SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

About 11,000 people receive treatment at emergency departments every day in the United States for injuries sustained during sports, recreation or exercise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In an effort to reverse that statistic, American Council on Exercise (ACE) has designed two Specialty Certifications aimed at helping personal trainers, group fitness instructors, health coaches, registered nurses, physical therapists and a wide range of other professionals prepare athletes for competition and millions of others for activities of daily living.

Many of the injuries people experience every day low-back pain, ankle sprains, Runners Knee, Achilles tendinitis can be prevented with proper conditioning, said ACE President and CEO Scott Goudeseune. Our specialty certifications provide in-depth information for health and fitness professionals who work with not only elite athletes, fitness enthusiasts and young competitors, but also a wide range of others who have trouble lifting groceries, playing with their children or even getting out of bed in the morning.

Curriculum for Specialty Certifications in Sports Conditioning and Functional Training addresses core strength, agility and balance coordination, specific resistance training movements for the upper and lower body, hydration strategies, nutrition, functional movement, program design, posture and flexibility.

The ACE Sports Conditioning Specialty Certification is intended for any professional interested in developing programs that help people improve their athletic performance. That could mean high school or community league athletic coaches who want players to improve speed and strength, first responders who need to boost their endurance, or fitness professionals preparing clients for a sports season or a personal goal.

Becoming an ACE Functional Training Specialist will help fitness and allied health professionals garner a deeper understanding of how to train the body to move more efficiently. Whether its improving core function to give clients an edge in athletic competition or boosting balance to help older adults work in their home gardens without pain, functional training can help all adults improve movement efficiency.

Specialty certifications were created based on public demand and the knowledge ACE experts believe a well-rounded specialist should possess. To earn a specialty certification, health and fitness professionals must complete a series of individual courses created by ACE and its educational partners. Sports Conditioning and Functional Training Specialty Certifications are each equivalent to 2.5 continuing education credits (25 hours of professional development).

About ACE

Since 1985, American Council on Exercise (ACE) has evolved from a small nonprofit dedicated to educating people about proper fitness to a 50,000-strong network of certified Personal Trainers, Group Fitness Instructors, Health Coaches and Advanced Health & Fitness Specialists. As the largest NCCA-accredited nonprofit fitness certification organization in the world, ACE provides quality continuing education to professionals and conducts independent science-based research to protect all Americans from unsafe and ineffective products. Our goal is to inspire people to live their most fit lives through free fitness resources including workouts, nutrition information and expert advice. 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.

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ACE Specialty Certifications Help Professionals Prevent Injury, Boost Athletic Performance Among Clients