Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to incorporate an understanding of injury prevention into fitness instruction, programming and provision of fitness advice. It involves the application of foundation knowledge and skills to support the encouragement of healthy posture, effective movement patterns and safe exercise technique.
This unit requires the ability to screen the injury risk of clients who have a history of current and/or recurrent injury, within the scope of practice as part of or following industry endorsed pre-exercise screening and risk stratification protocols.
It applies to advanced personal trainers who analyse the risk of injury, re-injury or development of avoidable injury complications as well as client response to injury prevention in consultation with relevant medical or allied health professionals. Advanced personal trainers typically work autonomously in controlled and uncontrolled fitness environments. Work is performed according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Consolidate understanding of injury prevention. | 1.1 Source and access information on injury prevention relevant to prevention of recurrence or development of secondary injuries. 1.2 Source and analyse data on common injuries for clients using fitness services. 1.3 Use knowledge of injury prevention strategies in day-to-day professional practice. 1.4 Discuss/explain how understanding of injury prevention strategies contribute to safe/optimum technique and skill development. 1.5 Use a wide range of terminology relevant to injury prevention and fitness outcomes. |
2. Analyse client risk of injury. | 2.1 Conduct pre-exercise screening using industry endorsed screening protocols. 2.2 Review client history of injury, fitness level and risk factors that may lead to injury or complications for specific fitness activities. 2.3 Observe and analyse client movement and exercise capacity against accepted movement analysis and exercise technique standards. 2.4 Determine need for further functional evaluation and refer client to appropriate allied health professional as required. |
3. Develop and implement injury prevention strategies. | 3.1 Analyse various exercises, exercise techniques and fitness activities in relation to injury risk. 3.2 Develop injury prevention strategies in consultation with client, and appropriate allied health professional as required. 3.3 Explain injury prevention strategies to client. 3.4 Use preventative strategies in fitness instruction, programming and provision of advice to minimise likelihood of client injury. 3.5 Monitor client progress and seek guidance from, or provide feedback to, allied health professional as required. 3.6 Adjust preventative measures and interventions in response to ongoing client monitoring. 3.7 Maintain client records of injury prevention strategies. |
4. Update knowledge of injury trends and prevention. | 4.1 Evaluate own professional performance and identify potential improvements for future implementation of injury prevention strategies. 4.2 Identify and use opportunities to update and expand own knowledge of injury trends, preventative measures and interventions. 4.3 Monitor response to changes made to own professional practice or instruction. 4.4 Continue to adjust own practice to optimise results. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role. This must include period(s) totalling at least fifteen hours comprising at least ten different client contact sessions, and:
effectively use knowledge to improve own professional practice for injury screening, developing and monitoring injury prevention strategies in at least five different client sessions
conduct sessions that individually or cumulatively incorporate:
pre-exercise screening using industry endorsed protocols, including:
history of injuries
current function at past injury sites
industry endorsed risk stratification
observation and analysis of the following using at least three functional movements for each client in line with accepted movement and technique standards:
functional movement capacity for at least five clients using exercise observation in all of the following movement patterns and scenarios:
push
pull
squat
lunge
rotate
overhead press
overhead pull
with and without equipment
loaded and unloaded
records of gait observation for at least three clients:
view:
anterior
posterior
lateral
gait cycle:
stance phase
swing phase
flight phase
double stance phase
evaluation:
ankle
foot
tibia
knee
pelvis
trunk
head
arm
foot cycle:
foot strike
mid–stance
toe off
evaluation of:
sequence of movement at each joint
sequence of muscle actions
efficiency of movement
evidence-based injury prevention strategies supported by relevant research regarding the cause and prevalence of commonly occurring injuries:
incidence
severity
prevalence
cause
type of injuries
implementation of at least three injury prevention measures for each client, involving:
screening
protective equipment
hydration and healthy eating
pre-exercise, warm-up and stretching
neural stretching
recovery strategies and physical conditioning
frequency and duration of participation
correction of technique
checking for adequate rehabilitation following injury
appropriate management of risk factors that may predispose the client to further injury
staff training about risks, referral and appropriate exercise programming for specific populations
collaboration with medical or allied health professional, stakeholders and clients to develop, implement and monitor injury prevention and management strategies.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
legislation and regulatory requirements:
appropriate collection and storage of client information
application of legal and ethical limitations of own role
work health and safety/occupational health and safety
equipment safety standards
defined roles and responsibilities of the advanced personal trainer and their ethical and legal limitations in implementing injury prevention and management strategies
risk factors associated with a range of injuries:
personal and internal factors
past injury to an area
biomechanics
exercise technique
extrinsic factors
equipment used
gender
age – growing as well as ageing bodies
training load (acute and cumulative)
fitness level
posture
trainer/instructor knowledge and skill
basic principles of biomechanics to enable the application of appropriate techniques and strategies to minimise injuries for specific fitness activities
correct execution and teaching points for the following primal functional movement patterns and the implications of results in regards to injury prevention strategies:
push
pull
squat
lunge
rotate
overhead press
overhead pull
pathology of common injury for specific activities, and injury response and the phases of healing and repair:
primary or secondary
direct or indirect
acute or overuse
musculoskeletal
anatomy of the musculoskeletal system and its supporting systems to enable the design of appropriate programs
function of the neuromuscular system to enable design of appropriate programs
range of motion and stretching techniques to enable inclusion of exercise variables to suit client functional capacity
role of exercise and fitness in the prevention, management and rehabilitation of common exercise related injuries and falls prevention
appropriate measures for joint mobility:
visual observation
use of appropriate equipment
joint specific range of movement
tests for specific joints
segmental mobility of vertebral section
active range
functional range
hypo or hypermobile joints
contralateral
symptoms
common types of re-occurring injuries:
sprains
strains
primary or secondary
direct or indirect
acute or overuse
musculoskeletal
appropriate tests for muscular strength:
relative strength
muscular endurance including functional endurance
primal functional movement patterns and muscle activation for muscle groups used:
push
pull
squat
lunge
rotate
overhead press
overhead pull
functional anatomy of joints:
glenohumeral:
bones
ligaments
related structures
muscles acting on the joint
elbow:
bones
ligaments
related structures
muscles acting on the joint
lumbo–sacral:
bones
ligaments
muscles acting on the joint
intervertebral:
bones
ligaments
muscles acting on the joint
hip (coxal):
bones
ligaments
muscles acting on the joint
knee (tibiofemoral and or patellofemoral):
bones
ligaments
related structures
muscles acting on the joint
ankle (talocrucal):
bones
ligaments
related structures
muscles acting on the joint
bony landmarks:
mastoid process
spinous process of the vertebrae
spine of the scapula
inferior angle of the scapula
acromion process
coracoid process
xiphoid process
lateral epicondyle of humerus
head of the radius
styloid process
olecranon process
umbilicus
anterior superior iliac spine
posterior superior iliac spine
iliac crest
ischial tuberosity
greater trochanter
lateral femoral condyle
medial epicondyle
lateral epicondyle
superior border of the patella
inferior border of the patella
lateral malleolus
medial malleolus
calcaneus
factors affecting movement patterns and exercise performance, including deviations in posture or functional limitations at commencement, during, at completion of exercise or movement:
asymmetrical muscle tone
range of movement and mobility of major joint complexes
spinal curvature – lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis
scapula setting:
winging of scapula
anterior tipping/tilting
upward/downward rotation
pelvis position:
anterior/posterior
rotation
knee alignment:
varus/valgus
foot alignment:
internal/external rotation
pronation/supination
forward head
stability of major joint complexes
muscle strength and activation
neuromuscular control
sitting/standing/supine positions
processes for, and reasons for referral to appropriate medical or allied health professionals:
pain upon presentation to initial session/induction
history of uncontrolled/unresolved pain
pain during movement or exercise
static postural deviations
an inability to correct static or dynamic posture
restricted joint range of movement, strength imbalance or balance, stability or coordination concern that is limiting function
a diagnosed muscle, bone or joint problem with medical or allied health advice that the problem could be made worse by participating in physical activity/exercise
client history of an injury that has resulted in residual functional limitation
industry endorsed scope of practice.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in:
a fitness industry workplace or simulated environment with clients with real or simulated health and fitness goals.
Assessment must ensure access to:
anatomical and physiological information and resources related to injury prevention
anatomical models or images
legislation and organisational policies and procedures in relation to injury prevention strategies.
Assessment must ensure use of:
planning and evaluation templates with space to identify improvements to professional practice
client record forms
fitness industry standard equipment suitable for analysing client risk of injury and conducting range of movement tests
industry endorsed client pre-exercise health screening and risk stratification tools
at least four of the following postural screening equipment:
plumb line
grid
photographic technology
video analysis
tape measure
goniometer
flexometer
plurimeter
pressure biofeedback unit
medical or allied health professionals for referral processes; these can be:
medical or allied health professionals in the workplace, or
individuals who participate in project activities, role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, within a workplace or training organisation
clients; these can be:
clients in an industry workplace, or
individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation.
Assessment activities that allow the individual to:
demonstrate ability to incorporate injury prevention knowledge into the instruction of sessions, catering for:
beginners, intermediate and advanced participants
low and high impact.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisation’s requirements for assessors, and:
have achieved a Diploma of Fitness or above; and
have at least 2 years consecutive post qualification fitness industry experience in the application of the skills and knowledge of the Diploma of Fitness.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | source and comprehend often complex injury prevention information and evidence-based research interpret pre-exercise screening and fitness appraisal information. |
Writing skills to: | develop detailed client profiles and training records pertaining to prevention strategies and guidance received from medical or allied health professionals. |
Oral communication skills to: | use open and closed probe questioning techniques to: determine client history of injury, fitness level and risk factors. |
Teamwork skills to: | collaborate with various professionals and client in order to establish and follow through with the most appropriate injury prevention strategies for the client, if required. |
Sectors
Fitness
Competency Field
Fitness