Exercise Physiology: More Than Just Exercise

Exercise physiology is often misunderstood as just personal training, but it's actually a clinical health profession that uses exercise as medicine to manage chronic conditions. ## What Is Exercise Physiology? Exercise physiologists are university-qualified allied health professionals who design and deliver exercise programs for people with chronic conditions, injuries, or disabilities. ## Conditions That Benefit Exercise physiology can help manage: - Cardiovascular disease - Type 2 diabetes - Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions - Mental health conditions - Chronic pain - Cancer recovery - Neurological conditions ## How It's Different from Personal Training While personal trainers work with generally healthy people to improve fitness, exercise physiologists: - Have clinical training in pathophysiology - Work with complex medical conditions - Can claim Medicare and private health rebates - Collaborate with your medical team - Focus on therapeutic outcomes ## What to Expect Your first session will include: - Comprehensive health assessment - Discussion of your goals and limitations - Baseline fitness testing - Development of a personalized exercise program - Education about your condition and exercise ## Getting Started Ask your GP for a referral to access Medicare rebates, or contact an exercise physiologist directly for an initial consultation.