Medical Exercise Assessment: Step 4 - Musculoskeletal and Neuromuscular Evaluation

Episode Title: The 7 Steps of the Medical Exercise Assessment - Step 4: Musculoskeletal and Neuromuscular Evaluation 

Episode Summary In this episode, Dr. Mike dives into step four of the seven-step medical exercise assessment process: the Musculoskeletal and Neuromuscular Evaluation. He explains how to transition into formal testing based on the client's affected body region to establish baseline measures for key physical components.

Key Takeaways

• Target the Affected Region: Determine if the client is dealing with a hip, knee, shoulder, or other regional issue to guide your formal testing.
• Evaluate Key Components: This phase involves testing physical components such as strength, range of motion, balance, coordination, stability, and endurance.
• Focus on Function, Not Clinical Assessment: Your goal as a fitness professional is not to perform a clinical diagnostic assessment. Instead, you must identify functional deficits that can be improved through exercise (e.g., limited hip mobility affecting stride length or weak glutes affecting gait).
• Strength Doesn't Always Equal Safety: Dr. Mike shares a case study of a gentleman who possessed good lower-body muscle strength, but whose neuromuscular evaluation revealed severe issues with safe ambulation and navigating directional changes.

Resources Mentioned

• Free eBook: Begin developing your medical exercise training practice by downloading the Medical Exercise Training 101 eBook at www.met101ebook.com.
• Contact the Host: If you have questions for Dr. Mike, please email him at drmike@postrehab.com.

(Note: Join us for the next episode where we will cover step 5: the functional movement assessment process.)