A personal trainer at the health club today was measuring people's body fat and told me that although I'm a thin person, I have too much fat. She pinched the flesh on my waist, under arm and thigh and measured it with a caliper and then compared that to a chart for women my age. She pinched my thigh sooooo hard that I swore out loud and have a huge bruise.
She said that sometimes it's hard to grab the adipose fat on your thighs. But damn, it still hurts, 7 hours later!

Has anyone ever had this test? Is it possible she did something wrong? I'm not saying I'm in tiptop shape, and especially my arms are flabby.

I've had that test and I did NOT bruise, and I bruise easily.

I think she was a little too enthusiastic.

Did it hurt you this much? It still hurts today, almost 24 hours later! As she was doing the test, I thought, "This is worse than a mammogram!"

Ahead of me was a rail-thin young woman (why did she want a body fat test?) with her little daughter. When her daughter saw her mom get pinched, she started crying, and the mom reassured her with, "it doesn't hurt, honey." Good thing that girl didn't watch when it was my turn!

[ February 18, 2005, 10:42 AM: Message edited by: DJ ]

I've had that done and it didn't hurt. Gads, I'd go back and complain. Maybe she didn't know what she was doing. A lot of personal trainers are nothing more than people who work out a lot.

DJ, I agree with Dianne. You gotta watch the people who work in health clubs. Lots of them are just fit people with no training. I'd mention it to them when yuo go back.

I was once abused by a mammogram tech. She hurt the heck out of me. I mentioned her the next year and the gal made a face and said, "She's no longer here".

You should take photos of the bruise and show them to the health club manager.
It would probably scare him or her into making changes. And you need to document what has happened. There can be long term health issues from an extensive deep bruise.
smile

DJ,

I agree with Smile, those pictures will be a good documentation. Also, if the club manager does nothing (it could possibly happen), then the next step would be to call your local TV news station and report this.

I agree with Dianne and Dotsie. I had a "personal trainer" a couple years back. She was a body builder. I told her during our "consultation" I had back problems, fibromyalgia and my main goal was to lower my cholesteral, so I don't have to take meds for it. Her response was okay I put together a workout for you that will take care of that.

Next thing I know, she is having me lift weights, and doing little aerobics. Everytime she had me do something that was strenuous to my back and my hips, I would reminds her of my problems and she would react to it like she heard it for the first time. After her training I began to have knee problems and that is when my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome happened on both wrists.

I kept thinking, I never told this person that I wanted to be a body builder. I was a 40 year old with Fibromyalgia, that wanted to get in shape for health reasons.

I was alarmed at the numbness of both hands that I went to see my Doctor. He diagnosed me with CTS, and told me that it was caused by lifting weights. He also got me out of my "contract" with this trainer.

I am explaining this just to reiterate what the others have said. I don't want anyone else to go through what I went through 2 years ago.

DJ, don't let this matter go, this person cannot get away with this.

Love and Hugs,
Cathi

I heard this quote from one trainer in my health club about another: "She's so gung-ho, she thinks everyone is in their 20's."

Thanks everyone for all your excellent suggestions. It's unbelievable the kinds of people who pass themselves off as various kinds of experts. Think I'll keep my distance! Actually I've started doing Yoga at another place and I think those folks are more aware of what a body can and can't do, though from what you're all saying, I'd better beware in general!

Fortunately my bruise is better today and the pain is gone too. But I did go and complain to the manager about her. He was surprised to hear it and said that he'd retrain her, whatever that means.

So does this mean that maybe I'm not as high in body fat as she estimated?