How many Fitness Trainers believe that they can rehab an injured client as well as a physical therapist? Why or Why not?
I see my role with physical therapy to be a link between their practice and a client’s lifestyle adjustmet back into daily living. I may uncover some things that weren’t part of the original issue or were. I always refer back to the therapis, physician, surgeon and get clearance to proceed or wait for the team to address the issue and refer the client back to me. We are part of a team.
All of the responses are right on the mark, especially Carol’s and Chris’s. It’s a collaborative, team process. In the end it’s not who is necessarily the most qualified, it’s what’s best for the client. Physical therapists are extensively educated in the treatment and training for rehabilitation from injury. A personal trainer, without PT education, does not have that background.
But that’s not the issue. The issue is for the personal trainer to continue on with the PT’s recommendations to provide the highest quality continued training regimen. It requires a clear and comprehensive communication, not a competition.
Take care.
As the only physical therapist/personal trainer who answered, I would have to agree with a majority of what you all said!!
The training between a physical therapist and a personal trainer is completely different.
One is regulated, the other is not.
One now requires to earn a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, while the other profession, doesn’t require a college degree.
At the end of the day, knowledge is power, the more you have, the more you can help a client.
I think the question is a bold and daring questions made. It would be similarly comparing are physician assistants as good or better at diagnosing conditions then physicians.