MHA
      • Editorial
      • News
      COVID-19 Updates
      Blog home  >  News  >  Slowing the Symptoms…

      July 2016 St. Augustine, FL Leave a Comment

      Slowing the Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease with Exercise

      Slowing the Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease with Exercise

      Physical therapy students and faculty offer a free exercise class that helps St. Augustine residents with the progressive neurological disease.

      Nikki Whitney was always active, always on her feet. At various times a caterer, storekeeper, bed and breakfast manager, and winery tour guide, she was a people person on the go. Then something inside her felt amiss. She told her doctors that she didn’t feel like herself. They struggled with a diagnosis, but eventually it was clear that it was Parkinson’s disease.

      “I was rigid, stiff, expressionless, my walk was slow, everything about me was slow and had changed,” she says. “I’d look at myself in the mirror and ask ‘Who are you today?’ I could not align the old me with who I was looking at.”

      Not long after her diagnosis, Nikki found the Parkinson’s disease exercise class that Melanie Lomaglio, PT, MSc, NCS, runs with her fifth-term Doctor of Physical Therapy students at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Research has shown that exercise can slow the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms, which affect as many as 1 million Americans. During the free, 8-week class each trimester, students develop plans for safe and therapeutic exercises that are customized for each of the 20 or so participants and then work with them in the University’s Wellness Center.

      “When we have participants with Parkinson’s, students get a chance to connect the dots from what they’re learning out of a textbook or from a lecture to an actual patient,” says Lomaglio. “Giving back to your community is also part of being a professional, especially in the health care field.”

      The exercises are geared toward the impairments Parkinson’s causes, such as slowness and small movements. For a portion of the class, students lead participants through active stretches and repetitive whole body, large amplitude exercises. Participants also make use of the exercise bikes and treadmills in the Wellness Center to promote aerobic fitness. After the completion of the program, participants often report improvements in speed, balance, and walking ability.

      Since joining to the exercise class, Nikki has seen results. “I was stiff to start like everyone else. None of it came easily,” she says. “Each class showed me that with exercise and a support system, the body could open up and take on so much more than you thought you could.

      “It’s changed my life around,” she adds. “Even my movement disorder neurologist said to me … if I were to pass you on the street today, I’d never guess you have Parkinson’s.”

      Melanie Lomaglio, PT, MSc, NCS, also facilitates the St. Augustine Parkinson’s Disease Support Group, which hosts social gatherings and guest speakers every month. It is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.usa.edu/parkinsons.

      Before class begins, Drew Solieau and other physical therapy students check participants’ vitals to ensure they are ready for exercise.

       

      Nikki Whitney, left, works out on an exercise bike while physical therapy student Rachael Brousse spots her.


      Kathy Schutzman has been a member of the exercise class since 2012 and says she is impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and level of preparation.

       

      Student Jillian Miller shows participants a movement based on the LSVT BIG exercise treatment program that has shown success for people with Parkinson’s.

       

      People with Parkinson’s are at higher risks for falls, so student Kyle Van Benschoten stays close.

       


      The summer 2016 Parkinson’s disease exercise class. The front row is Doctor of Physical Therapy students. Faculty member Melanie Lomaglio is the first person in the back row on the left and faculty member Anne Boddy is the last person on the right with faculty member Kerry Mallini to her right
      .

      Blog Single Post: Sidebar

      Want to learn more?
      Contact an enrollment advisor.
      Request Information

      Latest Stories

      Is DPT Worth It?

      Physical Therapy PT

      Is DPT Worth It?

      The OT Pinning Ceremony: Marking the Move from Classroom to Pract … Video Included

      Occupational Therapy OT, Main Feature

      The OT Pinning Ceremony: Marking the Move from Classroom to Pract …

      Students Explore the Emotional Aspect of Stuttering Video Included

      Speech-Language Pathology SLP, Main Feature

      Students Explore the Emotional Aspect of Stuttering

      More News

      doctor of physical therapy students

      Physical Therapy PT

      Is DPT Worth It?

      Video Included

      Occupational Therapy OT

      The OT Pinning Ceremony: Marking the Move from Classroom to Practice

      Shayna, Colton, and their dog Zura Video Included

      Speech-Language Pathology SLP

      Students Explore the Emotional Aspect of Stuttering

      Footer

      • Schedule a Tour
      • Apply for Admission
      • Upcoming Events
      • News
      • Financial Aid
      • Faculty Directory
      • Social Media Guidelines
      • Library
      • Continuing Education
      • Careers @ USA
      • MyUSA
      • Webmail
      • Catalog/Handbook
      • Media Resources
      • Legal and Consumer Disclosures
      • State Licensure

      University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • Instagram
      • YouTube
      • Linkedin

      San Marcos, CA Campus
      700 Windy Point Drive
      San Marcos, CA 92069

      St. Augustine, FL Campus
      1 University Boulevard
      St. Augustine, FL 32086

      Miami, FL Campus
      Douglas Entrance North Tower
      800 S. Douglas Road, Suite 149
      Coral Gables, FL 33134

      Austin, TX Campus
      5401 La Crosse Ave
      Austin, TX 78739

      Dallas, TX Campus
      5010 Riverside Drive, Suite 120
      Irving, TX 75039

      General Inquiries: (904) 826-0084
      Media Inquiries: (760) 407-2301
      Fax: (904) 826-0085
      Registrations: (800) 241-1027

       

       

      Copyright © 2022 Legal & Consumer Disclosure  •  Title IX / Safety & Security  •  Privacy Policy  •  Program Data  •  Accreditation  •  Contact