Exercise Physiology Services

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Exercise Physiology sessions are exercise-based and focus on promoting health and physical activity education, advice and support and lifestyle modification with a strong focus on achieving behavioural change. These services include the preparation of tailored exercise programs, promotion of leisure-time and incidental activity, and counselling to reduce stationary behaviors. This will include an assessment to ensure the activity is safe, effective and likely to be maintained in the long term.

Accredited exercise physiologists can also provide their expertise in the following areas:

• Assessments of functional capacity
• Advice on lifestyle modification to improve health status
• Exercise prescriptions for strength and functional improvement pre- and post- surgery
• Workplace assessments

Both Exercise Physiologists and Physiotherapists offer services that are designed to promote a person’s physical wellbeing, but there are some distinct differences between the two professions.

Exercise Physiologists focus on treating patients conditions through a range of clinical exercise interventions, in which their focal point revolves around behavioural change. They can also provide treatments for diseases and conditions that are not typically focused on by physiotherapists.

Physiotherapists on the other hand are accredited health care professionals who help people treat and manage an injury, illness or disability through promoting movement, manual therapy, physical techniques, education and advice.

In short, an accredited Exercise Physiologist can do everything a personal trainer can do and more!

To become a personal trainer in Australia, a Certificate IV in Fitness is the minimum qualification. Personal trainers provide fitness assessments, instruction and supervision to individuals or small groups of clients. They may be employed by fitness centres or work on a freelance basis. This qualification enables them to work with the general ‘healthy’ population. They are only insured to work with this demographic.

An Exercise Physiologist has completed a minimum 4 year undergraduate degree at University in Sport Science. After completing 300 plus clinical hours, an Exercise Physiologist can then become Accredited through Exercise and Sport Science Australia (ESSA). Accredited Exercise Physiologists are trained in managing people with chronic medical conditions and musculoskeletal injuries. Some of these conditions include:

• Musculoskeletal conditions such as Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, post Orthopaedic Surgery;
• Cardiorespiratory conditions such as post heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure;
• Neurological conditions such as Motor Neuron Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease.
• Metabolic conditions such as Syndrome X, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia and Obesity.

An Accredited Exercise Physiologist tends to work in a clinical setting. They provide expert advice to the general ‘healthy’ population as well as those with medical conditions. Sometimes they will form part of a multi disciplinary team which may include Doctors, Surgeons and Physiotherapists.

No. You can seek the assistance of an Exercise Physiologist independently and self-refer.

Yes, Exercise Physiology is claimable as an ‘extra’ under private health insurance, generally as a separate allowance to Physiotherapy. The rebate available does differ from fund to fund so check your fund to see your entitlements.