Faculty & Staff
Wellness Works
Frequently Asked Questions
Do therapeutic exercise sessions for diseases count as home workouts? (i.e. water stretching classes for arthritis) What about mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, or dancing?
No. In order for a 30 minute or longer exercise session to count, it must have as its goal, the improvement of your physical fitness level. Although cleaning your house is good physical activity, it is not continuous movement of the large muscle groups, accompanied by a continuous increase in both your breathing and heart rate. Examples of exercise include, walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, roller blading, an aerobics class (step, kickboxing, jazzercise), and strength training.
Can you count home workouts plus fitness center workouts if you do both? Or what if my workouts last for an hour, does that count as 2?
You can count both home workouts, as well as fitness center workouts. However, the home workouts and fitness center workouts cannot be performed on the same day. Also, each session must be at least 30 minutes in duration. No matter how long your exercise session is, you can only count one per day. The goal here is to include both cardiovascular and strength training into your exercise program. An ideal exercise program would include 3-5 days of cardiovascular exercise (walking, jogging, cycling, swimming) and 2-3 days of strength training (1-3 sets of 8-12 reps). Also, properly warming up, cooling down and stretching are extremely important and should be included in every exercise session.
What counts as an eye exam? (ie: quick check of disposable contact lenses or a fitting for eyeglasses)
Either an optometrist or opthamologist must complete an eye exam. The purpose of the exam must be to check eyes for vision abnormalities and diseases. Contact lens fittings and eyeglass fittings will not be counted.
Does walking on campus count as a home workout?
Yes, log walking on campus as part of your home workout. Keep in mind that each walk must be for at least 30 continuous minutes. During your walk, an increase in both your heart rate and breathing rate should be noticeable. An easy way to test whether you're walking at a good pace is to see if you can talk, sing or whistle. You should be able to talk with pauses needed for breaths, but if you can sing or whistle, it's time to pick up the pace.
What constitutes proof of an examination or procedure done at doctors' office or hospital?
Proof can be the receipt for the actual examination or procedure from the doctor's office or hospital, the explanation of benefits (EOB) you receive from your insurance company or a written verification in some form from a doctor.
If I have yearly bloodwork done for a medical problem, does that count for the bloodwork points? (i.e. thyroid, cholesterol etc)
No, any bloodwork counted for Wellness Works points must be for the purpose of wellness, not illness. Bloodwork must include a wellness profile (complete blood count and chemistry profile).
What is a PSA and DRE?
PSA is the prostate specific antigen blood test done on men as part of a prostate exam. DRE is the Digital rectal exam performed by doctors to examine the prostate. (Men only)