Posture Specialist: Ms. Joan Wipperfurth CPT CPEP

of Health Source Solutions for Medtronic Wellness Centers

Joan Wipperfurth, CPT, CPEP has been working in the fitness and wellness industry for 15 years and has spent the last two years in corporate wellness, serving as the Program Manager for Medtronic Wellness Centers in the Minneapolis area.  Medtronic employs about 45,000 people and develops devices and therapies to treat chronic diseases, including heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, down syndrome, obesity, chronic pain, spinal disorders, and diabetes.Though she now works in the corporate wellness sector, Wipperfurth came into the CPEP Program while working with Dr. Art Volker, DC at Cambridge Chiropractic.  He encouraged her to attend Dr. Weiniger’s seminar for posture certification, and she was impressed by how seamlessly it fit into her work as a personal trainer and wellness coach, especially in conjunction with chiropractic care.

“I believe strongly in continuing education, and the StrongPosture protocols tied right in with other techniques and training I had completed in the past.  It was very cool to see how the doctor’s adjustments collaborated with my CPEP training.  The back-and-forth of chiropractic work and posture correction exercise just made a lot of sense.”

As she has transitioned from the private to corporate sector, Wipperfurth’s role in engaging with clients has changed tremendously.  Rather than working with a smaller number of people whom she would see regularly, she now manages the corporate wellness center at Medtronic and deals with a very high volume of clients all while conducting business operations, as well.

Wipperfurth incorporates her StrongPosture training both in the fitness classes she leads, as well as in her one-on-one wellness consultations.  Because she works with so many people in the corporate setting, she feels her teachings have a wider, more impactful reach.

“For anyone I train who wants to work on core strength, I always give them some posture exercises to do.  We do the wall protocols and ball work to engage the core and focus on better alignment and balance.  In my group fitness classes, I will always talk about posture and call attention to it if I see someone struggling to balance.  Proper alignment matters tremendously.”

When speaking about Medtronic, Wipperfurth only had the highest praise for their employee wellness initiatives, which include healthy, fresh cafeteria fare, sponsored 5K and marathon events, and free fitness classes and health coaching – her department.  Between the 4 corporate offices in the Twin Cities, there are 7,000 employees, with 3500 in Wipperfurth’s building alone.  Out of those 3500, 1750 are currently enrolled in the fitness program.

“Medtronic is very wellness-oriented.  I feel that my CPEP training is ideal for the corporate setting.  You have to get people moving, and show them the importance of good posture and alignment for everyday living.  I love that my job helps people to feel and function better.  I don’t see the need for proper biomechanics changing anytime soon, as our society continues to round forward with excessive computer technology.”

 

StrongPosture Training