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Old 10-21-22, 02:50 PM  
bfit
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Don't Know What To Think About Personal Trainer

I am the person who keeps posting here about problems related to a broken foot over two years ago now. I've struggled ever since then with nagging injuries trying to get back into shape. I've been to physical therapy three times, and it was not very helpful. Then my husband suggested I see a personal trainer. I narrowed it down to one small fitness studio within walking distance of where I live. I was honest with them about my history of injuries so they asked me to get an "assessment" with a "sports medicine chiropractor" that they work with to find out whether I was a good candidate for personal training. The assessment showed that I have (supposedly) all kinds of muscle imbalances that I need to work on, but I can correct them with personal training. They are going to make up a plan for me, and then I'll start by the end of next week, 2x a week. I really don't know what to think. I paid quite a bit for this assessment. Was it a rip off? Do I really have all of these imbalances? If so, why didn't the three physical therapists, the two podiatrists, and the orthopedist I saw catch that earlier? No one has told me yet how much the personal training sessions will cost either. What does anyone else think? I'm inclined to go once to personal training and see how it feels to me, and if there are red flags I'll bail out.
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Old 10-21-22, 02:58 PM  
Jane P.
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A second opinion is always good. I think we all have muscle imbalances, no one is perfect. Can you find any reviews of this chiropractor and trainer? That might help you make a decision. Definitely check certifications and experience.

I also have a problem in my right foot from an accident that never really healed right. I know that really good shoes help, but I still have limitations that I have to respect.
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Old 10-22-22, 12:24 AM  
Demeris
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bfit View Post
I am the person who keeps posting here about problems related to a broken foot over two years ago now. I've struggled ever since then with nagging injuries trying to get back into shape. I've been to physical therapy three times, and it was not very helpful. Then my husband suggested I see a personal trainer. I narrowed it down to one small fitness studio within walking distance of where I live. I was honest with them about my history of injuries so they asked me to get an "assessment" with a "sports medicine chiropractor" that they work with to find out whether I was a good candidate for personal training. The assessment showed that I have (supposedly) all kinds of muscle imbalances that I need to work on, but I can correct them with personal training. They are going to make up a plan for me, and then I'll start by the end of next week, 2x a week. I really don't know what to think. I paid quite a bit for this assessment. Was it a rip off? Do I really have all of these imbalances? If so, why didn't the three physical therapists, the two podiatrists, and the orthopedist I saw catch that earlier? No one has told me yet how much the personal training sessions will cost either. What does anyone else think? I'm inclined to go once to personal training and see how it feels to me, and if there are red flags I'll bail out.
I have to agree with Jane. We all have muscle imbalances. I don't know if the evaluation was a rip-off, but all sorts of sirens are going off in my gut about the whole affair. It reminds me of a chiropractor who showed up in my hometown (1973--I was 16) who took ex-rays and found out that everyone who saw him had all sorts of things wrong with their spines that only a chiropractor could fix. I used my babysitting money for three visits before I wised up.

Frankly, if your physical therapists didn't mentioned these problems, I seriously doubt the imbalances are as severe as this marketing tactic makes it seem. Physical therapists have far more education and experience in working with and correcting imbalances than personal trainers. I have a personal trainer certification from ACE, but I would NEVER suggest I had knowledge or expertise even equal to a physical therapist.

All that said, if you're willing to pay for a personal training session, you might as well check it out.

My own experience has taught me that some forms of exercise work like off-the-rack physical therapy: Classical Stretch/Essentrics, Pilates, and T-Tapp. And even though I broke my 4th metatarsal in my right foot 18 years, I haven't had the struggles you are having. While these work for me, you might find relief elsewhere.

I hope you can find some good health that doesn't break your bank.
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Old 10-22-22, 05:22 AM  
DBW
 
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I would consider trying a different physical therapist
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Old 10-22-22, 07:55 AM  
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Check credentials if you're not sure

Not just any chiro can label themselves a sports chiro. Typically they work alongside a PT clinic and other personal trainers. They do design plans that incorporate strength training to address imbalances for athletes.

I would expect them to be more expensive because of the additional education and training required to call themselves a sports chiro and I would need to see something along these lines in their background:
Quote:
Post-doctoral education to obtain sports chiropractor certifications
To be a credentialed sports chiropractor, you’ll need to pursue post-doctoral education to earn additional qualifications.

The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians™ (ACBSP™) is responsible for providing the following official certifications. These not only deepen your expertise but also formalize your sports chiropractor credentials:

Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians® (CCSP®). To earn the CCSP® certification, you must complete at least 100 hours of post-doctoral education “in specialized sports medicine topics and must pass a board examination.” (Source)

Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians® (DACBSP®). After earning the CCSP, you can attain the DACBSP®, the highest level of sports chiropractor designation. This requires “successful completion of a written exam, a six-station practical exam, a written project, and 250 hours of practical experience in the field.” (Source)
I'm sure you can find out from the American Chiro board whether the one you visited is credentialed.

There are also movement specializations credentials personal trainers can obtain that you could verify.
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Old 10-22-22, 11:19 AM  
bzar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bfit View Post
No one has told me yet how much the personal training sessions will cost either. What does anyone else think? I'm inclined to go once to personal training and see how it feels to me, and if there are red flags I'll bail out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Demeris View Post
All that said, if you're willing to pay for a personal training session, you might as well check it out.
bfit, do you like them? do they show signs of positivity and hope? have they made any positive comments about what you are able to do? I agree - get a cost estimate but just commit to one session since you have already invested in the assessment. consider the session like going to class and see what new information they can show you. you can also tell them you only want to work on one of the assessments and have a $x cap as a budget.

on the other hand, if you don't like them very much, take the assessment elsewhere and go to a personal trainer that you feel more comfortable with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Demeris View Post
I have to agree with Jane. We all have muscle imbalances. I don't know if the evaluation was a rip-off, but all sorts of sirens are going off in my gut about the whole affair.
unfortunately, an assessment from a professional such as a chiropractor can be self-serving to themselves because they stand to gain by having you as a client that they can "help." [note: not all are like that].

if you have articulated your goals to them and it somehow conflicts with their assessment, then something is wrong.
What if you're OK with some of the imbalances that they asserted? if they're ignoring what your goals are, then to me they're not in your best interest.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Demeris View Post
My own experience has taught me that some forms of exercise work like off-the-rack physical therapy: Classical Stretch/Essentrics, Pilates, and T-Tapp.
100% agree with this. youtube is also a really good source of understanding what to expect from a personal training session for a person with your history. you can look up "personal training with foot injury."

bottom line is - what are your top three goals and which professional can help you reach those goals?
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Old 10-22-22, 12:36 PM  
prettyinpink
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
My alarm would have been set off by referring me to a chiropractor for that in the first place. Even being based on pseudoscience, some chiros are pretty good at what they do, but my experience has been that many of them go way outside the box of their knowledge base and into excessive woo, for lack of a better term.
But I have no experience with a sports chiro.

Maybe it is worth a try given your previous experiences. I would not be happy that the cost wasn’t made clear up front, though. What if you said you’d go once a week to start, and you will do the workouts on your own as prescribed the other days.

As to why podiatrists and orthopedists didn’t diagnose muscle imbalances, I don’t think that is something they generally do. They presumably know that, but might not use those same terms. Same with PT. Anyone who has had a broken limb is going to have muscle imbalances of some kind afterward, and they know that. And anyone for sure over a certain age has multiple muscle imbalances to some degree, as Demeris said.
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Old 10-22-22, 01:15 PM  
Lannette
 
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Hi bfit,

I have personal experience with injury, muscle imbalances, rehabbing them and having a body that moves and feels like it’s 20 years younger thanks to that rehab process. I still look every minute of my age I just feel and am able to do the things I used to do years ago. Xcountry ski, hike steep hikes, jump, etc.

I worked with a knowledgeable chiropractor who had additional education. She didn’t do the snap, crackle, pop thing. She only physically adjusted me once and only gently in one area. She worked with muscle length and tension. I often self adjusted while resting between her interventions.

There was no personal trainer. I initially used home exercise using my chiropractor’s input. Since the pandemic I’ve continued to work on the plan we put together on my own. I still do the first 10 minute sequence I started with on a daily basis.

bfit, it sounds like this chiro and personal trainer work together. I bet you would probably work with the PT for a period of time at which time they may send you back to the chiro for reassessment. Then back to the PT etc.

The thing is that this kind of work takes time. I’ve been at it for a few years. It’s been totally worth it but it didn’t happen over night.

I think the PT owes you an explanation of exactly how their treatment process works. Can you decrease the cost by doing guided home exercise between visits? Will you be expected to return to, or be treated by the chiro?

BTW, progressive Physical therapists do address muscle imbalances. Unfortunately, the time constraints they work under don’t allow for as much treatment time as most would wish to have. I used to work for one when I first became an LMT. She was amazing.

Lannette
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Old 10-23-22, 01:45 PM  
donnamp
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Maryland, USA
My two cents, in no particular order....

I agree with Jane about the imbalances - we all have them - just by virtue of being right handed/left handed you are going to have some imbalances and if you had a broken foot there is a good chance that one side grew weaker and the other side had to over-compensate. I think at times those imbalances can leave us more prone to injury. And, I think it is something many of us can work on at home - it takes some trial and error and I think having an evaluation done by a professional you trust can help to shed some light on things. But a lot of it is, i think, trial and error and finding what works for you. It involves a lot of patience.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that Personal Trainers work with injured people - I think that is the realm of medical professionals, PTs, OTs, etc. I understood Personal Trainers to work with and design programs for healthy people. I stand corrected if I'm misinformed. But if I were going to look for an expert on returning to exercise from an injury I would probably go w/ a physical therapist over a personal trainer.

I know you mentioned that you didn't feel PT helped - have you thought about why? PT is, quite frankly, boring and it is easy to NOT continue to do the required exercises b/c they are boring and you want to do other things and get back to what you were doing before the injury. Most of the time PT is limited by our insurance and you are only "allowed" a set # of visits, this essentially means that you have to keep doing the exercises/prescribed routine on your own - possibly forever on some level. I'm not saying that you didn't give PT a fair chance, but we are all human, we all get bored, we all get discouraged if things aren't happening fast enough, etc. and that often makes it hard to stay the course long enough to see results.

Over the 3 Physical Therapists, Medical Doctors and Podiatrists you saw - was there a common theme? Did they all agree to some extent on the diagnosis and treatment plan?

The whole thing with the chiropractor/personal trainer sounds a tad suspicious to me - in that no one has given you a price or treatment plan (duration of time) and it sounds like you'll be shuttled back and forth between the personal trainer and chiropractor indefinitely. That alone makes me suspicious. That being said, since you already paid for the assessment you can try out one session with the trainer to see if it is any different than anything else you have done and see how it feels. You can see how open they are to having the prescribe exercises for you that you do on your own at home. I have been to PT and my DD has been to PT and both times we were both given a list of "homework" to do regularly. By contrast, I went to a Chiro for years - It felt great, but I was dependent on those adjustments - he did not give me things to do or work on - on my own - so I eventually stopped going b/c it was a never ending proposition. Now, I may have just had a bad experience. In my situation I think PT combined with Chiro would have been fabulous.

I also agree with Demeris in that there is a lot of "out of the box" PT out there - for you to try to see what clicks/works for you. For me, my PT is Essentrics/Classical Stretch and Pilates - I really like Jessica Valent and Annie Pilates Physical Therapy. Both Jessica and Anne are on You Tube.

I think you also may have to resign yourself to changing up your exercise routine, at least temporarily until you get everything under control - more or less breaking the cycle of constant injuries. That may mean JUST doing PT exercises for a period of time and then working your way back to your old routines one thing at a time. Sometimes you have to hit a complete re-set in order to find the trigger for your constant injuries and sometimes that really is just stopping everything and then adding back in slowly to find what the problem may be.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Keep us posted on what happens with the Personal Trainer if you go.

Donna
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Old 10-23-22, 02:36 PM  
Lannette
 
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Hi Donna,

You’re wrong. Personal trainers and even Massage Therapists with additional training can and do work with injured clients. They usually work with them under a Physician, Surgeon, Physical Therapist or yes, even a Chiropractor. That’s what I suspect is reason the referral to the Sports Chiropractor here.

Secondly we do all have muscle imbalances and function with them perfectly….until we don’t or can’t. The pulled hamstring that recurs time and time again, the back that goes out from time to time, that weak ankle - May just be muscle imbalances. That’s what my wonky
Collarbone/ clavicle and SIJ were but they’re almost good as new these days.

Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’ll make like a tree and leave.
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