5 Things You Didn’t Know About Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEP’s)
1. Exercise Physiologists (AEP’s) use exercise as medicine.
In a similar way to your GP prescribing pharmaceutical medication, EP’s will prescribe individually tailored exercise that is specifically targeted at improving your health condition or injury. Some types of more complex diseases and injuries won’t simply respond to any run-of-the-mill
In the exact same manner, it is incredibly important that a qualified EP with an in depth understanding of all the body systems, anatomy, physiology and pathology design a specific plan of exercise/physical activity to suit your needs.
2. Exercise Physiologists undertake extensive training at University.
At a bare minimum, an EP requires a bachelor’s degree that usually takes 4 years to complete at university. Many EP’s have other allied health degrees and complete a Masters Level qualification to achieve accreditation with Exercise and Sport Science Australia – which involves at least 500 hours of supervised clinical practice in clinics outside of university, on top of the clinical hours completed within classes at university.
On top of this, every EP is required to continue ongoing professional development and educational courses to maintain their accreditation and stay on top of the latest clinical research to ensure patients receive the highest level of care possible.
3. Exercise Physiologists have a large scope of practice that is constantly expanding – alongside the rapidly expanding healthcare system and escalating percentage of the population with complex or chronic clinical conditions.
To offer patients holistic care, EP’s are expertly trained in the prescription of exercise in addition to being trained in general health screening, motivational interviewing, implementing behaviour change/lifestyle modification strategies and delivering health counselling. Given that so many factors contribute to the development and progression of lifestyle related diseases/chronic health conditions, as well as to physical activity habits - exercise physiology interventions aim to take a holistic perspective toward improving
This means that all the different aspects of health that contribute to symptoms of disease/injuries are taken into account when you make an appointment to receive treatment from an EP.
It is also not uncommon for EPs to advance their scope of practice and integrate additional modalities/therapies into their skillset to supplement their knowledge of exercise physiology and movement science.
4. Exercise Physiologists can treat all people, regardless of their physical, mental or functional status.
An EP may begin their day trying to build the balance of a patient with a neurological disorder such as Parkinsons Disease, and then work with an elite athlete to get back on the field following knee surgery in the next appointment. While most EP’s manage a mixed caseload, some EP’s will choose to specialise and dedicate most of their time in areas such as:
Cardiac/cardiopulmonary rehabilitation - working with people with heart or lung conditions or those at high risk for developing dysfunction of the heart and blood vessels
Neurological/neuromuscular rehabilitation - working with people who have spinal cord injury, neurological disorders (e.g., Stroke, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s etc) or permanent nerve damage.
Metabolic - working with people who may be at risk of developing or have been diagnosed with obesity, Diabetes, Liver disease or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
Musculoskeletal rehabilitation – strengthening and movement pattern recovery after acute injuries, for injury prevention or to combat muscular/joint pain
Cancer/ Oncology – prescribing exercises to help prevent or manage physical/mental deterioration resulting from cancer and its associated treatment side effects
Research - making new discoveries in the industry which may be done alongside a clinical role treating patients, or full time at a research institute or university.
5. Clinical Exercise Physiologists play a pivotal role in the healthcare system and are increasingly being referred to by Doctors and other health professionals to maximise patient care.
EP’s can deliver services under the Medicare Benefits Scheme for Chronic Disease Management (CDM, previously Enhanced Primary Care Plan) through a GP Management Plan (GPMP) or Team Care Arrangement (TCA) designed by your Doctor.
EP services are also bulk billed (no cost to the patient) if covered under the Department of Veterans Affairs. The same is true for injured workers under Workers Compensation schemes upon approval from case managers, which strongly promotes and facilitates accelerated return to functional work-related tasks as well as improving long-term injury outcomes.
If you’d like more information on any of the information above or would like a better understanding of how movement can be medicine for you, keep an eye out for more content like this or get in touch for a personalised plan of action today.