Visit to the Biokinetics centre on the South Campus

So where is the Biokinetics centre? They are situated in building no. 11 behind the Education building. 

Taken from the roof of the Biological Science building.  The Biokinetics centre is middle of the picture and the education building on left hand side of the Biokinetics centre.  Bottom left is the international building.  Our site is the open space next to the Biokinetics centre.

On Friday 04 March 2011, the BTech class interviewed the head Biokineticist Liza Grenwell to get a better understanding of how the biokinetics centre works.  This is what she had to say...

Patients from the community get referred from doctors for physiotherapy and mostly for rehabilitation. The local community also uses it as a training facility, e.g. homes in the area and local suburbs.

A large portion of the patients are old with problems like cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease and other medical condition that needs supervision during exercise.

Biokineticist monitor patients while they exercise, like blood pressure monitoring, heart rates, respiration. Training is one on one with the patients.

It is similar to personal training, but this is with medical supervision.

Athletes for high performance are also sent here. E.g. a boxer: reaction times will be monitored, resistance and endurance is tested. In a patient with a shoulder injury, after the healing process has passed, rehabilitation must follow: muscles are strengthened and stretched.

NOTE: After injury or surgery, Physiotherapists treat the patient for inflammation and mobilization. Thereafter the biokineticist do follow up rehabilitation.

Reception area: for access control (entrance and exit) with a work station,

Waiting area for patients waiting for their turn, either for assessment or exercise.

A consultation area: for individual assessment of a patient in private, laboratory that has equipment to do ECG and other tests. This assessment area should enter into the main gym.

Change rooms: Accessible to the main gym as well as future hydrotherapy centre. Male and female separately, wheelchair friendly, access for ambulance.

Offices: workstations for the staff with access onto the main gym so the supervision can continue especially onto the Cardiovascular exercise area.

First Aid room (defibrillators, first aid kit)

Gymnasium: Spacious and good ventilation. Lots of mirrors, this enables the patient to have instant feedback on the work he is doing.

Circuits, Stretch room, Plinths,

Functional training, bravo functional trainer cybex, benches, Treadmills and bicycles for increased heart rate and weight loss. Need a workstation in the middle.

80-100m straight is needed for warm up and walking, sprints, etc.

Student recreation / tearoom not a priority as they are on duty for 4 hours at a time, they do not need to rest there. Students however need a computer laboratory or workstation to work on reports and assignments.

Space for separate private practices:

1. Physiotherapist who does strapping for rugby teams or sport massage.
2. Dietetics or Sport science dietitian
3. Sport psychologist

Second floor for Human movement science department, lecture room etc.

Future Hydrotherapy area must be planned for but will not be built with this phase. This should include; Pool close to change rooms and biokenetic gym, have ramps, hydrotherapy baths, hoists.