MEDIA RELEASE__Bluffton University has unveiled its OIO (Orthopaedic Institute of Ohio) Human Performance Lab, a renovated learning space designed to provide students with hands-on experiences that connect classroom instruction with professional practice.

Made possible through the generosity of alumni, community partners and friends of the university, the lab supports Bluffton’s commitment to experiential learning and career preparation. 

The OIO Human Performance Lab represents a shared investment in Bluffton students and the academic programs preparing them for careers in exercise science, health and physical education, strength and conditioning, pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy, sports medicine and related fields. The updated space provides an environment where students can apply their knowledge, develop practical skills, and gain experience that reflects the expectations of their future professions. 

For Hannah Wood, a senior pre-physical therapy major, the lab provides a valuable opportunity to experience the type of work she hopes to pursue after graduation. In one class activity, students received a case study and used the lab to evaluate the situation and develop an exercise plan, applying classroom concepts in an environment that reflects clinical practice.

“Instead of simply learning about different techniques and patient care, we are able to put those concepts into practice in an environment that resembles a real clinical setting,” Wood said. “These opportunities allow me to see how what I am learning now will translate into caring for patients in the future and help better prepare me for my career as a physical therapist.” 

The lab also supports the continued development of Bluffton’s Strength and Conditioning program, including its pursuit of national accreditation.