Until then confined to Montluçon (Allier), the physical activity sessions offered by the sports medicine center are beginning to open up to rural municipalities in the district.
After Teillet-Argenty where a weekly session was launched last September, Saint-Priest-en Murat has just embarked on the process at the start of the week.
The objective of reaching more isolated territories
“The idea is to also be able to reach people in more isolated areas so that people can also have access to sessions adapted to improve their health”, explains Maurice Ferrier, the president of the medical center. of sports in Montluçon.
The former physiotherapist also sees in this action, implemented with the financial support of the Departmental Council, “a means of strengthening social ties and avoiding the loss of autonomy. It is so important in territories like this”.
Tests to assess the fitness of the participants
In the small town of 223 inhabitants, a dozen women have registered to participate in future sessions. On Monday, they all took several tests to assess their physical condition.
“There are tests for balance, flexibility, to measure the strength of the upper limbs and another for the lower limbs. We also do a cardio test.
Elodie Girardi (Employee educator of the sports medicine center)
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Identical tests will be carried out halfway through the sessions and then at the end so that the participants can measure the progress made.
When physical activity, on prescription, heals bodies and minds in Montluçon (Allier)
“Gentle movements so as not to discourage people”
“It’s also a way of showing the benefits they will be able to derive from it, continues Élodie Girardi. With appropriate exercises, abilities can evolve rapidly, especially in people who are no longer used to physical activity. »
If the action was able to take place in Saint-Priest-en-Murat, it is thanks to the presence in the town of Marie-Chantal Renoux, a fitness trainer who has agreed to voluntarily lead the sessions which will begin at the start of the Easter holidays, Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
“When it was offered to me, I immediately went for it,” she explains. We will be on gentle movements because the goal is not to discourage people. The goal is to get them to understand the benefits of regular practice. »
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This is partly what motivated Pascale de Gallard, even if this young 63-year-old retiree is very far from the loss of autonomy. “I feel in pretty good shape but it will help me to maintain myself. And then, when you’re retired, it’s an additional occupation. It allows you to see people. »
Create workshops in other municipalities
Maurice Ferrier now hopes that this second action will be quickly followed by others. Monday morning, he was contacted by a person from Huriel, who was very interested in the process.
“We are ambitious,” he says. Our desire is to radiate throughout the territory of the PETR (Territorial and rural balance center of the Montluçon and Cher valley which includes the ninety municipalities of the district). »
“In Montluçon, where it has existed for a long time, we do regular check-ups and we see very clearly that people who respect the frequency that they are offered clearly improve their health. »
Maurice Ferrier (President of the sports medicine center of Montluçon)
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Michael Nicholas
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