Physical activity is an essential component of good health and wellness. Exercise has been shown to have numerous benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases, improving mental health, and increasing energy levels. However, with so many different types of exercise programs and techniques available, it can be difficult to know where to start. This is where exercise physiology services come in.
Exercise physiology services are designed to help individuals understand the science behind physical activity and how it can be used to improve overall health and well-being. These services provide individuals with personalised exercise programs that aid in injury prevention and rehabilitation, improved physical performance, better management of chronic diseases, and increased energy and mood.
But what does an exercise physiologist ACTUALLY do?
Personalised Exercise Programs
One of the biggest benefits of exercise physiology services is the ability to create personalised exercise programs. Exercise physiologists are university educated professionals who have a deep understanding of the science behind physical activity and how it can be used to improve health. They work with individuals to develop exercise programs that are tailored to their specific needs and goals.
For example, a person who has absolutely no desire to step into a gym who has a complex medical history, works 50 hours a week, and has a new young family will have a very different plan compared to someone who is already very active with no medical history. An exercise physiologist considers what your lifestyle looks like, and how best to use exercise to reach your goals.
Having a personalised exercise program can help individuals exercise with the confidence that they are doing the right types of exercises to meet their needs, reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of success.
Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation
Exercise physiology services can also help individuals prevent injuries and recover from existing ones. Exercise physiologists are trained to understand up-to-date research on the anatomy and physiology of the body, and they use this knowledge to help individuals recover from injuries more quickly and effectively.
For example, if someone has suffered a knee injury, an exercise physiologist might develop a
rehabilitation program that focuses on strengthening the muscles around the knee, hip and ankle to help prevent future injuries. They would also provide guidance on how to properly perform exercises to reduce the risk of reinjury.
Improved Physical Performances
Exercise physiology services can also help individuals improve their physical performance. This is particularly important for athletes who want to increase strength, speed, and endurance. But it’s also important for non-athletes who want to improve their overall fitness levels and make it easier to perform daily activities.
Exercise Physiologists work to help you perform your activities better and easier. This can look vastly different from person to person. For example, a young basketball player may want a young basketball
player may want to develop a higher jump to get rebounds, or sprint faster to get down the court. A woman diagnosed with a bulging disc in their back may want to pick up their baby without pain, or an older person who has had multiple falls wants to be able to ride the train with more confidence in their balance. Making your physical responsibilities easier, no matter what they are.
Better Management of Sub-Acute and Chronic Diseases
Exercise physiology services can help individuals manage mid to long standing health conditions. This can include (but is not limited to) diabetes, heart disease, mental health conditions, arthritis, and obesity. Exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on these conditions, and exercise physiologists can help individuals understand how to use physical activity to manage their diseases more effectively.
Decreased Risk of Future Health Conditions
Having a sedentary lifestyle is a major predictor of heart disease, metabolic conditions like diabetes, muscle pains and obesity. For many people, having existing conditions make it significantly harder to move as much as you need to stay healthy. Having an exercise plan in place can be the first steps towards reducing the risk of serious medical conditions, and having fun while you do it!
Improved Motivation and Accountability
Making changes to your lifestyle can be difficult for the best of us! It can be very easy to fall into old and comfortable patterns of behaviour when we look at making a change. By having an Exercise Physiologist, you have someone on your team who doesn’t judge you for not sticking to the program but expects that everyone slips up every now and then, and helps guide you back on course. Exercise Physiologists are trained to work with you to make realistic goals to best help make change.
Education
Understanding not only what you should do, but why it’s important is the key to making better decisions and taking charge of your health! Exercise physiologists can help educate about various health conditions and activity guidelines.
For example, healthy adults should be aiming to achieve either 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity OR 150-300 minutes of moderate activity per week. This should include 2 days of resistance training to improve muscle health. Achieving this can be a difficult task for many people, but working with a trained professional can make all the difference.
Exercise Physiologists can help get you back on track, no matter how big or small your goals are. They are there to help guild and support you throughout your journey.