CPTN Certified Personal Trainer

Disability & Personal Training

Persons with disabilities have the same needs, wants and rights as the “able bodied” population. Knowledge of persons with disabilities enables practitioners to offer services to clients who need individualized programs designed around their special needs and who want to participate in physical activity as a regular component of their everyday lives.

Definition:

Persons with disabilities can refer to any group with special conditions or needs; these conditions are usually but not always, chronic, permanent and non-progressive. These conditions may present limitations to performance and usually require modifications for participation in physical activity.

Areas to be covered:

  • Appropriate attitudes for practitioners
  • Competencies needed by practitioners
  • Causes, characteristics and behaviours associated with conditions
  • Modifications and program design considerations for special populations

Key Concepts:

  • To define and apply an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
  • To understand the most commonly encountered conditions (cerebral palsy, hearing impaired, visual impaired, spinal cord injury, spina bifida, down syndrome, orthropedic impairments)
  • To know the different kinds of each condition e.g. there are three kinds of cerebral palsy - spasticity, athetosis, ataxia
  • To know how to modify and create activities appropriate for particular special needs

References: