Improving Fitness While Rehabbing - Advice From Physical Therapist To Fitness Professional
by Dr. Kareem Samhouri author of Double Edged Fat Loss

Teaching clients how to improve fitness level while they are injured seems great if it were only so easy... well, guess what? It is EASY! By helping our clients improve fitness level while injured, we not only keep them healthier and happier, but we help speed recovery. With just a little bit of teamwork, we can help all of our clients recover from their injuries more quickly.

After reading the three guidelines below, you'll know exactly what to ask a physical therapist +/or doctor, how much exercise is a safe amount of exercise, and how this will lead to new client generation.

1) Exactly what you need to ask a physical therapist or doctor in order to guarantee the safety of your client

Depending on your certification guidelines and patient history, you may or may not have to contact your client's doctor. I've found that the more doctors' offices that I've needed to call for exercise approval, the more referrals I've gained. They tend to appreciate the courtesy. Leave a message with the receptionist that you were interested to see if there were any absolute contraindications or precautions to exercise this client. Call back the following day for approval.

Many times, however, it is the physical therapist that can best help guide you with movement of an injured person. If you have an opportunity to speak to a physical therapist, request a consultation for your client, thereby allowing the physical therapist to give you specific guidelines for what to avoid with exercise. Most of your clients would be glad to learn that they can continue exercising if they go to a physical therapist once! Let the therapist figure out what to do with the injury, you work on exercising the rest.

2) How much exercise is a safe amount of exercise for your injured client?

It takes energy to heal. In general, you'll want to slightly scale down exercise intensity during time of injury. You know your client. If they have any heart conditions, or other major health problems, the demand on their hearts will be greater while healing, so back off a bit. Otherwise, decrease the intensity by 10-20%, and increase the number of repetitions to promote increased circulation of blood, nutrients, and oxygen to all tissues. This will speed healing while increasing fitness levels.

3) How will this lead to new client generation?

You will quickly develop a reputation for exercising people with injuries. Do you have any idea how many people have aches or pains that make them fearful of exercise? You will be opening yourself to an entirely untouched area of the personal training market. Doctors and physical therapists alike will respect you for knowing boundaries and seeking their expertise. Physical therapists will be delighted to gain consultation referrals from your business, and they will be inclined to refer back to you. They'll know they can offer you suggestions, so they'll trust you with their patients!

If you are ready to help people heal faster, while doing very little work, and grow your business, follow these guidelines. You will be surprised by the results!

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