Increasingly common, GP referrals for exercise reasons are ensuring a steady flow of work for some personal trainers . Whether it's a GP referral for weight loss, to build muscle, or for rehab after an illness, more and more doctors are using this to get people on the road to fitness.
GP referrals can be for a variety of reasons, but they all have one thing in common - the person requires the services of a trained professional to design a safe and effective exercise programme for them. Whether it's because of rehab after an injury or surgery, due to an illness, or simply because you doctor thinks that you need to get in better shape for health reasons, GP referrals are on the increase.
There are two reasons for this. The first is that the health service in general is becoming more and more aware of the benefits of exercise not just for the young, fit and healthy, but for the whole population. Increasingly, doctors are recommending exercise programmes for people in ill health as a way of aiding their recovery. The new 'Health Trainers' programme is a good example of this.
The other factor that is contributing is the better training and certification of exercise professionals. With more and more personal trainers having received training in working with special populations, doctors are feeling more comfortable recommending their patients seek the services of a trainer.
So if you have had surgery, suffered an injury, or have a medical condition, take the time to talk to a suitably trained exercise professional - they may be able to design a programme that helps you to regain fitness and health.
