Hi I need some help please. I am a novice trainer really trying to get into this awesome TRX program.  I have a client who has a problem with his arm, specifically, his right arm. This morning we were working out and all of a sudden he fell backwards, letting go of the right strap. As it turns out, he said he doesn't have any feeling in his right hand/arm as a result of an old spine injury.  Can you give me some tips/advice on how to deal with this?  I'd appreciate it.

Sharon

By the way, if it matters, the guy is pretty darn strong, as he lifts a lot of weights.

Sharon,

I am going to share this with some of our specialists here at Fitness Anywhere.  I would definitely recommend that he discusses his exercise routine with his doctor if there is any concern about performing certain movements.

 Thank you for addressing my query, Nathan.  I'd appreciate any info you or your specialists can provide.  Hmm . . . your suggestion (re: the doctor) does make sense, though.  Makes me wonder how he got all of that bulk on him, if he lacks feeling in his right hand, because this guy is pretty huge!

Anyway, thanks again Nathan.  I look forward to hearing from you.

 Sharon

Was some of the vertabrae in his spine damaged? Has he had a stroke at all?

That seems peculiar he has no feeling. I would honestly have him speak to a Neurologist, because it sounds that there is a malfunction with the PNS (Periphial Nervous System). Perhaps you and the doctor could help him exercise his right hand/arm to get feeling and function back, but it depends on the condition is really.

What is your education and experience level? Have you had much experience in Physiology or just limited to Personal Fitness? If you have more of a Physiology background, it will really help work with your client in a deeper spectrum to help him.

Thanks,

Justin

 Hello Justin,

I am not really sure about how he came about this injury.

Sadly, I do not have any experience or background in Physiology. I am an educator/teacher who has deep interest in Personal Fitness.  I thought some exercise to strengthen that arm might be a good idea, but it also might be problematic if he doesn't have much feeling.  Maybe I'll just recommend, as you suggests, that he see a neurologist.

Thanks.

Sharon 

 So... Our Director of Programming passed on the question to our Dr. consultant and his advise was the same... He should be cleared by his doctor before performing any exercises.  Plus it is just good protection for you and good business practice :).

As a general rule, if you are not a medical professional and you have a client who has a pre-existing injury, you should always obtain clearance from their phyician before starting.  Otherwise, if you attempt to "treat" the problem, you're stepping outside your scope of practice and can open yourself up to issues with liability. 

One helpful piece of advice would also be to have your clients fill out a pre-screening form, alerting you of any prior injuries or issues they may have had.  If you had your client fill this out, you may have seen that he had issues with possible neurological weakness in the upper extremities which would have been a red flag before getting started, especially with exercises that require upper body control as the TRX does.

The TRX is an excellent tool, but it may not always be the appropriate place for everyone to start.

Ada Wells, MPT
Physical Therapist