HAPPY 2011

Well 2011 is here. It's been a rough ride for some of you over the last 2 years but things are starting to look up. 2011 is the year to establish your post rehab practice. Never before have the opportunities for post rehab fitness professionals been so great. Take a moment to share your predictions for post rehab professionals and services for 2011 and beyond. Please read on for my predictions and predictions from our PostRehab.com instructors.

Dr Mike's Predictions

1. We will see an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and arthritis to name a few.

2. The governments of North America will declare a health crisis due to the sharp increase in the number of patients with chronic diseases. Our health care systems here in North America are bursting as the seams managing chronic disease. Its only a matter of time before our governments must declare a 'crisis' to allow proper allocation of resources to deal with this emergency.

3. An increase awareness of 'medical exercise and post rehab fitness' in its role in the management of medical conditions.

4. A growing recognition of Medical Exercise Specialists, Post Rehab Conditioning Specialists and Medical Exercise Program Directors by physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors and other medical professionals for their role in implementing safe and effective post rehab and medical exercise programs.

5. An increase in the number of and amount paid to post rehab professionals by insurance carriers for the post rehab and medical exercise services. Post rehab and medical exercise services are smart investments for insurance carriers when used to augment chiropractic, physical therapy and medical services.

Click the link below to listen to my predictions.

Brian Richey, BS, MES, MEPD – Owner of Fit4LifeDC of Washington, DC

1. Starting in Jan. 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 EVERY DAY and will continue to do so for the next 19 years. This generation is much more active than the previous and will not only push their bodies further but also expect more out of their bodies than may be physiologically possible. As post rehab professionals we will be able to take this generation and not only make them stronger but also keep their functional capacity to be able to do the ADL/Sports they want to do.

2. With the ever increasing technologies of the 21st century I feel we are about to be inundated with even more repetitive use injuries, and seeing them in far younger individuals. Carpal tunnel, “texting” thumb and rotator cuff impingement I feel will lead the way as we become more kyphotic and round shouldered while our head is stuck in a computer monitor or smart phone. We will need to be proactive in our facilities when we see these injuries creep in.

3. I see more injuries on the horizon with older individuals taking these “Boot Camp” and Crossfit style workouts. We will see more “Health Club Refugees” in the near future.

4. I also predict that the post rehab professional will become a larger part of the health care continuum as the medical insurance industry keeps whittling away benefits for those who need it. Too few PT sessions and not enough basic care will see a short coming in the health care industry. We need to be there to pick up that slack and take the hand off from the PT's, MD's and DC's in our communities.

Jason Hodge, BS, MES, MEPD – Owner of MedicalFitnessPros.com of Katy, TX

1. A deeper integration into medical community and more group medical classes.

2. More insurance reimbursement for our field

3. Increased physician referrals.

4. More personal trainers claiming they do post rehab training.

5. More Physical Therapists getting in to the fitness.

6. Increased connection between the medical field and fitness industry, but nothing dynamic just yet. That’s still some time in the future.