Diagnose Medical Conditions
Never begin an exercise program without a proper physical. Even though conducting a fitness assessment is an essential component of your personal trainer’s job, such assessments are not meant to diagnose medical conditions. You must have a thorough physical before hiring a personal trainer and starting a new exercise regiment.
Your personal trainer will use your doctor’s findings and recommendations to conduct a systematic fitness assessment of your physiological needs and limitations. Then your personal trainer will use the results of the fitness assessment to design for you an individualized, systematic and integrated fitness program that meets your goals and physiological needs while taking into account your limitations.
Provide Treatment
Often doctors recommend exercise and weight loss as a means of treatment for various illnesses such as diabetes. However, it is not your personal trainer’s responsibility to help you manage chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Therefore, do not perceive the fitness program created by your personal trainer as a treatment but as a tool with which you can carve out a healthier path in life.
Prescribe Diets or Recommend Supplements
Clients are always badgering personal trainers to recommend supplements and diets to them. Unless your trainer is also a certified nutritionist or dietitian, he or she is not qualified to create diet plans for you. Likewise, only your doctor can recommend supplements since some supplements interact dangerously with various medications.
Provide Physical Rehabilitation Services
Unless your personal trainer is also certified to provide rehabilitation services or work with the handicap, he or she is not qualified to provide you with physical rehabilitation services. So, please do not view the gym as a rehab center and your personal trainer as a cheap alternative to a physical therapist. After conducting a thorough fitness assessment a credible personal trainer will refuse to take on a client who is seeking to use him or her as a cheap alternative to a physical therapist. Those unfortunate enough to come across an unethical trainer will suffer further injury.
Provide Counseling Services
Yes, exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy but that doesn’t mean that you should use exercise as a treatment for depression or other psychological issues. Likewise, personal trainers are not qualified to provide counseling or any other therapeutic services.
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