| There are several "eye-catchers" that a personal | | | | activities |
| trainer should look for as you consider working with a | | | | - Acute infections |
| client. Several of these would warrant examination and | | | | - Suspected or known dissecting aneurysm |
| then permission from a doctor before the fitness | | | | (weakening of a blood vessel wall) |
| assessment or training. All would require further | | | | - Severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (narrowing of a |
| conversation as a part of the trainer/client relationship. | | | | blood vessel wall) |
| After securing the medical history form, look for the | | | | - Recent significant change in an resting ECG (heart |
| following signs and/or symptoms that are suggestive | | | | scan) that is indicative of ischemia (vessel blockage), |
| of coronary artery disease or heart disease. These | | | | MI (heart attack) or other acute cardiac event |
| absolute contraindications to exercise testing are | | | | - Acute myocarditis or pericarditis (inflammation of the |
| conditions that must be stabilized or adequately | | | | heart muscle or sac around the heart) |
| treated before testing. If any of these are evidenced, | | | | - Acute pulmonary embolus or pulmonary infarction |
| the client should be referred to appropriate medical | | | | (blood clot) |
| personnel prior to assessment or training by you as a | | | | Individuals exhibiting any condition in the preceding list |
| personal trainer. | | | | would automatically be considered high risk or likely to |
| - Pain or discomfort in the chest (angina pectoris), neck, | | | | suffer some coronary event with exercise. |
| jaw, arms, etc. | | | | High Risk Individuals should always have a medical |
| - Shortness of breath at rest or mild exertion | | | | exam or medical personnel involved in testing them |
| - Dizziness or reports of syncope (temporary loss of | | | | BEFORE any tests or training from the personal |
| consciousness with full recovery) | | | | trainer. It is HIGHLY recommended that these |
| - Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea or difficulty breathing | | | | conditions be met BEFORE working with him/her. |
| appearing suddenly at night, usually waking the client | | | | Providing a safe environment for our clients is |
| after an hour or two of sleep; caused by pulmonary | | | | paramount to personal training. Completing and then |
| congestion that results from left-sided heart failure | | | | discussing a person's medical history with them prior to |
| - Orthopnea or difficulty breathing which is brought on | | | | fitness assessment or training exhibits that precautions |
| by lying flat | | | | have been taken to ensure a safe environment. In this |
| - Ankle edema | | | | age, when 2/3's of our population is overweight and/or |
| - Cardiac arrhythmias, palpitations or irregular heart | | | | so many individuals are taking some medication for a |
| pulsation of the heart, usually only perceptible to the | | | | disease, disorder, or a condition, it is prudent on the |
| client | | | | trainer's part to know what s/he is "getting into." |
| - Tachycardia or rapid beating of the heart (usually | | | | To learn more about "reading" a medical history, see |
| rates over 100 BPM) | | | | the article, "BEFORE A Fitness Assessment or |
| - Intermittent claudication or limping | | | | Personal Training a Client...Look at the MEDICAL |
| - Known heart murmur | | | | HISTORY for Known Diseases. |
| - Unusual fatigue or shortness of breath with usual | | | | |