Client returning from being sick after a month. Is doctor’s clearance neccesary?
A client has been out for the past month, with almost zero communication. They called earlier in the week requesting to start back up, stating that they had the flu for the past 3 weeks and are feeling better now. Is doctor’s clearance something necessary before continuing to train this individual? I ask this because he has shown in the past a habit of dropping out and not communicating, when asked for clearance from a doctor he gets rather irate and views it as another obstacle in his way to his goals.
Did you get a health history and Par-Q from this client when you started working together? If so, did the health history indicate any issues that would make seeing a doctor necessary?
If the client was generally healthy to begin with, a month lapse in programming shouldn’t require a doctor’s statement. It sounds to me like the client might be making excuses not to come to your training sessions, so maybe it’s not an issue of health but an issue of committment…?
The only times I’ve required a doctor’s note are when I’ve had individuals with warnings on their Par-Q, or for group-ex classes where I don’t have assessment forms but become aware of health issues that are beyond my scope of practice without physician clearance.