Exercise physiology is more like a science that reflects how the body responds to physical activity and adapts movements over time. It evaluates the way in which these physical movements affect your heart rate and function, lungs, muscles, bones, nervous system, metabolism, and energy levels.
Knight Health offers exercise physiology services delivered by university-qualified Exercise Physiologists (EPs). EPs are allied health professionals who specialise in exercise assessment and prescription. They develop individualised programs based on each person’s specific needs, abilities, and goals. This approach considers the individual as a whole, rather than focusing solely on a diagnosis or injury.
Exercise physiology is often considered to be associated with sports performance, but that’s not its only use and significance. It also plays an important role in injury rehabilitation, maintaining workplace health and safety, chronic disease management, and return-to-work planning.
At Knight Health, exercise physiology serves as a part of the broader range of occupational health services, which might also include pre-employment medicals and several other workplace health services. Through individualised exercise and education, our EPs help improve physical functioning, manage health conditions, and support long-term health and quality of life.
What to Expect When Seeing an Exercise Physiologist
Exercise physiology is all about evaluating how a person moves and responds to physical activities. During an initial consultation, an EP may ask details about:
- Medical history
- Physical stamina
- Current symptoms
- Lifestyle details
- Current injury status, if relevant
- The physical demands of the job role
- Individual health, rehabilitation, and activity goals
This information helps the EP to make an informed and evidence-based decision about the exercise prescription. It also helps them develop a tailored program reflecting the individuals needs, abilities, and goals. Following this assessment, here’s a range of exercises that the EP will suggest:
- Strength and conditioning exercises to improve muscle capacity.
- Balance and coordination activities to improve movement control.
- Stretching and mobility exercises that support flexibility and joint movement.
- Cardiovascular training to build endurance and exercise tolerance.
- Role-specific and functional exercises for everyday workplace activities.
Exercise programs are usually designed at a beginner’s level for each individual and are then modified or progressed over time. This helps support improvements in physical capacity and confidence.
Who Can Benefit from Exercise Physiology?
Exercise physiology can benefit individuals with serious health concerns, injuries, and fitness goals. It’s beneficial for those that are looking to improve their overall well-being, manage a chronic condition, recover from an injury, or manage confidence with movement.
Here are a few health conditions where exercise physiology can prove to be rewarding:
- Chronic health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and neurological conditions.
- Improving the general health, physical capacity, and quality of life.
- Recovering from a serious injury or surgery.
- Rehabilitation following a workplace injury.
- Managing chronic pain or reduced physical capacity.
- Returning to work with regular physical activity after a period of being inactive.
Exercise Physiology services can be accessed through different funding and healthcare pathways, including Workers’ Compensation, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), Medicare, and private health or private payment pathways. Eligibility and access can vary on individual circumstances and the relevant funding requirements.
The Role of Exercise Physiology in Chronic Disease Management
When it comes to chronic health conditions, one major factor in Australia is a lack of physical activity. The following statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare make the impact of physical inactivity on the Australian population very clear:
- 6% of the total burden of disease for the overall Australian population is due to physical inactivity.
- Physical inactivity is responsible for 19% of the diabetes burden.
- 16% of the bowel cancer burden.
- 16% of the uterine cancer burden.
- 11% of the heart disease and breast cancer burden.
- And so on
These figures highlight the significance of physical movement and activities in the body to prevent chronic diseases and promote long-term health of individuals in the workplace.
An EP can develop an individualised program based on the individual’s physical potential, medical history, symptoms, and physical role specifications. The purpose of an exercise physiology program is not to apply the same approach to everyone. Rather, the EP evaluates the person’s overall health, abilities, preferences, and goals to determine the most appropriate type and level of exercise.
For instance, if there is a person with type 2 diabetes, he/she can benefit from aerobic and resistance training. These types of physical activities can improve blood sugar levels and muscle strength. Alternatively, a person with heart disease might need a physical program that builds cardiovascular fitness with regular monitoring of symptoms and their intensity.
Exercise Physiology for Workplace Injuries
Exercise physiology matters in the workplace because any workplace injury can affect a person’s movement, strength, confidence, and ability to perform normal duties. Exercise physiology provides a structured middle ground that prevents the risk of reinjury due to early return to work or the risk of becoming inactive for too long, resulting in more weakness.
An experienced EPs prepares a comprehensive and progressive plan based on the assessment of the worker’s capacity. This helps to rebuild the physical capacity of the worker while reducing the risk of returning to work before the person is ready for it.
At Knight Health, our EPs work alongside our occupational health service providers to support individuals throughout their rehabilitation and return-to-work journey. After considering the physical demands of the person’s job role, they incorporate the relevant movements and activities in the rehabilitation program. This approach helps employees to build:
- Confidence with movement
- Physical capacity
- Strength and tolerance
- Tolerance for work-specific tasks
- Ability to participate in daily activities
- Readiness to safely manage the role-specific physical demands
A workplace-focused program is what EPss provide, which includes functional conditioning, simulated tasks, and education about exercise progression. For instance, an office worker might need activities for improving posture and mobility, whereas a warehouse worker might need physical training to lift heavy weights or stand for long hours.
By helping bridge the gap between the physical demands of the job role and the rehabilitation, exercise physiology supports a safe and sustainable return to work. Physical progress can be measured by improvements in strength, better movement control, walking balance, and the ability to complete specific work tasks on time and with zero accidents or injuries.
Having EPss from reputed health clinics like Knight Health provides structured and evidence-based workplace rehabilitation, which reduces the scope of injuries and improves the recovery speed.
How Knight Health’s Exercise Physiology Services Help
Knight Health provides exercise physiology services delivered by university-qualified Exercise Physiologists (EPs). Our EPs provide individualised exercise programs based on each person’s health, physical capacity, needs, and goals. The programs are designed in a way that supports fast injury recovery, safe return-to-work, and workplace rehabilitation.
Our services help support:
- Chronic disease management
- Workplace injury rehabilitation
- Improved fitness, strength, and mobility
- Supporting safe and sustainable return-to-work
The approach adopted by our EPss involves a comprehensive assessment of the individual’s capacity, medical history, and workplace role demands. Based on this assessment, a structured and detailed return-to-work plan is outlined as part of our exercise physiology services. Our service includes communicating with the candidate, employer, and insurer to gather a holistic view of what level of physical exercise is needed.
Our professionals make sure to provide a clear report regarding the current status and the improvement in the physical caliber of the individuals. Where appropriate, our EPs connect with the stakeholders involved in the person’s care or return-to-work program. This indicates the functional progress and helps in a coordinated understanding of the individual’s capacity, progress, and rehabilitation needs.
Supporting Your Health, Recovery and Return to Work
When it comes to exercise physiology, movement is the greatest asset in tracking health improvement and rebuilding the physical capacity of the individual. It can support people at different stages of their health, rehabilitation, and return-to-work journeys.
Whether a person is managing a chronic health condition, recovering from an injury, improving physical capacity, or preparing for a safe return to work, professional guidance can help them exercise safely and confidently.
With an individualised program from a Knight Health Exercise Physiologist, workplace-focused rehabilitation becomes organized and outcome-driven. People can focus on working towards improving strength, mobility, fitness, physical function, and confidence in movement. Contact Knight Health to promote a safe, informed, and sustainable workplace with our strategic exercise physiology plan.