This course will focus on the niche practice of medical fitness: definition, standards of the industry, legal implications, certifications, risk management and emergency policies, programs and services and the pre-activity screening issues. The presentation will discuss the differences between free standing PT practices vs. hospital based practices in the application of a medical fitness program. It will then move into basic science dealing with such topics as normal exercise responses and what can occur during activity and the mechanisms behind these abnormal responses. Sample forms will also be included which are the industry standards at this point in time. This presentation is the first in a series of presentations that will then focus specifically on the exercise implications of specific pathologies, i.e. HTN, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, cardiac and how they can be included into your medical fitness practice.
- Understand the importance of medical fitness for their patient population.
- Understand the certifications and organizations in the fitness industry and their implications to physical therapy.
- Demonstrate the appropriate pre-activity screening and the follow-up procedures.
- Understand how exercise physiologists can be utilized in your practice.
- Understand the basic policies that are needed in your medical fitness program.
- Demonstrate knowledge in the adverse effects of exercise.
- Demonstrate how to perform a basic fitness screening.
- Implement this information to develop a medical fitness program in your practice
