Health screenings are an important tool for anyone of any age, health professionals say.

So the Muskogee Swim and Fitness Center and Muskogee Community Hospital have teamed up to provide a free health fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Swim and Fitness Center.

The fair will offer screenings for strength, flexibility, blood sugar and blood pressure, and several guest speakers will give presentations.

“Hopefully we can help people see these are things that can be controlled with diet and exercise,” said Kent Kamp, a fitness coordinator. “And the Swim and Fitness Center is a place that can meet these needs. We try to make exercise fun and enjoyable — if you don’t have fun you probably aren’t going to stick with it.”

The fitness center is offering an all-day pass to use its facilities Tuesday for $6. Door prizes will also be given out.

Kamp said strength testing involves using a chest press machine, and flexibility testing uses a sit-and-reach technique.

“Strength and flexibility are important at any age,” Kamp said. “For example, an older person who wants to be able to continue doing his or her own grocery shopping or work in the yard might need to do some exercise to improve their strength and flexibility. We can help with that.”

Mary Brown, the program director at MCH, said it would provide the blood pressure, blood sugar and diabetes foot care screenings.

Dr. Evan Cole will give a presentation at 12:30 p.m. on heart health, Dr. Patrick O’Reilly will speak at 11:30 a.m. on spinal health, and Linda Loftin, MCH’s nurse educator, will give a presentation at 9 a.m. on diabetes.

“Dr. Cole will talk about things we can do to improve our heart health and especially raise awareness of women’s symptoms,” Brown said. “Because women’s symptoms can be completely different, and we also know that more women die of heart disease than any other disease in the U.S. today.”

O’Reilly will talk about spinal health, mobility and how good alignment of the spine and care of the spine is directly related to many health issues, she said.

Diabetic foot exams will be done by the Muskogee Community Hospital Wound and Hyperbaric Center.

“We know that people with diabetes can suffer from nerve problems in their feet and lose the protective sensation so they don’t feel pain,” Brown said. “So, they are more prone to foot injury, and they many times also have circulatory problems.”

Foot wounds are one of the main reasons that diabetics have amputations, she said.

“We are going to do a screening to make sure there is still sensory function and to identify any issues early on and help protect their feet,” Brown said. “You don’t need an appointment — just come on by.”

Reach Wendy Burton at (918) 684-2926 or wburton@muskogeephoenix.com.

If you go

WHAT: Health Fair put on by Muskogee Community Hospital and the Muskogee Swim and Fitness Center.

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday.

COST: Health screenings and lectures are free. A $6 day pass is available to use the facilities at the Swim and Fitness Center.

ETC.: Linda Loftin will give a presentation on diabetes at 9 a.m. Dr. Patrick O’Reilly presents information on spinal health at 11:30 a.m., and Dr. Evan Cole will give a presentation on heart health at 12:30 p.m. Blood pressure screenings, blood sugar screenings and diabetic foot exams will be provided.

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Fair’s goal: better health