My new client has high blood pressure and is on medicine. What precautions should i take with her?
I was able to workout with this new client the other day and she kept having to take breaks all the time and then told me she has high blood pressure and is on medicine but didn’t take it that morning so will the next time I see her. She just came with a friend to see if she wanted to hire me and does but I’m concerned about this and what I should do to help her but also don’t want to worry about working her out too hard! I always do some type of HIIT training with clients and don’t want issues obviously! Any help would be amazing!!
Hi Tiffany,
Each client is different, and I would definitely rethink giving friends the same workout if you are not familiar with the health history of the friend. You will need to progress that client slowly and based on her abilities and limitations. Yes, you may need to gain medical clearance from this client’s doctor before you proceed. You need to know any doctor limitations(if there are any) and medications for this client.
Also, if the client is cleared for exercise, you should ask how the client is feeling prior to the workout (make sure she is not dizzy at all). Also, make sure the client (or any client for that matter) does not hold her breath during exercise/weight training (and avoid overgripping the weights). Also, avoid isometric strength training. This could elevate her blood pressure and create a dangerous situation. You may need to avoid overhead work with weights as well.
While you need to pay attention to the client’s heart rate, I would also have her go with the RPE scale for how she is feeling as certain medications may interfere with heart rate. It is very important that she listens to her body. Also, have the client cool down slowly. So, you can see there are a lot of considerations to take into account for someone with high blood pressure.
Hope these suggestions help.
Christine