Current evidence supports physical activity and exercise as an integral treatment for both primary and secondary prevention and the treatment of chronic disease. Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs) play an important, irreplaceable role as physical activity and exercise specialists within healthcare.
An AEP can provide local services for:
- patients at high-risk of developing or currently with chronic disease;
- patients at risk of developing, or currently with existing injury, that require rehabilitation to improve physical function; and
- patients in need of lifestyle change through risk factor modification, at all levels of readiness to behavioural change.
Accredited exercise physiologists provide services for patients in a variety of settings:
- Screening and risk stratifying to ensure the safety and appropriateness of exercise and physical activity interventions
- Assessing ‘movement’ capacity in people of all ages and levels of health, well-being or fitness
- Development of safe, effective individualised exercise interventions
- Provision of health education, advice and support to enhance health and well-being
- Provision of physical activity advice and clinical exercise prescription, for those at high-risk of developing, or with existing chronic health conditions
- Provision of rehabilitation and advice for patients following the acute stage of injury, surgical intervention, or during recovery to restore functional capacity and well-being