Personal training is not Rehab

More and more personal trainers market themselves as "rehab specialists" who can resolve their clients' injuries. Although their intentions may be good, these trainers could unknowingly cause significant harm to both their clients and themselves. Personal trainers typically receive minimal education about injuries. Even Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS)—often considered the "gold standard" certification—primarily learn about general injury types, stages, and risk factors, not about diagnosing or rehabilitating injuries.

Legally and ethically, personal trainers and strength coaches cannot diagnose or treat injuries or pain. Despite this clear boundary, many trainers still prescribe rehab-like exercises or casually label injuries as "tendonitis" or "overuse." Whether driven by negligence or ignorance, trainers must clearly understand where their scope of practice ends and that of medical professionals begins.

Pain itself is a complex, multifactorial phenomenon requiring assessment and management from qualified healthcare providers. Personal trainers and strength coaches should maintain clear, frequent communication with medical professionals to understand precisely which movements and exercises are safe and appropriate for injured clients. This collaboration protects both client health and trainer liability.

What personal trainers can and should do regarding pain and injuries is screen clients for mobility imbalances, support flexibility in joints surrounding (but not directly on) the site of pain—without performing diagnostic screenings—strengthen muscles adjacent to the injury, and adjust movements through regressions or reduced loads to prevent aggravation.

In short, if your trainer attempts to diagnose your injury, prescribes specific rehabilitation exercises, or ignores the need for professional medical consultation, it might be time to find a new trainer.