Making W.A.V.E.S.

Curriculum Overview

Curriculum Overview

Making W.A.V.E.S. is an eight-week evidence-based aquatic exercise program for adults with spinal cord injury. It is designed to be ran by a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) in an outpatient, clinical setting. This program is based around Self-Determination Theory (SDT), meaning that the three aspects of SDT are embedded in the activities throughout the program. Sessions will run for 60 minutes, once a week, for eight consecutive weeks. These sessions will involve various forms of aquatic exercise including strength training, dance, water circuits, and more!

McKenna Jens, MS, CTRS

About the Curriculum Developer

McKenna Jens is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) who graduated with a Master of Science in recreational therapy in 2024 from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She received her bachelor's degree in 2023 from UWL in recreational therapy as well as a minor in psychology. Additionally, she completed a 15-week internship in the Spinal Cord Injury unit at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI. Here, she worked with both inpatient and outpatient veterans with spinal cord injury. In the past, she has worked with older adults with dementia and adolescents with intellectual disabilities, but her passion is working in rehabilitation with adults with physical disabilities.

Curriculum Training

Training Overview:

Take the Pre-Training Quiz
Watch the Training Video
Review the Fidelity Manual
Take the Post-Training Quiz

Training Quizzes:

Click the link to access the quiz

The Fidelity Manual: Click Here to Download

Watch the Training Video Below

Client Assessment

Assessment Descriptions/Explanation

The Functional Gait Assessment (FGA): The Functional Gait Assessment is a 10-item gait assessment tool developed with the purpose to measure postural stability of those with vestibular disorders such as stroke recovery, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury. Assessment items are scored on a scale of 0-3 based on the practitioner's observations as an individual completes a certain task. Once the assessment is completed, items are summed to calculate a final score (maximum of 30 points). A higher score corresponds with better performance on assessment items. Participants of this program will complete this assessment prior to admission and upon completion of the program.

The Berg Balance Scale (BBS): The Berg Balance Scale is a 14-item assessment that measures balance and fall risk in adults with various diagnoses including Parkinson's disease, stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. This assessment includes both static and dynamic activities that vary in difficulty and are scored based on the observations of the practitioner. Assessment items are scored from 0-4 with a maximum total score of 56 points. To calculate the final score, all items are summed. A higher final score indicates better functional mobility and consequently, a lower final score indicates a higher risk for the loss of balance. Participants of this program will complete this assessment prior to the start of and upon completion of the program.

Assessment Download

Download the Functional Gait Assessment HERE
Download the Berg Balance Scale HERE

Program Evaluation

Program Evaluation/Description

Program Evaluation Form: To ensure the ongoing quality of this program, the CTRS who leads Making W.A.V.E.S. will complete a program evaluation form each time the curriculum is implemented. As the program's author, my commitment lies in delivering top-tier care to clients through this fidelity manual. The quality assurance system is crafted to facilitate the continuous evolution and enhancement of the Making W.A.V.E.S. Curriculum. It's essential that the program evaluation form is filled out within two weeks following program completion.

Program Evaluation Form Download

Download the Program Evaluation Form HERE

Research Poster

This poster was presented by McKenna Jens, CTRS at the 2024 University of Wisconsin La Crosse Research & Creativity Symposium.

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