UC HEALTH LINE: Test Your Strength at Health and Wellness Fair

CINCINNATI—Don’t be alarmed if you see a poster of “The Incredible Hulk” at the University of Cincinnati (UC) Physicians group Health and Wellness Fair this weekend—it’s all part of an annual open house at the University Pointe medical campus that serves to entertain as well as inform.

The Hulk calls attention to an area set up by John Quinlan, MD, to inform visitors about the neurology department’s clinical practice with what he calls a “show and tell.” A “Hulkometer” graph charts the results of participants who grip a hand-held strength measuring device.

In addition, visitors can participate in a simple nerve induction test, or electromyogram (EMG). In the surface EMG, the participant is given a mild shock in order to see how long it takes the electrical impulse to get to the fingers.

“In neurology, we’re kind of like the electricians of the body—using the physical exam and special tests to check your body’s circuits,” says Quinlan.

Quinlan says the tests add some fun to the health fair’s atmosphere and also—while they aren’t screenings, like some of the fair’s other attractions—serve as a starting point for health-related discussions.

With the strength test, for example, “we can get into discussions on how it’s highly dependent on body weight, gender and conditioning,” Quinlan says.

Interactions with visitors to the fair also give Quinlan an opportunity to talk about neurology services provided by UC Physicians, including his specialty, neuromuscular diseases. The department’s services also include help for general neurology, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders and stroke.

The seventh annual Health and Wellness Fair, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7700 University Court in West Chester. In addition to enjoying the interactive displays, attendees can meet physicians and take advantage of free health screenings, including blood pressure and glucose checks.

UC Heart and Vascular Center technicians will also demonstrate how a cardiac catheter is inserted to test for common heart conditions and show video examples to explain how an echocardiogram (EKG) is used to test problems with the heart’s electrical activity.

UC Physicians is the region’s largest multispecialty group, with more than 500 physicians practicing in 26 specialties. University Pointe, a 75-acre, mixed use medical campus that includes a full-service imaging center and free-standing surgical hospital, is one of three patient service facilities operated by UC Physicians.

For more information, visit ucphysicians.com.