Do you manually stretch your clients?

[LouV]

Do you assist stretches or just show your clients how?

The reason I ask is that I was original taught to always stretch out a client however I was just listening to a podcast that discussed that this may or may not be in our scope of practice. I'm definitely going to check my insurance before touching anyone but was just curious what the general consensus out there is.

[Jbonito]

I almost never manually stretch out any of my clients. I think it's better if they get used to doing it themselves and to learn how to stretch out the muscle they want to. Also, I think it's kind of risky. You may push them to far and not realize it. Or with the way people are today even if you didn't do anything to them during the stretch they may claim you did and try suing you. So, I think it is best to teach them how to properly stretch without your assistance.

[BSCSCS]

Most any assisted stretching that you can do for them can be done by them using bands/tubes/jumpropes etc...

[dilstheman89]

Do you assist stretches or just show your clients how?

The reason I ask is that I was original taught to always stretch out a client however I was just listening to a podcast that discussed that this may or may not be in our scope of practice. I'm definitely going to check my insurance before touching anyone but was just curious what the general consensus out there is.

i always assist them after i get to know the client. after you get to know them you can always tell if they would find or out. there is no better stretch then if your assisted. It is definately a thing i recommend to my clients

[Chr1sG]

i always assist them after i get to know the client. after you get to know them you can always tell if they would find or out. there is no better stretch then if your assisted. It is definately a thing i recommend to my clients

Likewise, nothing like the feeling after a good partner/PNF stretch

[KyleAaron]

Sure. Why wouldn't I? It helps them recover from the workout, acts as a mental wind-down - "take five slow deep breaths, we'll extend the stretch on every exhale". As for injuring them, well that's the point - this is your chance to enhance your communication and rapport, you have to be a real meathead idiot to just shove them into some stretch, you should ease them into it, watch their face and talk to them. "Tell me when you feel the stretch... good, now breathe slow and deep..."

[Mr.ILL]

Yes.

[askthetrainer]

Most any assisted stretching that you can do for them can be done by them using bands/tubes/jumpropes etc...

^^^ That

As with anything else it's all about feedback. If your clients value your assisted stretching it's worth doing as it may help client retention.

If they do not seem to value assisted stretching (Ask them!), teach them how to stretch themselves & give them a jump rope or stretching strap at the end of each session.

[EK_JOE]

Do you assist stretches or just show your clients how?

The reason I ask is that I was original taught to always stretch out a client however I was just listening to a podcast that discussed that this may or may not be in our scope of practice. I'm definitely going to check my insurance before touching anyone but was just curious what the general consensus out there is.

I always pnf/mfr my clients. If I didnt they probably wouldnt do it on their own. It is also a good cool down for them. Its good to show them how too, so that when they are on their own they know how to (but most likely wont).

[Keltron]

there are many types of stretches, some where the force comes from gravity, an external force or their opposing muscle. just make sure that you teach them how to do it on their own as well. But like kyle said, if you already know what you're doing, just look at their face, if they wince, ease back... I personally don't do it much though.

[BraSo]

Sure. Why wouldn't I? this is your chance to enhance your communication and rapport

As with anything else it's all about feedback. If your clients value your assisted stretching it's worth doing as it may help client retention.

Both of This.

It also helped me in a way to get new clients

[Burial]

Almost always.

People love to be stretched and I dont mind doing it, hamstrings are tight on most people and you can spend 5 minutes on each leg, thats 10 minutes right there!

[jamezgt]

PNF all the way baby!

[Al Shades]

People love to be stretched

^ That's a fact. ^

And here we come back to:

A) What the client wants

The client wants assisted stretching because it feels good and they're paying you to make them feel good.

vs

B) What the client needs

The client needs to learn how to stretch themselves. Assisted stretching may feel good, but it isn't feasible to have another person stretching them out all the time. You're not going to improve their flexibility at all by manually stretching them once or twice a week for 5 minutes. Add to that the fact that there are dozens of stretches for every part of the body. It's much more useful to them in the long-term if you demonstrate stretches so that they'll know how to do them on their own.

Which option to pick? A, obviously. Go with the money and forsake the client's bests interests whenever you're given the choice. That's what they're paying you to do.

Consider this illustrative analogy:
Doctors get paid to ignore patient's wants and address only their needs.
And what thanks to they get? None. Most people hate going to the Doctor's.

You chose to be a personal trainer rather than a doctor because you wanted to work in a bull$hit, pseudo-scientific field dominated by marketing, where the whims of idiotic housewives and chronic fat-asses are considered sacrosanct. Am I right or am I right? Three cheers for PT!