Press Contacts:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

PORTLAND, OREGON (April 2008) – As an Olympic hopeful, Carmen Jackinsky is taking her race walking performance into her own hands—literally.  Jackinsky, known for cobbling her own race walking shoes, has become a resourceful elite athlete looking to enhance her performance by using the best available resources, even if that means creating them herself.  However, Jackinsky was recently surprised to find the best available resources in an unlikely source, a component of her Providence Health Plan, The LifeBalance Program.

The LifeBalance Program is an active wellness program designed to offer recreational, cultural and wellness resources and opportunities for all types of individuals from those entering a gym for the first time to families looking for healthier lifestyles to lifetime athletes and Olympic hopefuls.  Through this program, Jackinsky found the answer to the pains of her repetitious race walking training in the Egoscue Method Clinic and as a LifeBalance member was able to access Egoscue’s services at a discounted rate.

“There is a misconception that walking is injury-free because it’s a low impact sport.  I learned first-hand that this is not true and needed relief,” said Jackinsky. “Egoscue focuses on where pain and injuries come from, why they appear, and how to fix the underlying cause.”

While Egoscue has helped Jackinsky double her mileage in the past year without experiencing the pains typically associated with such an increase and improved her posture so that she stands ½ inch taller, Jackinsky claims that the biggest improvement has come in a different form.  “On top of the new physical strength and efficiencies, the greatest impact has been the mental confidence I’ve gained as a side benefit from watching my body progress right before my eyes.  At 44 years of age, I feel as strong and fit as I did when I competed in gymnastics as a teenager,” said Jackinsky.

With her newly reformed body, increased confidence and lack of pain, Jackinsky is right on track to qualify for the 2008 Olympics.  She is currently on sabbatical and completing intense training in hopes of realizing her Olympic dream.

“We are incredibly pleased to support Carmen in her Olympic quest by providing her access to the Egoscue Method Clinic,” said Dave Miller, LifeBalance Program Director. “It is always exciting to see our members work towards their goals and especially invigorating to see a member move one step closer to realizing her Olympic dream.”

The LifeBalance Program is an active wellness program headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The program has been helping clients and members achieve an active, healthy and balanced life through recreational, cultural and wellness activities, events and resources since 1996. The LifeBalance Program is sold to businesses as an employer sponsored employee benefit or bundled into health/association plan offerings as a value added wellness component and healthy lifestyle promotion. The LifeBalance Program currently supports over 3,000 clients and 400,000 LifeBalance Program members in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Existing strategic relationships include Providence Health Plan, Associated General Contractors, CHP, Pacific Health Trust, Providence Health & Services, Municipality of Anchorage, PeaceHealth, West Coast Bank and Xenium. Visit www.LifeBalanceProgram.com for more information.

Search the LifeBalance website for Savings, Event Listings, Activities, Tickets and more.

Read eAction!, the monthly email offering updates, fitness facts, contests, giveaways, special promotions and more!

You can also go back and read previous editions in the eAction! Archives.