Mothers gather to push their children in strollers for exercise as part of Stroller Strides, a growing national fitness program with franchises in 120 communities, says an ABC News article.

For example, one Stroller Strides group in suburban Atlanta meets three times a week at a country club. 1 he mothers push their kids in strollers on a 1.5-mile loop through the neighborhood, stopping at pre-planned fitness stations to do body-toning exercises.

Fitness instructor Lisa Druxman started Stroller Strides 3 years ago in San Diego. Sherealized there wasn't a good workout to help moms "get back to their pre-pregnancy shape," says Susan Glosby of Monterey, California, a Stroller Strides provider and soon-to-be chief operating officer of the company.

The program is a creative way to incorporate exercise with daily activities, says Madelyn Fernstrom, director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Although only a few other exercise programs around the country involve moms and their children, Fernstrom says she could see them increasing in popularity.

APTAs For Women of All Ages brochure discusses the various stages a woman's body goes through from adolescence to the mature years, and describes how a physical therapist can help ensure a healthy body.

Copyright American Physical Therapy Association Feb 2005
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