Injured client need advice

[phillycheese92]

Alright guys, so I have recently started working at a very large chain gym whose name i wont mention. I am a personal trainer and do absolutely no sales. I simply have clients put on my schedule who I then meet with and train.

Now ive already been aware that the people in charge of sales can be a bit pushy and controlling. This results in occasionaly having clients who are very unwilling to be there and are generally difficult to motivate positively. Im used to that and am ok with it for the most part. However what happened this week really started to push me over the edge.

My manager gave me a new client who was about a 50 year old woman. She mentioned that she had some "knee issues" and that i should be careful with her. Ok fine.

After i started working with this lady for a little bit i learned that this was way more than a "knee issue" she could hardly bend her knee at all (less than 45 degrees) and almost any movement caused her pain. Then she let me know what was really going on.

Completely torn meniscus, and enough structural damage that her doctor said she would need a knee replacement but that she wanted to avoid surgery.

Let me clear that I am only NASM certified. I am in NO WAY qualified to provide rehabilitation to someone who needs surgery. For the same price she is paying for personal training, she could be seeing a physical therapist who could benefit her 100x more than I could.

Its more than just the fact that she's getting scammed by our gym though. Its just plain dangerous. Not one trainer in our gym is qualified to work with her. Im not entirely positive but i think its actually illegal for me to be training her without a doctors consent.


So what should I do in this situation? Am I liable if something were to happen? Im covered with insurance through the company but wouldnt this be considered gross negligence?

Has anyone else whos a trainer had to deal with a situation like this? How did you handle it?

Im really in a weird situation because i know my manager is money hungry and will be very unwilling to drop a client shes making comission on. Idk if it would be better to go over her head or to try to talk with her about it

[RamsdenF]

Alright guys, so I have recently started working at a very large chain gym whose name i wont mention. I am a personal trainer and do absolutely no sales. I simply have clients put on my schedule who I then meet with and train.

Now ive already been aware that the people in charge of sales can be a bit pushy and controlling. This results in occasionaly having clients who are very unwilling to be there and are generally difficult to motivate positively. Im used to that and am ok with it for the most part. However what happened this week really started to push me over the edge.

My manager gave me a new client who was about a 50 year old woman. She mentioned that she had some "knee issues" and that i should be careful with her. Ok fine.

After i started working with this lady for a little bit i learned that this was way more than a "knee issue" she could hardly bend her knee at all (less than 45 degrees) and almost any movement caused her pain. Then she let me know what was really going on.

Completely torn meniscus, and enough structural damage that her doctor said she would need a knee replacement but that she wanted to avoid surgery.

Let me clear that I am only NASM certified. I am in NO WAY qualified to provide rehabilitation to someone who needs surgery. For the same price she is paying for personal training, she could be seeing a physical therapist who could benefit her 100x more than I could.

Its more than just the fact that she's getting scammed by our gym though. Its just plain dangerous. Not one trainer in our gym is qualified to work with her. Im not entirely positive but i think its actually illegal for me to be training her without a doctors consent.


So what should I do in this situation? Am I liable if something were to happen? Im covered with insurance through the company but wouldnt this be considered gross negligence?

Has anyone else whos a trainer had to deal with a situation like this? How did you handle it?

Im really in a weird situation because i know my manager is money hungry and will be very unwilling to drop a client shes making comission on. Idk if it would be better to go over her head or to try to talk with her about it

Well.....sounds like we shall see what path you decide.

The one of duty to your boss. Or the duty to your own principles.

[Superperfect]

Alright guys, so I have recently started working at a very large chain gym whose name i wont mention. I am a personal trainer and do absolutely no sales. I simply have clients put on my schedule who I then meet with and train.

Now ive already been aware that the people in charge of sales can be a bit pushy and controlling. This results in occasionaly having clients who are very unwilling to be there and are generally difficult to motivate positively. Im used to that and am ok with it for the most part. However what happened this week really started to push me over the edge.

My manager gave me a new client who was about a 50 year old woman. She mentioned that she had some "knee issues" and that i should be careful with her. Ok fine.

After i started working with this lady for a little bit i learned that this was way more than a "knee issue" she could hardly bend her knee at all (less than 45 degrees) and almost any movement caused her pain. Then she let me know what was really going on.

Completely torn meniscus, and enough structural damage that her doctor said she would need a knee replacement but that she wanted to avoid surgery.

Let me clear that I am only NASM certified. I am in NO WAY qualified to provide rehabilitation to someone who needs surgery. For the same price she is paying for personal training, she could be seeing a physical therapist who could benefit her 100x more than I could.

Its more than just the fact that she's getting scammed by our gym though. Its just plain dangerous. Not one trainer in our gym is qualified to work with her. Im not entirely positive but i think its actually illegal for me to be training her without a doctors consent.


So what should I do in this situation? Am I liable if something were to happen? Im covered with insurance through the company but wouldnt this be considered gross negligence?

Has anyone else whos a trainer had to deal with a situation like this? How did you handle it?

Im really in a weird situation because i know my manager is money hungry and will be very unwilling to drop a client shes making comission on. Idk if it would be better to go over her head or to try to talk with her about it

i think, in order for a trainer to train a client, according to law, the client needs a certification released from a medicine specialist doctor saying either she does not suffer of any diseases, illness or pathology, or otherwise, prescribing a specific medical and/or rehab/phyisician/therapist treatment including which things and movements she can and cant do.
if ure able to provide and follow the prescribed treatmen, u can now proceed by subtracting from the treatment things incompatible with ur technique or harmful according common sense and, if there is anything left, the responsability of it will fall on the medician who prescribed it; otherwise u can send her to a rehab/therapist.

[TaixRae]

She is well aware of her injury and still signed a liability waiver so one of two things happens now. She has informed you of her injury and if you continue to work with her without a doctor's release the company COULD be held liable if it's proven she informed you.

To be honest I'd just let her know "when you're healed your sessions will still be waiting for you, but I'm unable to help with that type of injury rehab."

I work with several of my client's physical therapists to ensure nothing I'm doing with the rehab I do know doesn't injure or counteract their efforts. But I'd never take on a full rehab client.

If you want to avoid confrontation with the bosses/sales team I'd just speak directly to her. But I'd seriously speak up.

[stosman05]

Most gyms if not all include clauses for cancelation that include "medical, move, missionary (religious stuff) or military." I would have her consult with her physician and provide her with a note to cancel her agreement until she is fixed by a PT or a surgeon.

[Ronin4help]

If you are under-qualified you must recuse yourself.