The past few posts I have been writing about physical therapists and personal trainers quite loosely and have ruffled some feathers, it would seem.
I have received about 500 hits in the past 24 hours on just this post alone:
It got some people rather outraged – enough to write some pretty strong criticism of my non-physical therapist perspective. But I welcome this. I appreciate any comments people make.. just leave my mother out of it next time, ok? 😉
Here’s how I see the roles of physical therapist and the personal trainer
Right now there is a problem (and you can’t blame it on me – phew!)
I (as a personal trainer) have people asking for help with problems a physical therapist should be dealing with and physical therapists I refer out to who are dealing with clients that should be seeing a personal trainer instead (a qualified one, not some dumbbell jockey with a weekend cert).
It’s a problem because personal trainers and physical therapists are getting annoyed with each other… Like ‘egg your house at halloween’ kind of annoyed (yep, that bad). So rather than put myself under the microscope again, let me ask for help from YOU.
We need to connect the two worlds so they can know and trust when to pass off people and to who.
But I want you to help me (and any others) to build a bridge between the therapists and the trainers (and others perhaps).
I need your opinion on:
What personal trainers / physical therapists need to do to improve their communication with each other.
The two groups don’t really talk with each other, but rather tend to talk at each other. If there is to be a smooth transition back and forth (which means more business and better outcomes for us all) then we must have communication. Let’s talk in a way that helps us connect and improve rather than criticizes and encourages hostility between the two.
Let me open the batting and say this:
Any physical therapist in the Denver area is more than welcome to one of my personal training sessions for free & I will take you through a workout while we discuss theory, technique and all matters physical & personal,then have a nice cup of tea afterwards.
Who else wants to tell us what personal trainers and physical therapists need to know about ourselves (and each other!)
Bring it! We need to know these things!
Fitness Insights by Jamie Atlas 