FITNESS TESTING
The personal trainer does not have the qualifications to stress test anyone let alone a senior. This is the
function of a trained medical person. The following are testing methods to determine if the prospective
client is trainable by a personal trainer or should be referred to a physical therapist. These tests are
required for all people who are 65 and older. However, they may also be used at the trainer’s discretion for
younger populations where there trainer deems additional risks may be present. Clients that perform to
the below average level of any section of fitness testing should be referred to a physical therapist before
beginning a training program.
Balance Testing
"Balance is defined as the ability to maintain the body's center of mass over its base of support against the
forces of gravity and acceleration" (Shumway-Cook, 2001). Balance is a function of the interaction of
various systems. The brain receives information from the eyes, inner ears, joints and muscles.
Falls in the elderly (65 and older) account for 40 percent of hospital admissions (Stevens, 1999). Between
30% and 40% of 65 and older people are subject to one or more falls annually and even higher for those
over 80 years old. For those that have experienced falling, whether injured or not, have an increase in fear
of future falls and a reduced activity level.
To be effective and safe, personal trainers need ways to assess a client's risk of falling. Fear of falling,
which is a major concern of the elderly along with other factors including dementia, certain medications
and physiological or pathological conditions can all have an adverse affect on balance.
There are a number of balance tests that are available for use. Some methods have proven better than
others for predictive falling. Only one of the following tests need to be performed to determine a balance
assessment of the prospective client. If the client does not pass the administered test, then the trainer
should refer the client to a physical therapist prior to beginning a training program.
The Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), developed by Shumway-Cook and Woollacott, is a method of balance
assessment which can demonstrate a person's postural stability while changing tasks. The DGI test
assesses balance during eight different tasks including walking, changing gait speed, and walking with
head turns in the vertical and horizontal planes, stepping over and around an obstacle, and stair ascent
and descent. The DGI can be administered in approximately 10 minutes. The best score is 24. Scores of
19 and lower indicate an increased risk of falling. Score results below 19 are more useful to the Physical
Therapist in rehabilitation rather than the trainer.