You know that a commitment to fitness is important for your overall health, strength, and longevity.
But if your fitness goals have changed, or your body has changed, you may be thinking about what the next step is, and who you should be working with to support this next phase in your fitness journey.
Whether you're recovering from an injury or you’re setting new fitness goals, choosing between a physical therapist and a personal trainer can be challenging.
Physical therapists and personal trainers both have unique perspectives they can contribute to your fitness journey. They have different areas of focus, different education or certification backgrounds, and different benefits.
While physical therapists tend to specialize in injury or surgery rehabilitation, personal trainers tend to focus on supporting clients through a wide range of fitness situations, which might include some rehabilitation.
So, take a minute to think about where you’re currently at in your fitness journey.
Would a physical therapist or a personal trainer be best for what’s next?
Read on to decide which professional is right for you.
Let’s talk first about what a physical therapist is, and who might benefit from working with one.
Physical therapists specialize in rehabilitation and injury prevention. They tend to focus on restoring function, improving mobility, and managing pain.
It’s always important to consider the education or certification of any professional you’re working with. Physical therapists require extensive education, typically a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Physical therapists are specifically trained in diagnosing and treating injuries.
Because of this, physical therapists are ideal for people who are recovering from injuries, dealing with chronic pain, or require medically supervised exercise plans (like folks who have recently had surgery or chronic disease diagnosis).
So, what is a personal trainer? And who might benefit from working with one?
Personal trainers design custom exercise programs, provide client motivation, and help clients achieve fitness goals. This can include anything from strength building to flexibility improvement to weight loss.
Personal trainers are certified in exercise science and fitness, with options for specialized training in areas like weightlifting, flexibility, and endurance. They might be certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), or the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM).
Personal trainers provide clients with personalized workout plans, motivation, accountability, and even nutrition guidelines. Personal trainers tend to focus on consistency and making sure that their clients are meeting long-term fitness, health, and wellness goals.
There are some key factors you should consider when you’re choosing between a physical therapist and a personal trainer.
We’ll go into detail about each of these below, but briefly, you should think about:
Let’s talk about each of these.
Injury or medical condition: If you’re rehabbing an injury (recent or old) or have a specific medical condition, a medically supervised exercise plan might be necessary. Even if you are not injured but have a chronic health condition like COPD or certain types of heart disease, you would likely want medical supervision during exercise. In that case, you might want to prioritize working with a physical therapist.
In some cases, like when you’re recovering from an injury, it might make the most sense to start working with a physical therapist and then transition to a personal trainer when you and your physical therapist agree you’re ready to do so.
So, if you have one, consider what your injury or medical condition is, and whether you might benefit from working with a physical therapist, a personal trainer, or perhaps a physical therapist first and then a personal trainer later on.
Fitness Goals and Objectives: Everyone has different fitness goals and objectives. But it can sometimes be hard to identify very specific fitness goals, like aiming for a set amount of weight to be able to lift or a certain time in which you’d like to run your next race. It’s ok if you don’t have these kinds of very specific goals. Personal trainers are actually ideal if you have broader goals for your fitness journey: things like focusing on general fitness, weight loss, flexibility, or muscle gain without injury.
Budget and Insurance Coverage: It’s important to be transparent and straightforward about the cost of various aspects of working out and committing to an exercise plan. While personal training is typically an out-of-pocket expense, physical therapy may be covered by your insurance, depending on your injury, medical condition, or other specific situation.
Personal Preference and Comfort Level: With every phase of your fitness journey, it’s worth being reflective on where you’re at and what you’re looking for. Some people prefer a structured, clinical approach to working out. If that’s you, a physical therapist might be best for you. Other people thrive in a more flexible, adaptive, fitness-oriented support space. If that’s you, a personal trainer might be the professional to best support you.
Still not sure which fitness professional is right for you? Check out the personal stories below.
It can be useful to learn about other people’s stories in order to make some decisions about your own situation.
So let’s look at a couple of case studies that can help us understand when a physical therapist or a personal trainer might be the best professional to work with.
After college, Alex joined a recreational soccer league to stay in shape and make friends. But three years in, she started noticing some instability in her left knee, along with some pain and swelling. She figured she just needed to stretch more.
But when she occasionally started feeling her knee locking up, spasming and not able to bend, she went to her doctor. It turned out she had a torn meniscus, and needed surgery. So she started seeing a physical therapist in order to prepare for surgery, focusing on lengthening her hamstring and strengthening the muscles supporting her knee. The goal for Alex at this point was to shorten her post-surgery recovery.
After surgery, Alex needed to work with a physical therapist again. She first focused on range of motion and working with the muscle wasting she had experienced post-surgery. Then, she and her physical therapist focused on ramping up her strength and mobility, to ultimately get her back on the soccer field.
For this phase in Alex’s fitness journey, a physical therapist was vital.
Sam had no interest in working out after her first baby was born. It was a challenging pregnancy and postpartum experience, and as a first time mom, she felt too overwhelmed to incorporate a fitness routine into her new baby-based schedule.
But when Sam had her second baby, it was a totally different experience. Postpartum, she felt much more motivated to get back in the gym. She had a better understanding of how working out could contribute to not only her physical health, but also her mental health, especially during her fourth trimester.
Sam even started setting some fitness goals for herself. She used to run half marathons. Could she do that again? She wasn’t sure. Her endurance and strength weren’t what they used to be. She wasn’t sure how her body would do in the gym after two babies.
Additionally, now that Sam was juggling two kids’ schedules, she knew that she’d need flexibility and motivation to hit her goals. She wanted to get back to working out, but she knew she couldn’t do it alone; she’d need support.
For this phase in Sam’s fitness journey, a personal trainer is the best fit.
A personal trainer can take into account Sam’s history of running half-marathons, the fact that she is recently postpartum, and the importance of flexibility, customization, and motivation for this phase in Sam’s life.
Physical therapists and personal trainers are both incredibly important fitness professionals, and they typically serve two distinct roles in someone’s fitness journey.
Both are professionally certified and can tailor a workout to your body’s needs and your goals. But physical therapists are usually used in conjunction with a medically supervised exercise plan, or during a very specific phase in someone’s fitness journey, like rehabilitation post-surgery.
Personal trainers, on the other hand, are equipped to work with you even as your goals and schedule evolve. They tend to focus on consistency, motivation, flexibility, and turning exercise into a habit.
If you’re considering working with either a physical therapist or a personal trainer, it’s a good idea to start with some self-assessment. Consider your health needs, your fitness goals, any injuries or illnesses you might have, and your personal preferences.
If you’re looking for someone who can support you as your exercise routine and goals evolve, a personal trainer might be the best professional for you to work with. Personal trainers can meet you exactly where you’re at, and help you reach whatever goals you have for yourself - even if you’re not sure what those are!
Not sure if a personal trainer is right for you? Trainwell offers a free 14-day trial so you can see if this fitness experience provides everything you’re looking for.
Explore trainwell’s 14-day free trial to find your next personal trainer: join.trainwell.net
Written by Ella Browning.
