Who has experienced an injury, gone to see a physiotherapist for 4-6 weeks, returned to exercise/sport and then found themselves back at the physio again, having aggravated the injury or even made it worse?

Even worse is when a client returns to their personal trainer, having been out of action for 6 weeks, and then finds themselves back at the physiotherapist the next day because the trainer gave them the same programme they were doing just before they got injured.

I have seen and heard these stories far too often for my liking and it usually stems from one problem; lack of communication.

The role of an exercise professional in the rehabilitation process is far more important than most realise. Currently there seems to be a gap between the physiotherapist finishing treatment and the client returning to their original fitness/strength levels.

As an exercise professional you can help bridge this gap through communicating and working with your client’s physiotherapist/health professional.

When I started personal training, the thought of calling or meeting up with a client’s physio was quite an intimidating prospect but it benefits all parties involved.

• You as a trainer learn more about the client’s injury (what to do to help, what to avoid).
• The client gets the support and guidance they need to return to exercise safely and reach their goals.
• The physio doesn’t have to repeatedly treat the same person for the same injury, which I know they don’t enjoy.

Anyone who has been injured knows how unbelievably frustrating it is, so any help you can offer will make all the difference to your client.

You don’t need to be an expert on injury rehabilitation; all you need to do is open the lines of communication with their physiotherapist/health professional and work together.

So looking back at the quote from Rollo May, communication should lead to better understanding and mutual valuing from all parties; from a clients perspective that’s all they are looking for in an exercise professional.