There are signs in Jim Barnett Park featuring a quote by George Bernard Shaw: "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

In some cases, though, people who want to play cannot due to mobility challenges brought on by neurological conditions or injuries. Many believe they can no longer do things like play sports or dance, so they sit on the sidelines and watch others while wishing they could somehow join in the fun.

But a program at Shenandoah University called Move U! has been getting people back in the game for the last five years. Move U! is overseen by Melissa Wolff-Burke, a professor emeritus in SU's Division of Physical Therapy, and offers programs that show people with mobility challenges how to participate in adaptive sports and recreational activities.

Move U!'s next clinic, the fourth annual Learn to Golf event, will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday at Winchester Country Club and is open to participants of all ages.

"There'll be golf professionals who can help people either learn to play golf with a movement impairment or help them relearn to play ... with some kind of adaptation," Wolff-Burke said. "There'll be some adaptive golf equipment there and some golf carts for people who need to sit while they play. There will also be some physical therapists and PT (physical therapy) students there to learn and assist people as needed."

This week's adaptive golf program still has space available. If you want to participate, go to https://bit.ly/4tu6sQu and fill out the form. A free lunch will be provided at the end of Wednesday's session.

The golf clinic, which is presented by the Eastern Amputee Golf Association, takes place just one day a year, but Wolff-Burke said she hopes to eventually grow it to a multi-week event with the participation of the Virginia State Golf Association.

Move U! also offers instructional sessions for adaptive soccer and dance.

"Anybody with a stroke or Parkinson's or MS or paraplegia or an amputation — anything that would alter somebody's movement — can participate in some recreational activity on their own or with family," Wolff-Burke said.

The soccer program is Move U!'s longest-running and most in-depth program. Now in its fifth year, it provides five or six one-hour training sessions each spring and fall, and is designed for players ages 5 to 17 who can follow simple directions and interact with a group.

"It's directed by the PT students, so they organize the practices and the drills and run a little soccer game at the end of each session," Wolff-Burke said. "The participants are paired one to one, or sometimes two to one, with a PT or OT (occupational therapy) student."

The dance program, Move to Music, has also been a popular offering for people with mobility challenges.

"We have had anywhere from four to 15 people [in each session]," Wolff-Burke said. "Many of the people have Parkinson's, though people have also come who have had a traumatic brain injury or stroke. We even had somebody with quadriplegia participate in a wheelchair."

Move to Music is a weekly program held at 1 p.m. Fridays at SU. Participants can come alone or with a caregiver.

In addition to the instructional programs, Wolff-Burke said Move U! also participates annually in an Adaptive Walk, Run and Wheelchair Roll at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester. Participants can tackle the flat, quarter-mile course alone or with the assistance of any of the helpers that volunteer for the event. The year's race was held on April 19 but it will return next spring.

"It's really fun," Wolff-Burke said.

Move U! hopes to expand its offerings soon with the introduction of an adaptive climbing program. When ready, Wolff-Burke said it will most likely be held at a gymnasium in Martinsburg, West Virginia, that has a large, indoor climbing wall and works in cooperation with the nonprofit advocacy group Up Ending Parkinsons.

"I would love to have this opportunity in Winchester but I need to find a donor to help me build an adaptive climbing wall somewhere on the university campus," Wolff-Burke said. "It would be a huge boon for the community to have a climbing wall that can be accessed by anyone, including people with disabilities."

All Move U! programs are currently offered for free but advance registration is required. To sign up for an event or learn more about the initiative, visit https://bit.ly/49nbCqk or email Wolff-Burke at mwolff@su.ed.

The MoveU! Community Adaptive Sports and Dance program at Shenandoah University has received a $7,600 boost through a Newton B. Shingleton Trust grant. 

Activities offered through MoveU! accommodate the unique needs of individuals with chronic physical disabilities resulting from neuromuscular or musculoskeletal conditions that impair movement. 

With Shingleton grant funds, MoveU! (led by Melissa Wolff-Burke, PT, Ed.D., a Shenandoah professor emeritus and physical therapist and Lisa Startsman, a dance instructor) will expand its current programming and create future programs, including one in adaptive pickleball, as well as a half-mile wheelchair road race for people of all ages. “Also, by purchasing and providing specialized equipment, we will reach those who may face socioeconomic barriers to accessing these activities which are very limited in Winchester, Virginia,” the grant application states. 

“Additionally, undergraduate and graduate students in dance and health sciences at SU will benefit from volunteering as support personnel for these adaptive activities,” according to the grant application. “Students will gain valuable hands-on experience while working with individuals with disabilities, by applying their academic knowledge in a real-world setting. Faculty and health care providers in the Winchester region will also be invited to participate, ensuring they are aware of these opportunities to share with their students and patients. The program will serve people of all ages and diverse backgrounds in the region.”

MoveU! has already offered classes through its “Adaptive Dance for All” program, which has received grant support from the Virginia chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association and aims to provide the benefits of dance, social connection, and support to individuals in the community with Parkinson’s Disease or other mobility challenges. The adaptive dance program was featured in The Winchester Star in October 2024. Move U! has also hosted adaptive soccer for the past 3 years, which helps young players improve muscle strength, motor skills, and overall endurance, promoting teamwork, discipline, strategic thinking, and mental well-being, as well as adaptive golf.

A future pickleball program and the proposed the wheelchair road race offer similar benefits, ultimately enhancing physical health and mental well-being, providing social inclusion and improving participants’ quality of life.

Categories: Dance Spotlight, Health Professions, Magazine News, Physical Therapy, Physical Therapy Spotlight