Question

Your client, Sarah, was cleared to exercise 6 weeks ago. She shows up to a workout with you today and you notice that she's limping. She mentions that she twisted her knee playing soccer over the weekend but was hoping your corrective exercises could help her. You should:

A) Proceed with the planned workout
B) Encourage her to push through the pain
C) Advise her to see a doctor for an evaluation
D) Modify the workout to avoid aggravating the injury

Answer 1

Advise Sarah to seek medical evaluation for her twisted knee before proceeding with any exercises, to ensure that she does not aggravate the injury or cause further damage.

Step-by-step explanation:

If your client, Sarah, shows up to a workout limping and mentions she twisted her knee playing soccer, the most responsible action would be C) Advise her to see a doctor for an evaluation. It is critical to respect pain and recognize that if something hurts, it is the body's way of signaling that something is wrong. Encouraging Sarah to push through the pain could potentially worsen her condition. Modifications to the workout might be considered, but only after a medical professional has assessed her knee. Any exercise routine following an injury should be carefully designed to avoid further damage and to support the healing process.

Physical therapists are experts in the mechanics of body movements and they develop appropriate physical therapy plans to assist in healing and regaining normal function. These plans include a wide array of treatments, from applying heat packs for enhancing blood flow to carefully curated exercises that challenge the muscles and joints without overloading them. A limping client should only resume or engage in exercises with the approval of a healthcare professional.