“Front Line”
As a disabled service member I, Arlen Jacob, Founder of On Point Foundation, understand what it takes mentally and physically to go through rehabilitation. I spent two weeks in the hospital learning to walk and another three months in a back brace where I could not bend, twist, or lift over 10 pounds.
My wife made my lunches and left them on the top shelf of the refrigerator when she went to work. I could only sleep directly on my back. My wife dressed me and bathed me until my spine rejuvenated at which time I still went through daily physical therapy to regain my strength.
Daily physical therapy lasted for 9 months until I went back to work at a desk job in the U.S. Army. I was never able to take a Army physical fitness test again. I still can not run due to extreme pain and I can not do sit ups.
Physical Therapy
I found that a bicycle was very comfortable to ride. Each time I went to physical therapy I rode the bicycle and built my strength up. This monotonousness routine of physical therapy became almost as grueling as the limitations themselves. Going to the gym and staring at the wall each day, thinking what next.
People think of physical therapy as a one time thing then you recover. To the severely disable, physical therapy and strength building is a way of life. If you stop exercising your pain comes back and you begin to loose your mobility.
Something had to be done, so I bought a bicycle and began to ride outside. While I was riding I began to feel normal again, like I did not have a disability limiting my movement. The more I rode the better I felt physically. I began to feel like I could do some type of the competitive activities again. So I did a CycloCross race and almost finished dead last, I apparently felt better then I actually was.
Training
Normally I would feel horribly about about my finish, but the competitive feeling came back like a fire in me. Two weeks later I raced again and took 57th place out of 73rd. Now I am hooked.
This is the basis of On Point Foundation’s Rehabilitation Program. We want to take the disabled service members out of their normal rehab routine and bring some excitement into their lives.
On Point Foundation has a vast array of athletes with knowledge and experience in many athletic disciplines. They have dedicated their time to helping train disabled service members on new and excited athletic disciplines.
This foundation is not about me. I am just proof of what On Point Foundation can accomplish with your help as sponsor, volunteer, or donations.
If you are a disabled service member wanting to break the “Ground Hog Day Routine” of going to the gym contact us now at info@imonpoint.org to train with one of our athletes in your area. If we do not have one in your area or your requested athletic discipline, your request will be our next goal.
