Before I start to train anyone, there is a seven question form that I will have my clients fill out. It's called the PAR-Q (physical activity readiness questionnaire).
The purpose of this questionnaire is to determine your risk of sudden cardiac arrest or getting injured. It's just a few short questions, but it can tell a lot about the possibility of you getting hurt. For a professional fitness coach, this is important to know as it can establish what course of action we should take in your training program (both anaerobic and aerobic) and determine if you need further consult from your physician before starting an exercise program. Not to mention, it gives you the opportunity to create dialog with your fitness coach.
Dependent upon your "yes" responses will determine your type of risk, which are No Risk, At Risk, and Known disease.
1. Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition and that you should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor? This one is kind of self explanatory- your doctor is saying that you have a heart condition. It could be high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or blocked arteries. To ensure safety first, this may mean that you need a medical clearance with a suggested heart rate and cardiovascular prescription recommended by your physician.
2. Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity? If you feel pain in your chest (known as angina), this could be a sign that you're suffering from ischemia. Ischemia is a lack of oxygen being supplied to the heart from one of the coronary arteries. This can lead to a full blown heart attack. Before doing a fitness program, you need to have your heart checked by a physician. (Be sure they do more than a cholesterol screening and a stress test).
Heart Attack symptoms (it's more than chest pain).
3. In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity? Once again, this can be caused by ischemia. If present without exercise can indicate an even more serious condition of the heart. You need to seek medical advice prior to starting an exercise program.
4. Do you lose balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness? Getting dizzy or loss of consciousness can mean you have high blood pressure, insulin resistance (diabetes), or some other serious condition. Not only are you at risk of a heart attack, but potentially hurting yourself from a fall. Hopefully, you would have already sought medical attention if this is happening.
5. Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity? Though it's not so much related to the heart, it is important to know of any orthopedic conditions so your fitness coach can create a program that works within your capabilities and not cause further harm. You and your fitness coach may need to seek further consult from your physician or physical therapist.
6. Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs (for example, water pills) for your blood pressure or heart condition? Medications can cause your heart not to respond normally. In particular, it's imperative that you do a proper cool down after exercise to prevent blood pooling. When you're using blood pressure medications, it takes you a little longer to balance out the pressure in your cardiovascular system. Without a proper cool down, your blood pressure can suddenly drop (hypostatic hypotension), which can lead to a heart attack or lead to dizziness which can lead to a fall.
7. Do you know any other reason why you shouldn't do activity? This is your last chance to inform your fitness coach of any reason you should not exercise. I have had the experience of discovering something potentially dangerous from this question, yet "no" responses were made on the other questions. So, answer this question as honestly as possible.
Should you seek medical attention?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you should talk with your physician. Don't be fearful of what might be. Instead, confront any medical condition you may have head-on to prevent further damage.
No matter what, it is important that you seek medical advice prior to starting an exercise program. Your doctor is not going to give you an exercise program, however, they will make sure you're okay to exercise and know preventive protocols to prevent injury during exercise (especially cardiovascular and orthopedic physicians).
Any professional fitness coach should ask you these questions prior to putting you on a piece of cardio equipment or taking you to the weight room. Unfortunately, this happens quite frequently in the industry, especially in standard health clubs. My advice to you, if you're not asked these questions prior to using the services of a fitness coach, you should seriously consider finding another service or coach.
written by:
Kelly Huggins, A-CPT
Exercise Science, B.S.
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