What is Wellness?
Seems like everyone I know is a Wellness Coach these days. Sounds great, but what exactly does it mean? As much a buzzword in the health, fitness, and nutrition industry as local, organic, and artisanal are to the food and beverage industry, the term wellness may need a little more explanation.
On January 1, 2005 new legislation was passed to allow physical therapists in California to practice “wellness”. What exactly did that permit us to do? We could now see clients for “the promotion and maintenance of physical fitness to enhance the bodily movement related to health and wellness of individuals through the use of physical therapy interventions.” It is perplexing that physical therapists, healthcare professionals with extensive training in anatomy, physiology and pathology, had been previously relegated to treating only the injured. There is no legislation to limit access to personal trainers and massage therapists. Funny that it took a Senate Bill to allow CA PT’s to work preventatively with healthy adults.
I have always enjoyed my role as Wellness Provider (see definition above). I believe that physical therapists are best poised to fill this role beyond formal rehabilitation. Physical therapists have the training and formal education to help you before an injury occurs. You see your doctor and dentist on a regular basis. Why not schedule an annual exam with an expert in neuromuscular health?
In addition to the Wellness Screen that many clients schedule annually, we offer a range of Wellness Services at TherapydiaCA. Many clients have continued working with me following rehabilitation for a specific injury because of my training as physical therapist. For those who wish to schedule Wellness sessions, we offer customized single and partner Pilates or TRX sessions as well as small group classes that are limited in size to provide attention to form. Injured or healthy runners benefit from RunRx, our program to evaluate run form and provide a custom, progressive training plan for improved performance and prevention of injury.
The label “Wellness Provider” is not exclusive to physical therapists. Other professions use this term though it’s meaning may be different from industry to industry. If you are interested in working with someone who calls him or herself a Health or Wellness Coach, ask them what it means. Do they have specialized training in a particular skill beyond their primary occupation? How are they unique compared to another massage therapist, personal trainer, nutritionist or life coach?
Don’t be fooled by labels.
