| We've all heard the advice before starting an | | | | 3 Screening involves an even more detailed |
| exercise program: "See your doctor before you | | | | physical examination and exercise stress testing. |
| begin." Often, many adults disregard this advice, | | | | Most often, only the first level screening is |
| presuming that it doesn't really apply to them. | | | | performed. However, according to the ACSM, it is |
| However, regardless of your age, your current | | | | not inappropriate to perform all three levels of |
| fitness level, or your health history, it's always | | | | fitness testing, since the information obtained |
| important to make sure that exercise is safe and | | | | from all three screening steps can actually |
| appropriate for you before embarking on a new | | | | enhance your exercise prescription's safety and |
| exercise program. | | | | effectiveness. |
| Fitness assessments -- also known as | | | | Fitness assessments typically focus on identifying |
| pre-participation health screenings, or fitness tests | | | | the presence of major cardiovascular risk factors, |
| -- are important screening tools to determine the | | | | looking for symptoms suggesting possible |
| presence of risk factors and any symptoms of | | | | cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disorders. |
| cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic diseases, | | | | However, other important areas of consideration |
| as well as other health conditions which may be | | | | include your baseline joint range of motion and |
| adversely affected by exercise. The fitness | | | | level of flexibility, since design of your exercise |
| assessment provides key information that can be | | | | program should ideally take these into |
| used to develop a prescription of exercise that | | | | consideration in order to be completely safe. Your |
| helps you achieve your health goals quickly, but | | | | body composition and a test of your strength and |
| safely. | | | | endurance should also be performed, primarily to |
| These can range from simple self-administered | | | | obtain a baseline so that you can see how much |
| questionnaires, to a physical examination and even | | | | you've improved by the end of your exercise |
| complex diagnostic screening tests. Typically, the | | | | prescription. |
| physician creating your exercise prescription will | | | | Finally, perhaps the most important part of a |
| determine the screening procedures appropriate | | | | fitness test is to make sure that those who have |
| for his or her patient population. | | | | demonstrated some risks or health concerns are |
| The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) | | | | referred for additional evaluation. The presence of |
| suggests three levels of fitness testing prior to | | | | health risks doesn't necessarily preclude you from |
| participation in an exercise or sports program. In a | | | | participating in a fitness program, but your |
| Level 1 Screening, only a self-administered | | | | exercise prescription may need to be altered to |
| questionnaire is completed. The Level 2 Screening | | | | allow for safe participation and to maximize health |
| is more detailed, and can involve a medical history, | | | | benefits. |
| physical examination, and laboratory testing. Level | | | | |