Proper procedure for medical clearance for client?
I’m curious if there might be more to obtaining medical clearance from a client with many risk factors. I have a client who has been sedentary for a long time, has chest pain, is taking medications for a heart condition. We went through the PAR-Q and told her she needs a medical release form (which I provided) from her doctor, and we can then start an exercise program. Is there anything that I can do on my end to make it easier for the client to get medical release? Trying to stay professional as possible and go the extra 10% 🙂
Hi Tyler,
I would connect with her doctor for any specific restrictions (you’ll obviously also need her permission before doc will give you any info). However, I would also advise your client to make an appointment to see her doctor if she is having chest pains. She may not be a candidate for regular training as David mentioned and I would be very cautious.
PS–I had a similar client a few years ago (heart stent, Type 2 Diabetes, and a host of other problems). He had medical clearance. However, on our first session we just walked and talked a bit. I noticed he was very out of breath with a slow walk and suggested he go in for a visit to his doctor to get it checked out further before we could resume our sessions. A few weeks later he messaged me that he had a 75% blockage in his arteries needed a quadruple bypass. I’m glad I listened to my gut in this case.
Don’t be afraid to get as much info as you can from both the doctor and the client.
Best,
Christine
Hi Tyler,
at this point, this is all you can do.
I have found that I got medical clearances often more easily than I would have expected and sometimes wondered whether the physician took the time to look at the patient’s records. Having said that: if you get clearance from her doctor, I would stay very close to her in all she does and monitor her. If you feel that there is anything that makes you feel uncomfortable with the situation, you need to refer her back to her physician. You can write a note with your observations which she can hand to her doctor.
Most personal trainer certifications only cover the ‘apparently healthy’, and she is clearly not in that category.
Proceed with caution.
Karin Singleton
www.KarinSingleton.com
Hello Tyler Freitag,
To make it easier for the client you can fax the Physician’s Approval for Client to Exercise form to the doctor. The doctor will check a box for clearance or not with restrictions or not.
The chest pain and meds suggests a visit to the doctor. An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.
The others explain well the need to starting out slowly with a close eye and listening to your gut instinct. The client hires us for our best professional advice.
Thank you,
Natalie aka NAPS 2 B Fit.