Alumnus gives back to Special Olympics with Fit Feet program
Thompson talks to an athlete about what type of shoes would be best for her feet on June 1 in the Healthy Athlete Village.
Bill Thompson, a former Central Michigan University 400 and 800 meter runner, continues giving back to the community he said he still calls home.
Special Olympic athletes had the opportunity to visit the Intercollegiate Athletic Center turf bay for free medical screenings at the Healthy Athlete Village, which offers health services and information to athletes who can't get it anywhere else.
The Special Olympic Healthy Athlete program offers, FUNfitness (physical therapy), Health Promotion (better health and well-being), Healthy Hearing (audiology), MedFest (sports physical exam), Opening Eyes (vision), Special Smiles (dentistry) and Fit Feet, which is Thompson's area of expertise.
Thompson, now a kinesiotherapist and owner of Runners Athletic Company, spent June 1 helping athletes decide what properly belongs on their feet on behalf of Fit Feet.
Athletes were on a long waiting list all day June 1 to see Thompson, the clinical director for Special Olympics Michigan since 2010. He measured and examined athlete’s feet and recommend a specific sole for their shoes.
“I’m a person who really believes in healthy feet,” Thompson said. “When I was invited to be the first Clinical Kinesiologist other than a podiatrist to take the position I thought it was pretty cool. Plus I love shoes, I love footwear, and I know how important it is for an athlete, young or old, to show attention toward their feet.”
Many of the athletes have problems finding adult shoes in sizes that fit them well. They are often stuck wearing children's shoes or shoes that are uncomfortable, which is why Fit Feet was founded.
Thompson said a lot of people with Down Syndrome will have short-toe syndrome, leading to various hypermobile ligaments and tendons. He said he wants to make sure people have the right footwear or recommend the right footwear for comfort.
“There’s a lot of bone deformities, skin disorders and nail issues that go on where a lot of (people who) don’t get the proper attention toward their feet,” Thompson said. “For me, being a person that really pays attention toward footwear and feet, it’s one of the most neglected parts of our bodies and we really need to pay attention to it.”
Ann Markle, a first-year chaperone from Jackson County’s area 19, was happy for the opportunity to make sure her daughter's feet were healthy and that she had the proper shoes.
Alice, Markle’s daughter and winner of two bronze medals in swimming, loved how Thompson was able to make her laugh during her checkup.
Runners Athletic Company has one location in Mount Pleasant on Blue Grass Road and locations in Midland, Bay City and Saginaw.
