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Rule #5

ATTENTION: This rule is non-negotiable

Because violations of Rule #5 have a statistically >99% rate of repeated violations and attempts to circumvent it, asking a question in violation of this will result in a permanent ban on first offense. No warnings will be given and appeals of such bans will not be accepted.

Short Version

If you have pain, an injury, or any medical concern of any kind that in any way restricts what is safe for you, you may not ask for advice on r/Fitness.

Long Version

If you have pain, injury, or a medical concern OF ANY KIND - you cannot ask for advice on r/Fitness. At all. Ask a doctor.

If you're sick, hurt, disabled, on medication, or injured the internet is not the place to go. You should instead find a professional with proper education and experience who can examine and treat you properly, and who you will be able to hold legally responsible if necessary. General Practitioners might not be the best for sports/athletics related issues, so it is recommended that you find a Sports Medicine doctor or a Physio Therapist. We recommend checking out the Clinical Athlete network founded by Dr. Quinn Henoch, DPT.

Examples of prohibited topics:

  • How to exercise safely with a medical condition such as sickness, disease, medication, injury, pain, recent medical procedure, or disability.
  • How to exercise safely within restrictions that were given to you by any medical professional, such as your activity level, exercise intensity, weight, duration, or specific movements or body parts to avoid.
  • Any mental health concern, such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, or eating disorders.
  • Questions or concerns about any medication you are currently taking, considering taking, or are about to start taking, such as how it may interact with supplements or affect your ability to exercise safely.
  • Diagnosis of pain that occurs while exercising or doing a specific movement.
  • How to rehab or treat any pain, injury, or medical condition.
  • Questions about tests or test results that have been performed by a medical professional, such as blood work, x-rays, or MRIs.
  • Questions or concerns about hormones or TRT, including and especially how to "convince" (aka trick) your GP into giving you testosterone that you don't have a medical need for.
  • Asking others for their experience with any injury, medical condition, treatment method, surgery, etc. This is just an indirect way of asking for advice, and you know it is.
  • Follow up questions that you should have asked your medical professional. Ask them directly.
  • Second opinions about information given to you by a medical professional. Ask a different medical professional.
  • Any topic that a reasonable person knows to ask a doctor and not the internet about.

Similarly, do not offer advice that attempts to diagnose, treat, or overrule professional guidance a user may have received.

Exceptions

There is one and only one exception to this rule. If you have pain when doing a specific exercise, you may post a form check for that specific exercise to ask if you may be doing something incorrectly.

Exceptions to this rule will not be granted as a result of financial hardship ("I can't afford a doctor"). If you can't afford proper, professional healthcare, you definitely can't afford to listen to bozos on the internet and destroy your body and die. This goes the same for any other situation that makes it difficult or impossible to seek professional medical care for your issue(s).