If you've ever joined a gym or booked a personal trainer in Australia, you've probably filled in a short health questionnaire first. It can feel like paperwork, but it does an important job. Here's what it's for and what happens with your answers.
Exercise is very safe, for most people
Let's start with the reassuring part. For the vast majority of people, regular exercise is far safer than not exercising, and its health benefits are well established. Screening isn't there to put you off. It's there to catch the small number of people who should get some personalised advice before they start.
The Australian screening tool
Most Australian trainers, gyms and exercise professionals use the Adult Pre-Exercise Screening System (APSS). It was developed by Exercise & Sports Science Australia, Fitness Australia (now AUSactive) and Sports Medicine Australia.
Its purpose, in its own words, is to identify people with known disease, or signs or symptoms of disease, who may be at higher risk of an adverse event during exercise.
The first stage is a short set of yes-or-no questions. They ask whether you've been told you have a heart condition or had a stroke, whether you get chest pain, faint or lose your balance during physical activity, whether you've had a recent asthma attack needing medical attention, whether you have diabetes and trouble controlling your blood sugar, whether you have muscle, bone or joint problems that exercise could make worse, and whether you have any other condition that might make exercise dangerous.
What happens if you answer yes?
Answering yes doesn't mean you can't exercise. It means you should get guidance from your GP or an appropriate allied health professional, such as an accredited exercise physiologist or physiotherapist, before you start a new program.
That conversation might take five minutes. Often the answer is "go for it", sometimes with some specific advice, like which exercises to avoid, how hard to work or what warning signs to look out for. Sometimes the recommendation is to work with an exercise professional in person for a while first.
Why it matters more for online programs
A personal trainer standing next to you can see if you're struggling, turning pale or moving awkwardly, and stop the session. An online program can't. That makes screening before you start even more important when you're training on your own.
It's also why an online program should never offer a "lighter" plan as a way around a health flag. If clearance is recommended, the safe answer is to get it first.
How Train90 uses screening
Every Train90 program starts with the APSS questions. People 65 and over answer a few extra questions about balance and falls. If you answer yes to anything, we'll ask you to speak with your GP first, and we won't build your program until you've confirmed you have their go-ahead. We don't ask for medical certificates; we keep a dated record of your answers and confirmation. Our safety page has the full details.
When to stop exercising
Screening covers the start. During any exercise session, stop and seek medical help if you feel:
- chest pain or pressure
- severe breathlessness
- dizziness or faintness
In an emergency, call 000.
Also stop if you feel sharp or worsening pain in a joint, feel sick, or your technique is breaking down. Rest, and don't push through.
If your health changes
Screening isn't a one-off. If you're diagnosed with a new condition, have surgery, become pregnant or start getting new symptoms, pause and check with your GP before continuing, and update your answers with your trainer or program.
The bottom line
- Pre-exercise screening helps identify the few people who need personal advice before starting.
- Answering yes means "check with your GP first", not "you can't exercise".
- Answer honestly, and update your answers if your health changes.
- Know the warning signs to stop, and call 000 in an emergency.