Chapter 6 - Fitness Assessment Flashcards
What is a fitness assessment?
A series of measurements that help to determine the current health and fitness levels of clients
What is the purpose of conducting fitness assessment? How does a trainer decide which tests to conduct?
-Helps maintain and monitor fitness goals if a baseline is set
-Trainer must observe and document structural and functional status
-Specific tests used in fitness assessment depends on health and fitness goals of individual, the trainer’s experience, the type of workout routines being performed and the availability of equipment
According to the guidelines for health and fitness professionals, a trainer cannot:
-Diagnose medical conditions
-Prescribe treatment
-Prescribe diets
-Provide treatment of any kind for injury or disease
-Provide rehabilitation services for clients
-Provide counseling services for clients
According to the guidelines for health and fitness professionals, a trainer can:
-Obtain exercise or health guidelines from a physician, physical therapist, or registered dietitian
-Follow national consensus guidelines of exercise prescription for medical disorders
-Screen clients for exercise limitations
-Identify potential risk factors for clients from screening procedures
-Refer clients who experience difficulty or pain or exhibit other symptoms to a qualified medical practitioner
What does subjective information provide within a fitness assessment?
General and Medication History including:
Occupation, Lifestyle, and Medical History
PAR-Q questionnaire
Why is it important to ask a client’s occupation and what kind of information does it provide?
-Common movement patterns
-Energy expenditure levels during an average day
-Helps understand musculoskeletal structure and function
-Helps determine potential health and physical limitation and restrictions
What are some key factors to ask about/be aware of when asking about a client’s occupation?
- Extended Periods of Sitting:
-Hips are flexed for long periods of time = tight hip flexors and postural imbalances within HMS
-Shoulder and head fatigue easily because under constant effect of gravity = postural imbalances (rounded shoulders and forward head) - Low Energy Expenditure: most likely poor cardiorespiratory conditioning
- Repetitive Movements: can cause musculoskeletal injury and dysfunction
- Shoes (example: High heels = plantar flexed position for a long period of time = tightness, postural imbalance, decreased motion)
- Mental Stress:
-Elevated heart rate
-Effects Blood pressure and ventilation at rest and exercise
-Abnormal breathing patterns = musculoskeletal and postural imbalances in neck, shoulder, chest and lower back
What does objective information provide within a fitness assessment?
- Resting and exercise physiological measurements ( blood pressure and heart rate)
- Resting anthropometric measurements (height, weight, body fat %, circumference measurements)
- Specific measures of fitness (muscular endurance, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness)
Why is it important to ask a client’s lifestyle and what kind of information does it provide?
- Recreation: physical activities outside of the work environment “leisure time” - golf, ski, tennis, etc - gives general idea about other athleticism outside of gym / motivation towards enhancing performance - example: “better golf swing”
- Hobbies: not necessarily athletic in nature (gardening, working on cars, playing cards, watching TV, videogames, etc) - may help as a motivational tool
Why is it important to ask a client’s medical history and what kind of information does it provide?
- Past Injuries: strong predictor of future musculskeletal injury during physical activity
- Past Surgeries: surgical procedures create trauma and may have similar effects on the functioning of the HMS as that of an injury (can cause pain an inflammation that can alter neural control to the affected muscles and joints if not rehabilitated properly
- Chronic Conditions: risk of chronic disease dramatically increase with lack of physical fitness
- Medications: meds may have an effect on the way the body (heart rate and blood pressure) as well as the way it may react to exercise
What effect do ankle sprain injuries have on the functioning of the HMS?
- Decreases the neural control to the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus muscles
- Can lead to poor control of the lower extremities during functional activities (which can lead to injury)
What effect do knee injuries have on the functioning of the HMS?
- Decreases the neural control to muscles that stabilize the patella (kneecap) and lead to further injury
- Non-contact knee injuries are often the result of ankle or hip dysfunctions, (example: result of ankle sprain)
- Can result in altered movement and force distribution o the knee
What effect do low back injuries have on the functioning of the HMS?
- Decreases neural control to the stabilizing muscles of the core, resulting in poor stabilization o the spine
- Can lead to further dysfunction of upper and lower extremities
What effect do shoulder injuries have on the functioning of the HMS?
Cause altered neural control of the rotator cuff muscles which can lead to instability of the shoulder joint during functional activities
What are some other types of injuries that may have on the functioning of the HMS / muscle imbalances?
Repetitive Hamstring Strains, Groin Strains, Patellar Tendonitis (jumper’s knee), Plantar Fasciitis (pain in the heel and bottom of the foot), Posterior Tibialis Tendonitis (shin splint), Biceps Tendonitis (shouder pain), and headaches
What are beta-blockers generally prescribed for? What does it do to a person’s heart rate? Blood pressure?
- Anti-hypertensive (high blood pressure) and Arrhythmias (irregular heart beat)
- HR: decreases
- BP: decreases
What are calcium-channel blockers generally prescribed for? What does it do to a person’s heart rate? Blood pressure?
- Hypertension and angina (chest pain)
- HR: may increase or decrease or no effect?
- BP: decreases
What are nitrates generally prescribed for? What does it do to a person’s heart rate? Blood pressure?
- Hypertension and congestive heart failure
- HR: may increase or have no effect
- BP: may decrease or have no effect
What are diuretics generally prescribed for? What does it do to a person’s heart rate? Blood pressure?
- Hypertension, congestive heart failure, peripheral edema
- HR: no effect
- BP: may decrease or have no effect
