How many times has a member asked for your advice about an injury they have sustained? As a group fitness instructor, it is vital that we can distinguish a lack of fitness or technique issue from an injury that needs analysis from a medical or health care professional. Each class differs slightly in the sorts of injuries members may complain about, so let’s take a closer look:
When asked about Group Power®, Master Trainer Charlotte Reeve says some of the most common complaints are lower back, shoulder and knee pain.
Lower back pain is often due to inadequate core strength around the mid-back (lumbar spine) to cope with large weights used, which can be exacerbated by technique faults. Shoulder pain can results from a lack of shoulder setting and a weak rotator cuff muscles, leading to impingement and repetitive strain of structures in the shoulder. Knee pain is commonly attributed to insufficient glute activation and control which affects lower limb function and results in poor knee tracking.
In Group Step®, Group Active™, Group Groove® and Group Kick®, shin, foot and heel pain are other common ailments. Weak hip stabilisers (Gluteus medius) are often to blame, as they affect the biomechanics of the lower limbs, resulting in poor knee/ankle alignment. Incorrect technique (e.g. not grounding the heels in Group Step®) and unsuitable footwear can also contribute.
Hip and back pain can also occur in these programs. Often, this is caused by inadequate flexibility through the hamstrings, quadriceps and ITBs, combined with poor core strength to cope with high impact movements.
In Group Ride®, knee pain due to tight ITB’s is not uncommon. Frequent stretching, correct bike set up, and the use of cleats if available can help prevent knee issues.
Get Hard Core!
It’s important to address one of the main underlying causes of injuries: a weak core. Incorporating a program like Group Core™ as part of a participants’ (and your own) training schedule can be extremely beneficial.
People often mistake core stability as something that can be developed just by training abdominals and shown by the presence of a six-pack. Unfortunately the abdominal region is only one link in the muscular network that provides much needed stability to the spine. Group Core™ will target your abdominals, but will also work your glutes, obliques and posterior chain (the set of muscles that run down the back side of the body). Group Core™ has a large focus on functional training and control of movement through technique. Throughout the class, specific exercises and positions are used to engage the core and maximize recruitment of the correct musculature, thus minimizing compensation from larger muscle groups. This will ensure that every component of the muscular support system is being strengthened, not just the abdominals.
I’d rather be safe than sorry
If a member complains of an injury that is not settling down, or an acute/severe injury that is affecting quality of life and daily tasks, we suggest you recommend assessment by a doctor, physiotherapist or podiatrist. It is important for a member to seek professional advice if they are for instance, complaining of ongoing shin/ foot pain due to the high risk of stress fractures – continuation of high impact exercise in this situation can be detrimental to health and longevity.
If it is pain that a participant is getting only during a particular move/class and appears minor, then attempt to correct any technique faults or poor equipment use first to see if you can overcome their issues. This may also be an appropriate time to encourage more regular stretching. We all aim to deliver effective classes and maximize participant success; however it is important to recognise what may be out of your expertise as an instructor, and to keep your members safe in their training for satisfaction and optimal results.
Written by Tyler Adams
Master Trainer and Assessor, Body Training Solutions
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