Pre-Screening for Physical Activity

Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaires:

• The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire plus (PAR-Q+) and the electronic Physical Activity Readiness Medical Examination (ePARmed-X+) are two invaluable tools used in getting individuals started with physical activity and assessing contraindications to physical activity.
  • Both tests inform exercise professionals of a client's risk stratification before they strategize how to help the client increase their physical activity levels.

The Get Active Questionnaire (GAQ):

• The Get Active Questionnaire (along with its reference sheet) was developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) as an evidence-based screening tool to assess whether one can get started with physical activity right away, or whether one should seek evaluation from a healthcare professional. It is meant to clear the generally healthy population while sorting out cases where it is unclear whether the risks outweighh the benefits of physical activity or not.
  • The questionnaire can be self-administered from home, but exercise professionals generally counsel the client on 'next steps' once the client has completed the form.
  • The reference sheet provides advice on what to do if you have a "yes" response when screening someone's readiness for physical activity