Subtle Changes Over Time Mean a Higher Quality of Life



BEFORE



AFTER

At some point in my career, I was told that I was a 'Special Needs' trainer. When I asked why, I was told to look at my clientele list. Sure enough, the vast majority of my clientele all had some outstanding issue which prevented them from pursuing physical fitness in the manner that the average person could. Currently, my personal training clientele base ranges from individuals with spinal fusions, hip replacements, shoulder impingements, and amputations. While I did not consciously seek out this clientele base, it remains a professional fact that these clients, those who present with special needs, are perhaps my favorite clients to work with; their particular issue presents as a conundrum that I feel motivated to solve, that's just my personality. Why am I motivated to help? Aside from loving a great puzzle, I truly enjoy helping others increase the quality of their lives by maximizing their physical potential. That is why I stay dedicated to the fitness industry; that is why I wish to assist it in its growth- I'd like to contribute something systemic that will allow others to enjoy the fulfillment that I have come to know and love.

I've posted the pictures above because they are a visual representation of change over time; a change that led to this particular clients increasingly improved quality of life. For me, this is where the proverbial rubber meets the road (as my martial arts instructor so frequently states). If the quality of life of the client is not improving, then why am I training them?

For the client pictured above, they are living with a lumbar spinal fusion. Since the fusion, there have been an array of other physical challenges that have presented themselves, and many of them could very well be a result of the spinal fusion. Take due notice, I state 'could very well be' as I do not know for sure, I can't diagnose, and no M.D. has ever confirmed such a thing (and I doubt one ever would- liability, credibility issues, etc.).What I do know, is that I have been trained in Human Movement Science (HMS), and that science teaches me that there is an inherent logic to the human body, particularly regarding movement patterns. My job as a Human Movement Scientist is to learn & identify that logic as it uniquely manifests within my clientele.
           

In this picture, the client presents with help flexion, and could not extend the hips greater than what the picture shows. At the time this picture was taken, they were experiencing balance issues, leg fatigue, and pain in the lower back. In fact, they were so acutely aware of their physical discomforts and pains, they had allowed it to become an undisputable ‘fact’ of their life- they were aging, they were in pain, and the two seemed to go together.

Being enamored with program design, I sought to address their inability to perform hip extension, as far as it was affected muscularly. As a HMS practitioner, I deal with muscles, not bones- there are licensed professionals to handle those issues. As pictured, one of the exercises that we incorporated into the training regiment was a supine physio-ball bridge. This exercise proved to work well in accentuating hip extension and allowing them to practice the mobility of the movement pattern. Initially, we kept this more as an assessment tool, utilizing stabilization exercises to strengthen the hip extension over time. As strength improved, we would revisit this bridge assessment to check for improvement in mobility. Each time, there was improvement, so we maximized that portion of the training regiment.

The picture above is approx. 9 month later, and it should be clearly visible that the client is able to move through a greater range of hip extension. As theory suggests, when the gluteals strengthen (they are the agonist for hip extension), they are better able to stabilize the pelvic girdle. Subsequently, since they do their job as a stabilizer, the other muscles that were over-working to compensate for the glutes, can then relax and not over work. Sure enough, this was confirmed by the client expressing that their balance had improved and that low back pain had substantially decreased.

What I find most exciting, is that this client had additionally achieved a greater degree of self-efficacy- an improved sense that they had acquired a greater capacity to achieve their fitness goals. For someone who had previously initiated conversations by complaining of physical pains, this was a major difference. Now, this client is excited about working out, and perceives it to be an indispensable part of their lifestyle. As the person who has helped them get to this point in their personal training regiment, I find it extremely exciting to have been a part of this process. When I see the look in their eyes, a look of pride regarding their physical accomplishments, I am sometimes overwhelmed. It is true, this process has taken several years, and has been an incremental journey, but it has been a successful journey. Of the many things that I do in my life, I am honored to be a part of this change over time. In many ways, I feel that my life has been enriched because I have participated in the enrichment of someone else’s life. Oft times, in moments of solitude, I wonder if I am really helping, if the work is “good enough,” but then I see something like what is exhibited in these pictures, and I am sinfully pleased with what I do for a living.

I am Blessed beyond words.

Earnest L. Hudson, Jr.
MS, CSCS, CES, PES