The reality is, exercise is complex. If it were simple, we’d all be doing it, and things like heart disease and obesity would rarely exist… It takes a specialist in exercise prescription to understand and solve the extensive list of barriers and intricate variables that contribute to a person’s lack of exercise and ultimately, poor health.
Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEP) are university trained Allied Health Professionals who specialise in exercise interventions for those with chronic diseases, illnesses or conditions. The aims of exercise physiology interventions are to prevent or manage acute, sub-acute or chronic disease or injury, and assist in restoring optimal physical function and overall health.
The benefits of exercise are well documented and the importance for exercise increases as one’s health status declines. AEPs assist in the management of chronic diseases for people living with:
- Cancer (e.g. Breast, Prostate, Lung)
- Cardiovascular disease (e.g. IHD, Arrhythmias, Hypertension, CABG & PTCA)
- Pulmonary disease (e.g. Asthma, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis)
- Metabolic disease (e.g. Obesity, Diabetes, Kidney failure, Liver failure)
- Neurological disease (e.g. Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury)
- Musculoskeletal disease (e.g. Arthritis, Osteoporosis/osteopenia, acute and/or chronic lower back, neck, shoulder, knee pain)
- Anxiety, Depression and other Mental health conditions
AEPs may also assist with:
- Assessments of functional capacity
- Advice on lifestyle modification to improve health status
- Exercise prescriptions for strength and function improvement pre- and post- surgery
- Workplace assessments
- Strength and Conditioning programs
Exercise Physiology intervention starts with assessing a number of dynamic factors, including current and past medical history; current and past exercise history; social history (e.g. home and work environment, sport and leisure); list of current medications; and baseline measurements (e.g. HR, BP, height, weight, circumferences). From there, appropriate fitness tests will be selected and conducted in order to paint a clearer picture of your physical fitness. Once this has occurred, fitness goals are established and an exercise program that is specific to your goals and physical abilities is created. Your AEP will take you through each exercise and outline variables such as sets and repetitions, rest period, days per week, exercise technique – “the Do’s and Don’ts”, and normal sensation during and after exercise.
AEPs treat a variety of clientele referred under Medicare, WorkCover and Department of Veterans Affairs. No referral is required for Private paying clientele. Private health fund and Medicare rebates are available. For more information call 0413 939 606.