Health and Safety

Scope of Practice for Registered Fitness Professionals

If you are a Tai Chi instructor in a fitness centre, you need to understand your role, responsibilities and professional boundaries as a registered fitness instructor.  Excellent guidelines have been developed by Fitness Australia, which state, “The core role of a Registered Fitness Professional is to plan and deliver safe and effective exercise programs for individuals and groups.” 

The safety of students must always be a priority with any form of exercise, and tai chi is no exception.  Injuries can occur if a student hyper extends, locks joints or attempts exercises which are unsuitable for their physical ability.   Instructors should be aware of potential contraindications for each student and should always stress that students ‘work within their comfort range’, or ‘follow the guidelines of their health care professional’.  To assist with a student’s health and safety, it is recommended that a referral process is followed, including screening and assessing client needs, evaluating whether you, as the instructor, require guidance from a health professional to meet those needs.  If guidance from a health professional is required, it is necessary to work with your student to compile accurate, relevant and concise information for the referral.  This will then guide you in effective and appropriate exercises for your student.

Please be mindful that students will tell you in confidence problems they may be facing, including physical injuries, emotional trauma or family issues. These must be held in the strictest confidence and must not be discussed with, or mentioned to, anyone.

A medical waiver should be signed by new students, stating that, if they have a medical condition, their medical practitioner has given them approval to commence tai chi.  It should also state that it is the student’s responsibility to communicate with the instructor any issues they may have and explain procedures if medical attention is required. 

The medical waiver requires emergency phone numbers.  These should be checked to ensure accuracy and stored so they are readily accessible.  A folder with emergency procedure and all medical forms should be brought to every class.  These details are not to be distributed or discussed with anyone.

Students with asthma, diabetes, blood pressure, heart and mental health conditions can have ‘episodes’ within a class.  An episode could be an inability to breathe freely, feeling faint, experiencing heart palpitations, or becoming anxious. The instructor must be prepared if and when signs of discomfort are apparent. Always advise students to rest if they feel unwell and to consult their doctor if symptoms persist.

Basic first aid training, including CPR, is required and this should be updated on a regular basis.  Tai chi instructors are not medical professionals so they must not offer advice as to injury management. 

Instructors should not physically adjust a student’s posture. An instructor should be able to use a variety of imagery and effective verbal instructions that negate the use of physically contacting students.  However, if adjustments are required, the instructor must ask permission first.  Touch only shoulders, elbows, knees, hand, wrist, feet and ankles (the hard bits - avoid the ‘soft’ areas)

Orientation and Health Screening

New students will often feel nervous and unsure when first attending a class, so it is important that the instructor puts them at ease by greeting them in a friendly and courteous manner.  New students will need to undergo orientation prior to beginning class, and this should include a discussion about their goals and expectations.  The benefits of tai chi can be explained so the student feels confident that this form of exercise is appropriate to their needs.

During this initial introduction, an explanation of the venue facilities, class protocol, timetable and social events can be given.  Introductions to other students can also be made so the new student feels at ease and comfortable.

Venue

Not only do instructors need to be aware of students’ health and safety, the physical environment needs to be safe.  Practicing tai chi in the local park can be a delightful experience, but care must be taken that the ground is not damp, nor slippery or sloping.  The area needs to be clear of branches, twigs, un-level ground, holes, dog excrement.   The weather needs to be neither too hot nor too cold, with sunblock used if required.  The use of water bottles should be encouraged to avoid dehydration.

The area for indoor classes needs to be large enough to accommodate numbers, the floor must be non-slippery and clear of obstacles.

All venues should have easy access, good natural ventilation and toilet facilities close by.

The use of fans and air conditioners in summer and heaters in winter can disturb the flow of qi.  However, the comfort and safety of students is paramount, so the use of artificial temperature control is at the discretion of the instructor, based on student’s needs.

Exercises

Warm-up exercises should be gentle and controlled.  Neck rotations, and neck flexing should be kept to within each student’s comfort range, as should hip rotations and bending exercises.  Range of movement exercises (arm rotations and swings, leg swings and kicks) should be within a student’s capabilities.  The instructor can demonstrate modifications and encourage students to work within their comfort range.

Although exercises are completed in the standing position, offering seated exercises for those physically challenged is an excellent way to include all students of varying abilities. 

In the event there is an accident or incident, an Incident Report Form should be completed with specific details of what happened, witness and action taken.

An effective instructor becomes adept at modifying stances, postures and exercises so each student feels safe and confident.  When instructors listen to students concerns, a mutual respect develops, and the class becomes a friendly, inclusive and safe environment for everyone.