Welcome to the OFAC 2012 Challenge. We are excited to present a health and fitness challenge that we hope will inspire you to better your health in 2012.

 Registration has been strong with over 150 participants joining us from Afghanistan, Calgary Canada, Tennessee, Georgia and of course, Ohio.



The weekly challenges are designed to introduce some variability into your routine. We have created the first few weeks starting off with a 5k walk/ run. If you are in Columbus please join us for First on the First at the Westerville Medical Campus.

The fitness challenges for February and March will be inspired by you. Start thinking of your suggestions.



OFAC Facebook page is the challenge headquarters. Use this site to log your accomplishments, comments, questions, and challenges. Everyone needs encouragement.

Katie Allen from the OFAC team has graciously accepted the role of contest coordinator. Together we are excited to guide you through a great kick start to 2012
. We look forward to celebrating all of our accomplishments and announcing the winners of this years challenge at our “Guilty Pleasure Party” in April.

Good luck to everyone, have fun with the competition, and here’s to your good health in 2012!

Dr. Greg Berlet

Life has a way of throwing ironic curve balls. A few weeks ago, I elected to have surgery on my left ankle. My diagnosis was a peroneal tendon tear with ankle instability. My surgery was a peroneal brevis repair with Brostrom lateral ligament reconstruction. Over the next several weeks I will chronicle my preparation for surgery, post-op recovery & therapy with my end goal in mind of skiing with my family this winter.

Having helped thousands of patients through a similar event I was confident that I knew how to handle this situation. Prior to surgery I made a checklist of items to make my recovery as easy as possible. Some of these items are time tested and true, while others are more evolving technology. I purchased or rented all of these through FootSourceMD, who I must say are wonderful.

My list:
- Crutches that are spring loaded, In Motion (spring loaded) These are more efficient and more comfortable.
- Turning Leg Caddy
- Cast cover so I could shower- FootSourceMD carries 2 types. Seal Tight or Dry Pro (2 styles). Seal Tight is used for patients to sit while showering and will fit both soft or hard cast – Dry Pro is 100% waterproof and fits hard cast only – great for summer swimming.
- Adjustable Shower Bench so I would not fall over balancing on one leg.
- DonJoy cold therapy- DonJoy IceMan- call FootSourceMD to order.
- TENS unit. This gives a low level electrical current that decreases the pain experienced at the brain. Very helpful
- NMES ( neuromuscular electrical stimulation ) to keep my muscles contracting at a low safe level. This is to minimize the atrophy while I am not on the leg and to potentiate the contractions once I begin my physical therapy
-Compression Socks- 20-30 Compression ribbed socks to keep swelling to a minimum.
- Anti inflammatory medication. I chose Celebrex for its long half life and being easier on my stomach.
- Antibiotics. A short duration after surgery so that my wound remains clean.
- Pain medication; which I took very little of.

Home preparation:
- Pillow by bedside to help elevate
- Be really nice to my wife Diane and my kids Logan and Jenna since I am their captive for awhile.
- Computer and Ipad by couch so that I do not get bored.
- Remove any throw rugs, backpacks & shoes from the house so that I will trip over them on my crutches.

I keep wondering when President Obama is going to call to solicit my advice on the health care crisis occupying our leaders in Washington. I am somewhat of an expert having experienced health care on both sides of the 49th parallel as both a patient and orthopedic surgeon. The issues are many including the value of time.

Life as a patient in Canada means excellent health care unless you are sick. Although the quality of care delivered is similar to that experienced in the USA there is a big difference in the perception of urgency.

It is this sense of control that will define if the population of the United States can ever accept a universal care model. Emergency care will be prioritized and may be delivered within accepted standards of care and time. Elective care will be rationed in a socialistic model with the care being delivered when time allows and when the budget allows.

The burden on society to support a socialistic model is a tax system much different from what we currently support. There is no such thing as free medical care, – nothing is FREE – only medical care administered by a government body instead of the free market system. There may be a better safety net for our population but the safety net will come at an expense: tax increases, and population goals driving medical policy not innovation, and mostly not convenience.

We need to be careful as we modify our existing health care structure, learning lessons from others that have experienced a socialistic health care model. The social approach to health care is not as good as it looks on a superficial layer. If the system is sacrificed to a government body, control is gone along with promises for a timely delivery of quality medical services.

Time and choice do have a value.