Introduction

In the fitness world the term, 'special populations' refers to groups with unique physical and health considerations. These include older adults, pregnant women, adolescents, and individuals with chronic health conditions or disabilities. The challenge and reward for fitness professionals lie in creating effective, tailored programs that address these diverse needs whilst, most importantly, ensuring that everyone goes home safely.

I’ll take you through some key information below but if the idea of working with people who fall into a special population appeals to you - reach out to us, we’re here to support your career in the industry that we love.

Understanding Special Populations

Special populations in fitness encompass a wide range of individuals, each with specific requirements. These groups require more than just standard fitness regimens; they need programs adapted to their unique health profiles. Training these populations necessitates a good working knowledge and understanding of their specific limitations and capabilities.

With that, let’s take a whistle stop tour of the kinds of special populations you could work with:

First things first, and probably the most common type of person who fits into a special population, pregnant people. When someone becomes pregnant, their body goes through several biological and biomechanical changes meaning that your usual approach to training them may no longer be safe or effective. It’s therefore important to ensure that you have the appropriate skills and certifications to be able to continue working with your clients who become pregnant or even attract new clients.

The qualification you would need to be able to do this is a Level 3 Award in Pre and Postnatal Exercise and here at Motion Fitness Education, we’re pleased to offer a learner-centred pre and postnatal course that will allow you to gain the skills to safely work with your pre and postnatal clients.

The next group is a little broader, those living with chronic health conditions. These health conditions can include those who live with Type I and Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Osteoarthris, Rheumatoid Arthritis and mental health conditions. To work with clients who live with one of these conditions, you need to be able to understand each condition, how it impacts upon daily life and how the risks of exercise can be managed.

To work with these special populations, you would need to hold a Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral. This qualification covers the signs and symptoms of each condition, how to screen clients for extra risk factors and how to program and lead exercise for people who live with these conditions.

Speaking from experience, working with these populations is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in this industry and if it piques your interest, check our Level 3 Award in Pre and Postnatal Exercise and Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral out at the below link:

https://www.motionfitnesseducation.com/cpd-courses

Designing Inclusive Fitness Programs

Developing fitness programs for special populations involves careful planning. For older adults, low-impact exercises focusing on balance and strength can be beneficial and are most likely to result in the client seeing improvements in their quality of life. The focus of training is generally not to hugely improve physical fitness but to increase general energy levels and maintain as many biological functions as possible. Older adults are likely to have very individual considerations such as health conditions, old injuries and varying energy levels and as a result programming for an older adult requires carrying out an in depth consultation in which you discuss their preferences and considerations and explain how you can create a plan that will not only benefit them but that they will enjoy.

Pregnant women require programs that consider their changing bodies and avoid strain contraindications, or in other words things that could bring undue health risks. As biomechanical changes are progressive through the three trimesters of pregnancy, it is important to plan accordingly. Usually, this involves activity that is mostly normal in the first trimester, with intensity and certain types of exercise being adjusted to be appropriate for the latter two trimesters in addition to specific exercises being planned to support the pelvic floor and to prepare the body for giving birth.

For those with chronic conditions or disabilities, exercises should be adapted to their abilities, always prioritising safety and comfort. This can involve simple changes to programming such as having a longer warm up and cool down, to certain types of exercise or movement being completely contraindicated (not allowed for safety reasons). For example, a person living with Asthma would benefit from a longer warm up period as this will allow their body to more effectively adapt to exercise, or a person with Osteoarthritis avoiding impact based exercise which could cause flare ups, instead focusing on strengthening the muscles around the affected joints.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Working with special populations brings its own set of legal and ethical responsibilities.

As with all areas in our industry, it's crucial to obtain informed consent and respect privacy. Fitness professionals should always prioritise the safety and well-being of their clients, adhering to industry standards and guidelines.

In some instances, it is also a requirement for fitness professionals who are working with special populations to have either specific insurance that allows them to do so, or to amend their current insurance policy to protect both them and their client in the event that a claim is made.

Confidentiality is also an often overlooked consideration; as fitness professionals, we generally understand the importance of confidentially, but when working with those who are living with life long or chronic conditions, it is even more important as they will often have to divulge medical information as part of training and consultations. It may also be necessary for fitness professionals to communicate with other professionals if the client is a part of an exercise referral scheme, and it is important that they act within the bounds of the scheme’s privacy scheme.

Collaboration with Health Professionals

Collaborating with healthcare providers is often necessary when designing fitness programs for special populations. This multidisciplinary approach ensures that all aspects of the client's health are considered, leading to safer and more effective training plans.

It’s important to note that while this doesn’t happen in every case, it’s generally best practice to ask a client who is part of a special population to provide a letter from their GP or from another medical professional stating that taking part in exercise will be safe for them.

The instance in which a fitness professional is most likely to have to engage with other professionals around a client’s care would be when the fitness professional and the client are working as part of an exercise referral scheme, which are often funded by health boards in the UK. Details of these schemes, and how you could work with them can be found through your local health board for publicly funded schemes.

Collaboration may also take the form of you as the fitness professional referring your client onto another professional. Most likely, this will be when you identify an issue or a risk factor and the client is referred back to their GP, or the medical professional managing their care, so that they can get clearance to exercise safely.

When collaboration between professionals is appropriate, it can be a very valuable support structure for the client, providing them with the opportunity to significantly improve their health and fitness.

Conclusion:

Training special populations is a significant and rewarding aspect of the fitness industry. It offers an opportunity for professionals to expand their skills and make a profound impact on the lives of their clients. Embracing this challenge can lead to a fulfilling and impactful career in fitness.

At Motion Fitness Education, we’re primed and ready to help you gain the tools you need in your toolbox to work with special populations in a safe and meaningful way that can provide a lot of value to both you and your clients.

Speaking from experience, working with special populations is incredibly rewarding and you get to see a real, tangible difference being made with the work you are doing.

If working with special populations is something you’d like to do but you’re not sure how to get started, drop us an enquiry, we’re here to help and to chat through how you can break into this sector of the industry.

Much love,

Blair