74 years as the cartilage in her knee joints disappeared, leaving the bones to grind against each other. “There’s nothing more exciting than bone pain,” Moch, 61, said sarcastically. “You can’t walk; you can’t stand. There’s no place to get away from you. It’s the worst. It wakes you up at night, and you can’t sleep. You’re just debilitated.” Knee replacement was the best solution. Moch had to lose weight before the operation on her right knee, but after the December 2015 surgery, she struggled to keep it off. Knowing a second knee replacement was not far down the road, she turned to the Center for Exercise Medicine and Rehabilitation (CEMR) at VSU in an effort to lose weight and improve her overall health. The CEMR, housed within the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, offers a vast array of professional therapeutic, fitness, and injury and disease prevention services to people of all ages throughout three facilities — the Fitness and Wellness Center, Athletic Training Clinic, and Human Performance Laboratory. The center is operated by athletic training and exercise physiology faculty, staff, and students and is open to the university community as well as the general public. Moch began exercising in the Fitness and Wellness Center three times a week in September 2016. She described the experience as far superior to a typical fitness center. “When we develop programs for individuals, it’s based not only on their goals for exercise but also their special considerations,” said Sarah Thomas, director of the Fitness and Wellness Center. “Because we have certified exercise physiologists, we offer specialized training and exercise programming for chronic disease.” When clients first visit the Fitness and Wellness Center, they undergo two days of testing in the Human Performance Lab. CEMR staff gather a full slate of biometric data, including Sara Thomas, director of the Fitness and Wellness Center at VSU, chats with Dr. Peggy Moch as she works to strengthen her lower body on the leg press machine.