Back injury medical clearance

[MaxFuark]

Ok so one of my clients was going up/down the stairs at home in early January, her dog runs by and trips her and she hurts her back and is in a lot of pain.

Day or two later, she wants to come in and just go on the treadmill for her 60 minute session to 'walk it off'. I obviously tell her no and that she needs to go see a doctor. After she spends a week in Vegas, she tells me she went to the 'doctor' and she has a pinched nerve and is going to be doing 'phyiso' 3 days a week. She asked if I needed a clearance note before she could start back up and I said absolutely.

So today she calls and tells me she got the doctor clearance that she is ok to do any exercises. Turns out the 'doctor' she went to was a chiropractor and the 'physio' she was going to was getting adjusted three times a week. She says she's feels good except it still hurts a bit when she moves the wrong way and she wants to start back up with her workouts. She insists since a 'doctor' said she is ok I should get her right back in on Monday morning.

She's now getting upset with me because I'm telling her a chiropractor isn't qualified to make that decision and she needs to go see a real doctor and get cleared by them which is where she should have gone in the first place.

This is the first case of someone needing clearance after an injury that I've had to deal with as a trainer. I'm independent so I don't have a boss to check with or a set policy that the gym follows. I'm not letting her come back in without a medical doctor's clearance and not a chiropractor who according to my research studied Zoology at Uni before going to Chrio college lol.

Am I handling this the right way?

[ChessGuy]

I think a Chiropractor is absolutely qualified to render an informed decision regarding back pain.

All I can say is get it in writing from the Chiropractor.

[SFT]

We're talking about an acute injury here that's not really out of the ordinary. This isn't a disease or on-going condition. Are you looking for a medical clearance? I think that medical clearance is important if there are potential contraindications, in clients that are initiating a program. Realistically, she injured herself, but she is responsible for monitoring the status of that injury. If you are concerned, you might consider having her write a note that basically says that she hurt her back at home, but wants to continue with her exercise program despite your advice. Have her sign it and keep it in your records.