tips on working with a client that has vertigo
I am beginning with a client soon that has vertigo. Her doctor has said not to do much exercise that requires too much fast movement and to only use light weights, if any weight. Do any of you have experience with a situation like this? If so, any tips/suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
I can feel your soon to be client’s pain myself. I am a personal trainer with vertigo! Just like her doctor said, fast movement is a trigger. Moving too fast from one direction to another can be problematic (i.e. burpees…up down up down; T-planks, sit ups).
Here’s one thing I like to do:
1. Design the routine to be sensitive to directional change. Example: Don’t tell her to perform push ups, then stand up and do jump and jacks. She may be too sensitive to this change. Instead, perform push ups, then perform prone lat pulldowns with a resistance band. That way, her body will remain in a prone position for both exercises.
* some folks are more sensitive than others, so you’ll need a lot of feedback from her. If her doctor has her on motion sickness medication, remind her to take it at least 30-60 minutes before she starts exercising.