Revised clearance for participation in physical activity: greater screening responsibility for qualified university-educated fitness professionals

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2007 Dec;32(6):1191-7. doi: 10.1139/H07-128.

Abstract

For many individuals, pre-participation clearance using the PAR-Q and the PARmed-X has become a barrier to adopting a physically active lifestyle. An extensive project is therefore planned to reduce the number of medical referrals from the PAR-Q and to revise the PARmed-X so that it becomes more effective, user friendly, and evidence based. The entire process will likely require 3 years to complete; therefore, as an interim solution, we propose giving greater pre-participation screening responsibility to qualified university-educated fitness professionals. The highest level of professional fitness qualification in Canada is the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Certified Exercise Physiologist; the requirements for this certification are such that it could serve as a model allowing other countries that use the PAR-Q to develop similarly qualified university-educated fitness professionals who could also be entrusted with greater pre-participation screening responsibility.

MeSH terms

  • Canada
  • Certification
  • Exercise Tolerance / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Physical Fitness / physiology*
  • Physical Fitness / psychology*
  • Physiology / standards*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Surveys and Questionnaires*