Accredited Exercise Physiologists may seem relatively new on the Allied Health scene, but they've been around for a while now. Whilst the profession is becoming more familiar, there is still a lot that people aren't aware of.
So here's a few things that you may not know about what an Exercise Physiologists can offer.
- Mental Health: Exercise has been shown to be a highly effective treatment in the management of Depression, Anxiety, PTSD and Psychosis, and there is a growing role for Exercise Physiologists in the Mental Health Sector. We work with clients to support them through lifestyle and behaviour change, providing exercise programs that assist with stress management, mood and counteracting some of the side effects that are common with many of the medications required to treat these conditions.
- Cancer: There has been much research on the impact of exercise in the prevention, treatment and recovery from common cancers such as Breast, Bowel and Prostate cancer, with emerging evidence in many other forms of cancer as well. Recently there was a launch for ExMed Cancer in Melbourne where Exercise is recommended as part of standard care in treating cancer, with sites across Victoria dedicated to the provision of Exercise Physiology services in cancer management.
- Chronic Disease Management: Exercise has been shown to be an important part of treatment and prevention for almost all non-communicable health conditions including but not limited to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome. Exercise Physiologists are skilled in the assessment and prescription of targeted exercise programs to assist people to move more, move better, and improve their risk profile for chronic disease.
- Athletic Development: Just like many of our Physiotherapists here at Alphington Sports Medicine Clinic, our Exercise Physiologist also works with athletes in injury prevention, rehabilitation and conditioning. Recently she went to Sydney for a UFC event supporting her client Jake "The Celtic Kid" Matthews. This was for his return bout following 12 months of rehabilitation after two hip surgeries.
- Pre-surgery conditioning: Whether clients require support to decrease their weight, improve their fitness, or to build up strength and mobility prior to surgery, Exercise Physiologists work to maximise a clients' health and fitness to support them to better cope with their pre-planned surgeries such as joint replacement, ligament repair or other medical procedures.
Exercise Physiologists work with the whole person, taking in to account their injury and health history, psychosocial needs and physical, mental and emotional health, to support them to maximise their health outcomes. They can work collaboratively with other health practitioners such as physiotherapists, dietitians and psychologists, or independently.
Rebecca Hallam is Alphington Sports Medicine Clinic's Accredited Exercise Physiologist - to read her full bio and availability click here.
Call us on 9841 5744 to make an appointment with her.
