Ethical question... what would you do?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Ethical question... what would you do?
8
Thu, 07-28-2005 - 4:13pm

Another trainer made a comment to me this morning about this woman who was taking a step class. I had noticed her while I was with a client. She is scary thin. Her legs look to be about the size of her arms. The other trainer knew her a little bit and was pretty sure this is not due to an ailment (the trainer feels strongly that this woman is anorexic). She asked me where the club responsiblity began and ended as far as members like that go?

I honestly don't know. The only suggestion I had was to offer her a personal training consultation as a way of getting her in front of someone so concerns could be expressed about her condition. I'm not saying this is the correct course of action - it's just all I can think of that the club could really do for her.

Opinions? Thoughts? At what point do you draw the line and let people be self-destructive?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Thu, 07-28-2005 - 4:36pm
That's a good question.





iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Thu, 07-28-2005 - 10:02pm

We had a staff meeting today and actually talked about this woman. Our Center Director said she was going to find out who she was and if she looks as bad as we say she does, she's going to have a chat with her and ask her to provide a medical release from her doctor. If she refuses, they will refuse her admittance to the club.

I guess that's as good a solution as any.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-01-2003
Fri, 07-29-2005 - 7:19am

How can they require certain members to provide medical clearance to be admitted to the gym and not others, based on appearance?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Fri, 07-29-2005 - 9:00am

Well, our center director feels that since we ARE a "health" club, and since she's endangering her health by continuing to participate in classes, etc., that she's a liability.

(I'm not entirely convinced anything will actually happen here - this is just what we talked about yesterday.)

I remember there was one lady who passed out on the weight floor earlier this year and when she woke up, she was having seizures. When we were finally able to talk to her, she'd just been released from the hospital but claimed the doctors had told her she couldn't drink any water (she'd just come off a 30 minute treadmill workout when she collapsed). Our center director required that she provide a doctor's note before allowing her back into the club.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-01-2003
Fri, 07-29-2005 - 9:17am
I'd like to hear how this turns out.
Avatar for soleilune
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 07-29-2005 - 10:53am

We have a woman exactly like that at one of the gym's here - skinny to the point that members have gone to the mgmt. to point her out and ask if they're prepared to do anything before she ends up in a hospital or dead. A trainer there has suggested the same thing as you mention but I don't know if they've done it.

It's a tough situation w/ no easy answers, but I think this a good first step.

Soleilune
Avatar for soleilune
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 07-29-2005 - 10:59am
I don't know about the gym as a business but I can actually face liability as a certified fitness professional here if I have the reasonable belief that she is endangering herself and don't address the issue. It may be different elsewhere.
Soleilune
Avatar for soleilune
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 07-29-2005 - 11:02am
I'd rather be sued for being a concerned professional than a negligent one.
Soleilune