Written by our Head Coach Jenna Polreis:
With over a decade of experience working in rehab and training, Jenna has seen firsthand how many people are left unsure of what comes next once formal treatment ends. Her work focuses on helping people safely rebuild strength, confidence, and independence after injury, illness, or long periods of limitation.. bridging the gap between rehab and everyday strength.
There’s a group of people I meet again and again in my work as a physiotherapist and coach at the Lair. Each person in this group is very different, but a common thread ties them together.
Some have had a stroke, some live with other neurological conditions, others deal with fibromyalgia, chronic pain or limitations from surgeries. Regardless of the diagnosis or health struggle, I almost always hear:
“I was told to keep moving, but no one really showed me how” or “I was discharged, but I don’t feel very good.”
Unfortunately, so many people are often told they’re doing ‘well enough’ to leave rehab, or physiotherapy, but daily life still feels hard. At the same time, a regular gym doesn’t feel safe or appropriate for where they’re at.
So they end up in this in-between space; wanting to feel stronger, more capable and like themselves again, but not really knowing where to go or what to do.
Unfortunately, the healthcare system wasn’t built with this group of people in mind, nor does it have the resources or capacity to change right now.
ESPECIALLY in rural centres like Unity.
What Happens When the Appointments End
Our healthcare system, in my opinion, is good at short-term care.
It’s good at acute problems with clear timelines. But so many of the people I’ve come across in my work don’t live a neat, short-term story. Instead, they live in the long middle where progress is slow, symptoms fluctuate and there are constant battles against pain, fatigue, balance issues, or fear of getting hurt.
Why This Matters To Us
At the Lair, myself and our team of coaches care deeply about function and independence. I care about whether you feel safe walking across a parking lot. Whether you are able to get up from the floor on your own. Whether you can put your shoes on without sitting down if there’s nowhere to sit. Things like that.
I also care deeply about whether or not you can do the things that make your soul happy. Whether you can play with your grandkids. Whether you can golf, or swim, or get on and off your boat at the lake.
Over the years, we have realized how many people are quietly falling through the cracks in our healthcare system. They’re not in crisis, but they’re not exactly thriving either. And they deserve more than being told “just keep moving” or “sorry, that’s as good as it’s going to get”.
This is the gap we’re trying to fill at the Lair.
What We’ve Seen
Over the last 2 years we have been working with many folks at the Lair, either one on one or in small groups, that otherwise would have settled into the gap described above. And the results and progress have been outstanding.
I went swimming with a very special lady for the first time since her stroke this summer. When she started training with us, she couldn’t get up and down off the floor independently and sit ups were out of the question. Now? She gets up and down off the floor several different ways on her own, and does weighted sit ups with ease.
Another gentleman who has dealt with mobility challenges for nearly his whole life, wanted to golf again. It had been nearly 10 years since he golfed due to a significant injury he suffered in 2016. We worked tirelessly on standing balance, rotational strength and endurance, and this summer?
He golfed again.
And these are only a couple stories.
What We’re Offering
We now have the capacity to open up a small number of higher support, personal training spots for those who require higher level rehabilitation and more individualized care. People whose bodies are a little more complex and whose stories don’t fit into neat little boxes.
These spots will be supported by me, as a physiotherapist with over 10 years experience, and one of our talented personal trainers, working together.
If Any of This Sounds Like You
If you’ve been feeling like you don’t really know what the next step is, or if you want to move but you’re scared to get hurt, first of all, please know you’re not alone. And you deserve care that sees you, and meets you where you’re at.
If this sounds like something you’ve been missing, I’d love to talk with you. Even if it’s just a conversation to see if this kind of support feels right for you.