Assesment before physical exercises prescription in south Bahia fitness centers

Abstract

Evaluating prior prescribes physical exercise (preparticipation) contribute to its efficiency and security. Physical Education professionals can suit activities to their clients' necessities and objectives. However apply to a Gym not always ensure preparticipation screening. Our objective was to identify whether Fitness Centers performed evaluations with their clients before physical exercise prescription and what were the main evaluations performed. Forms were applied and answered by Physical Education professionals responsible for 20 gyms in a city in the south of Bahia. According to the data, most gym academies (60%) performed at least one preparticipation evaluation with all clients for free. The most frequent evaluations were risk stratification and anamnesis, performed for seven and six gyms respectively. On the other hand, the responsible for eight (40%) of the 20 gym academies reported not performing any evaluation. The engagement in physical exercise without prior evaluation limits identification of client's conditions such as cardiopathies, postural deviations and diabetes, raising concern upon physical exercise security and quality.