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New ACE Specialist Program Prepares Exercise Professionals to Help Those Living With Chronic Pain

Posted: Nov 06, 2019 in ACE Press Releases

San Diego, Calif., November 6, 2019 – Today, The American Council on Exercise (ACE) launched the Orthopedic Exercise Specialist Program, a new continuing education program that equips exercise professionals with the knowledge and tools to empower clients living with pain or chronic orthopedic-related conditions to return to their daily activities with restored confidence in movement. 

“The ACE Orthopedic Exercise Specialist Program arms professionals with a client-centered, integrated approach to functional movement, so they can support clients in achieving improved mobility, stability and strength,” says Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., FACSM, President and Chief Science Officer at ACE. “With millions of Americans experiencing chronic pain due to a variety orthopedic issues, this type of program is greatly needed to get people moving and back to their daily activities.” 

The Orthopedic Exercise Specialist Program provides exercise professionals with in-depth knowledge of functional anatomy, movement assessments, progressive exercises and a unique, client-centered approach that recognizes that each client has different needs and goals. Furthermore, the program provides exercise professionals with an understanding of how to effectively work together with medical professionals to improve a client’s continuity of care and enhance their referral business. 

A key feature of this program is ACE’s approach to personalized program design—an essential element when working with populations who live with chronic orthopedic conditions. Through a five-step method, exercise professionals will know how to recognize their clients’ needs, apply appropriate exercise programming techniques and achieve results that support the end goal identified by the client.  

“After finishing this program, exercise professionals will be able to apply this simple and effective five-step process with clients who are struggling to maintain a consistent exercise program due to chronic injuries or conditions,” said Lauren Shroyer, M.S., ATC, Senior Director of Product Development at ACE. “The process is uniquely designed to support the trainer and client working together to reach an end goal, whether it is jumping back into a hard-core exercise program or simply wishing to regain function for overall quality of movement.”  

The prevalence of people enduring chronic orthopedic conditions or joint or muscle pain is high. An estimated 50 million Americans experience chronic pain and 8.6 million Americans are affected by injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services respectively. These individuals often have decreased mobility, strength or function which interferes with daily life or work activities. 

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The American Council on Exercise is a nonprofit organization with global reach that works to improve physical-activity levels by certifying exercise professionals and health coaches, publishing original research, convening experts on physical activity and health, working directly with community groups, and advocating for policies to get people from all walks of life moving. The 90,000 exercise professionals and health coaches certified by ACE are among the most respected in the world of fitness, helping people embrace physical activity and adopt healthier lifestyles. For more information, call 800-825-3636 or visit ACEfitness.org. AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE, ACE and ACE logos are Registered Trademarks of the American Council on Exercise.