Golf clinic introduces physical therapy students to adaptive sports

Twenty-four University of Iowa Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students volunteered at the National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic in Riverside, Iowa, from Sept. 8–12. The students assisted with falls assessments, evaluations and treatments in the rehab room, manual therapy massage and alternate activities.

The clinic is a week-long adaptive golf program that is presented by VA and DAV (Disabled American Veterans). This annual event promotes rehabilitation by instructing disabled Veterans in adaptive golf and introducing them to other adaptive sports. This year, 217 profoundly disabled Veterans attended the event from around the U.S.

Veterans are so dedicated

Jordan Moore, who is looking forward to doing a clinical rotation at Minneapolis VA next year, volunteered for three nights of the event with adaptive bicycling, kayaking and providing manual therapy in the massage chairs. For Moore, volunteering at the event was a way to get her first experience with adaptive sports.

“I’m really into sports so I was interested seeing how Veterans can do all the adaptive activities. The Veterans are so dedicated. They don’t let anything stopped them. I saw a guy who was fully blind kayaking, so that was really cool,” Moore shared.

“I was really excited to learn from everyone here.”

For Maya Gault, the event was a sneak peek at what her clinical rotation with VA will be like. Gault assisted with fall screens during registration and goal ball on night three of the event.

“I’m actually doing a long clinical at VA next year, so I was really excited to kind of dip my toes in the water a little bit and learn from everyone here. This is my first experience with adaptive activities, so it’s been fun to see different people’s abilities come out and shine in different ways,” Gault said.

Gault chose VA for her clinical rotation because of the patient centered model of VA care. “I just think VA is such a cool system. Most people get into physical therapy because they want to be of service to others, so to give back to people who have given so much to this country is really inspiring to me.”

Pictured above, Gault hands the ball to a blindfolded Veteran during goalball at the National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic.

Motivates you to work harder

For Gault, working at VA after graduation is her goal. She was inspired by both the service-oriented nature of the volunteers and the tenacity of the Veterans at the event.

“We learn about disabilities in school, the traumas and hardships that our patients will go through, but to see them on this end of the spectrum where they have gone through rehab and they’ve put in the hard work. They are just such dedicated, motivated individuals and to see their abilities shine is so inspiring. It motivates you as a student to work that much harder so you can get your patients to that level where they are able to function and able to enjoy life to the fullest.”