Exercise Physiology
If you are suffering from chronic pain, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes or even mental conditions and you have been advised by your treating doctor to exercise for your treatment, however you are unsure about the intensity or type of exercise you need to do, you can speak to a exercise physiotherapist.
An Exercise physiotherapist is an expert on preventing and managing injuries or conditions by providing patients with exercise programs that best suits the condition they are being treated for.
An exercise physiotherapist is not only limited to treating patients with physical conditions. Patients with mental conditions can also obtain exercise plans which can play a crucial role in their treatment process.
Why Having an Exercise Plan Important?
Having a right exercise plan is a difficult job to do. In order to create an exercise plan, your exercise physiotherapist needs to take into consideration the following goals:
- The condition you are being treated for and the severity of the condition (for instance in the case of a patient with Parkinson disease, an exercise physiotherapist needs to consider the stage of the disease the patient is in to make a plan).
- The goals of the treating doctor, specialist or surgeon (for instance in the case of pre & post-surgery rehabilitation, it is important to consider what the treating doctors are aiming to achieve).
- Patients personal goals (for example in the case of a sport injury and a professional athlete).
Having a right exercise program can also help you maximise the results you get from your exercises.
When Do I need an Exercise physiology service?
There are a range of conditions that may require a professional exercise physiology service and the conditions are not limited to physical conditions. If you are suffering from mental conditions, an exercise physiotherapist can play a significant role in your treatment.
You can consult with your GP or specialist to find out more about this service and whether it is beneficial for you. We have discussed the most common conditions that may benefit from this service below.
Chronic pain
Exercise Physiology can play a significant role in elimination or management of your chronic pain. If you are suffering from any type of chronic pain, having an exercise program that does not worsen your condition and helps you manage your pain can be a difficult job to do.
Different areas of your body that may be affected by chronic pain may include:
- Shoulders
- Neck
- Knees
- Hand
- Back
- Foot and ankle
- Wrists
- Spinal
- Elbows
Parkinson disease (PD)
Exercise is significant for patients with PD. The benefit of exercise for PD patients include:
- Managing symptoms
- increase strength
- flexibility or stretching
- improve posture while sitting, standing or sleeping
- balance to prevent falls
- coordination
Having a right exercise plan can be a difficult job to do when you are undergoing treatments for PD. An exercise physiotherapist working closely with your treating doctor and specialist will provide you with a right exercise plan that best suits your circumstances and needs.
Cardiovascular disease
Exercise can be a great treatment for different types of cardiovascular diseases such as heard disease or blood pressure. If you are suffering from a disease that falls into this category, finding a right exercise plan can be a difficult job that needs to be done by an expert.
Exercise physiotherapist can provide you with a plan on the exercises you need to manage and prevent future complications.
Pre & Post-surgery rehabilitation
If you are undergoing a surgery, there are a lot of important factors that need to be considered for your surgery to be successful and there are different stages for your body to be able to prepare and recover from the surgery.
Pre-rehabilitation is before undergoing surgery and the is to reduce the chances of any complications at the time of your surgery, and post-rehabilitation is to recover your body from the surgery.
Each stage explained above requires a different plan and process. An exercise physiotherapist requires to take into consideration the type of surgery you are going through, the objective of the surgery and your circumstances to create a plan that best suits your condition.
Mental conditions
Exercise Physiology is not only beneficial for the physical conditions. Those patients suffering from mental conditions can also benefit form using an exercise physiotherapist. The goals that an exercise physiotherapist aims to achieve may include promoting positive mental health with exercise programs, reduction and control of weight, prevention of chronic diseases that may result from lack of self-care such as type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes
If you are suffering from diabetes, exercise can play a significant role in your treatment. However, circumstances for every patient is different and determining the amount or intensity of exercise can be difficult.
Exercise physiotherapist are experts that can assist you with exercises and provide you with an exercise plan that best suits circumstances.
Sports injuries
If you have suffered from a sport injury and you are unsure about what exercises you need to do to recover and be able to play sports again, an exercise physiotherapist can provide you with a plan so that you are able to maintain and develop your fitness and recover from your injury.
This article is not a substitute to medical advice. If you like to find out more information about this service, consult with your GP or specialist or call (02) 9637 5708.
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