Elements and Performance Criteria
- Consult with referred clients presenting with stable musculoskeletal considerations.
- Receive exercise referral from an accredited exercise physiologist or relevant medical or allied health professional.
- Confirm exercise referral has sufficient detail to allow flexibility for modifications to accommodate progression of the client.
- Become familiar with typical adverse signs and symptoms that may arise during exercise for this pathology.
- Discuss with the client their complete exercise history and their musculoskeletal condition and record relevant information according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
- Explain the physiology of musculoskeletal considerations and associated risk factors to the client in simple terms and confirm client understanding.
- Explain to the client the causes and consequences of specific musculoskeletal conditions in the context of their effect on exercise capacity and conditions.
- Explain to the client the role of physical activity in managing musculoskeletal conditions and enhancing health.
- Deliver prescribed exercise programs.
- Undertake appropriate fitness assessments as required.
- Work with medical or allied health professional to deliver an exercise plan in accordance with recognised exercise recommendations, fitness test results, client limitations, and potential interactions of medications.
- Explain to the client the role of muscular conditioning, and the reasons for their inclusion as part of the client's exercise prescription.
- Explain to the client the exercise variables to be delivered in the context of managing their specific musculoskeletal conditions.
- Apply instructional techniques to ensure safe and appropriate application of the exercise program by the client.
- Demonstrate the safe and appropriate use of selected exercise equipment and report or address any unsafe equipment according to organisational policies and procedures.
- Monitor and review clients responses to the prescribed exercise program
- Monitor perceived exercise intensity and make adjustment as required.
- Assess the client's performance and explain and correct any unsafe exercise procedures.
- Monitor client responses for any typical signs and symptoms requiring intervention that may occur during exercise.
- Recognise signs of an unstable condition and refer the client back to an appropriate medical or allied health professional.
- Report outcomes to referral source as well as client.
- Discuss the information obtained through observation of the client's static and dynamic posture with the referring accredited exercise physiologist, or relevant medical or allied health professional to deliver an exercise program to reduce the progression of postural variances and to minimise the risk of injury during fitness activities.
- Apply extensive knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology to the delivery of exercise for moderate risk clients.
- Identify major bones, joints and their related connective tissue structures, and the major muscles acting on these joints when delivering exercise programs for clients.
- Identify and describe to clients the functional anatomy of the major joints when delivering rehabilitation exercise programs for clients with musculoskeletal conditions.
- Apply knowledge of the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system and basic biomechanics to posture, functional stability and locomotion when delivering exercise programs for moderate risk clients.
- Apply an understanding of the fundamental structural and functional differences affecting the mobility and stability of the pectoral girdle, pelvic girdle and vertebral column when undertaking screening and programming for clients with postural concerns.
- Apply the structural adaptations of musculoskeletal tissue in response to exercise, mechanical stress and disease to exercise programming for moderate risk clients.
- Explain to clients the process of bone remodelling and muscle tissue repair in response to injury when dealing with musculoskeletal conditions.
- Describe the effects of ageing and inactivity on musculoskeletal tissue and apply to exercise delivery to clients.
- Apply the effect of individual structural differences on exercise performance to the delivery of exercise programs for moderate risk clients.