Licensing of fitness clubs
Recently fitness centers have become a popular type of sports activities. Most of sports clubs became fitness studios and clubs. These institutions have a physical orientation without purpose to heal a human body. However, a lot of fitness centers propose other services and procedures at the same time. For example, development of individual diets, massages etc. In this case the laws determine special features for these institutions.
Traditionally, fitness is a complex of exercises which aimed at maintaining of a physical form. That’s why a lot of clubs, which propose fitness services, organize traditional courses with using sports gears and training equipment. As a rule, these exercises launched by an instructor, who defines a methodic of courses and level of loading according to a physical form of a visitor. In this case we are talking about support or improvement of a physical form with the help of fitness. This scheme is used by most of the clubs and studios. It is not courses of medical physical trainings or trainings of some methodic. So this fitness centers don’t have to get licenses from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
But modern healthcare centers regard fitness as a complex of physical and medical procedures which are aimed at improvement of a human body. Most of clubs and studios which practice fitness propose the whole complex of services on improvement and support of a physical form. It is important to find out whether there are medical services which must be licensed according to the Law of Ukraine “On licensing some types of activities”. As a rule, the main types of activity are a development of individual diets for clients, a medical massage, medical physical exercises and rehabilitation. A list of these services can be too big but these procedures are held by specialists who have a medical education and qualification. A development of individual diets is provided by a nutritionist. If diet mode is drafted like medical recommendations then there is a medical service. A medical massage and physical exercises are also medical services. Courses on a medical rehabilitation which are proposed by a lot of fitness clubs are held by a specialist with a medical education. As follows, a license for a medical practice must be got if a fitness center is held courses on a medical improvement of a human body. It is required to have specialists which have a medical education and special qualification according to the Licensing regulations on a medical practice.
You also have to keep in mind that every fitness center must have a medical cabinet where visitors can be provided with a necessary medical help in a case of trauma or other health disorder. There are specialists with a medical education and skills in institutions which got licenses for a medical practice. If a fitness club doesn’t have a license and doesn’t want to provide abovementioned services then there must be signed an agreement with a healthcare institution or a an individual who has a medical education.
