My previous post was not met with a whole lot of fanfare. For those who are interested, you can check it out here. I'd like to clarify that I'm not against doctors, I have a lot of respect for them and the training by which they've earned their position. I'm more of a patient advocate if you will, asking questions or even questioning the doctor when his or her orders are vague or even emotionless.
A client and I were talking today regarding her recent visit to the doctor. For the condition she's dealing with, she's gone 5 times, some of which were for a bronchitis related condition. The most recent was for a severe pain in her ribs which was brought on by her incessant coughing that was a result of the bronchitis. Anyway, her doctor recommended only walking as a form of exercise for her.
I'm not against walking, but as an exercise professional I can acknowledge that most people, even with a rib strain, can do more than that. The problem that I have is that when it comes to exercise, many doctors do not have adequate training in understanding the dynamics of varying exercises and their effects on the body. As of now, there's very little interaction with doctors and exercise professionals, unless they happen to be in an environment to where they are employed side by side.
The point that I'm trying to make here is that many doctors are inadequately trained in exercise. They may have had a semester or two in college regarding nutrition and exercise, but for the most part it's really minimal. This is where fitness specialists and even physical therapists come in, to bridge the gap. So if you go to a doctor and they recommend exercise, it's probably a good idea to seek out some specialized coaching, even if it's for only a little while.
If we can get more doctors on board with recommending exercise and improvement in nutrition, specifically with pointing to adequate coaching as their prescription, we can change the entire landscape of the United States. It is going to take the doctors respecting the fitness professional and the advice that they can give to change the tide. What could strengthen the relationship will be the fitness professional reaching out to the doctors and even buying them lunch, like a drug rep would, so that they can explain their scope of knowledge and ultimately work side by side.
A client and I were talking today regarding her recent visit to the doctor. For the condition she's dealing with, she's gone 5 times, some of which were for a bronchitis related condition. The most recent was for a severe pain in her ribs which was brought on by her incessant coughing that was a result of the bronchitis. Anyway, her doctor recommended only walking as a form of exercise for her.
I'm not against walking, but as an exercise professional I can acknowledge that most people, even with a rib strain, can do more than that. The problem that I have is that when it comes to exercise, many doctors do not have adequate training in understanding the dynamics of varying exercises and their effects on the body. As of now, there's very little interaction with doctors and exercise professionals, unless they happen to be in an environment to where they are employed side by side.
The point that I'm trying to make here is that many doctors are inadequately trained in exercise. They may have had a semester or two in college regarding nutrition and exercise, but for the most part it's really minimal. This is where fitness specialists and even physical therapists come in, to bridge the gap. So if you go to a doctor and they recommend exercise, it's probably a good idea to seek out some specialized coaching, even if it's for only a little while.
If we can get more doctors on board with recommending exercise and improvement in nutrition, specifically with pointing to adequate coaching as their prescription, we can change the entire landscape of the United States. It is going to take the doctors respecting the fitness professional and the advice that they can give to change the tide. What could strengthen the relationship will be the fitness professional reaching out to the doctors and even buying them lunch, like a drug rep would, so that they can explain their scope of knowledge and ultimately work side by side.
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