ABC Catalyst highlights exercise as part of chronic illness cure

June 1, 2012

While everyone knows a regular dose of exercise is good for you, the benefits of doctors prescribing exercise in the treatment of chronic diseases, including cancer, were explored on ABC’s Catalyst this Thursday evening.

The science show revealed the role of exercise physiologists in treating life threatening conditions and focused on the current evidence and treatments which support exercise as an integral therapy during recovery. It showcased a profession often misunderstood by the general public, in developing appropriate exercise regimes for patients.

Anita Hobson-Powell, Executive Officer of Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) which is the national accrediting body for exercise physiologists, says the aim of the Exercise is Medicine program is to make physical activity and exercise a standard part of a disease prevention and treatment paradigm in Australia, improving community health and reducing long-term health care costs.

“Catalyst explored the evidence that those suffering from chronic disease can actually feel better during treatment and reduce the chances of the disease recurring if exercise is used in a controlled manner during treatment and recovery,” said Ms Hobson-Powell.

“Given this, it’s amazing that only 2% of General Practitioners prescribe exercise as part of treatment. Many people think exercise physiologists only work with elite sports people or are much like personal trainers but their university training equips them to go beyond training the fit and healthy. It enables them to understand the effects of exercise on the body, both physically and mentally.”

“Those suffering from chronic conditions need professional assistance when it comes to the impact of exercise on their musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and endocrine systems and exercise physiologists are able to prescribe exercise that is safe and beneficial thanks to their wide knowledge of the human body.”

Exercise is Medicine celebrated its first anniversary on May 20 as well as its whirlwind of success in lobbying for widespread recognition of the essential role of physical activity and exercise in chronic disease prevention.

Its aim to make every doctor consider physical activity and exercise as a standard part of the treatment program may seem ambitious but Anita Hobson-Powell believes it’s a significant factor in improving community health.

“If patients are counselled on appropriate exercise regimes and each visit to a provider is concluded with an exercise prescription or referral to an accredited exercise physiologist (AEP) or other qualified health professional, we can save billions of dollars currently committed to treatment. Prevention is where the real savings can be found.”
In recent months EIM has been advocating for the inclusion of physical activity vital sign questions in medical software and launched the Interactive Adult Pre-Exercise Screening System (APSS) enabling both general practitioners and the public to take a simple multiple-choice online test to see if they are safe to start an exercise program.

The recent launch of the EIM Physical Activity Calendar of Events (PACE) has also been a significant development. The first of its kind in Australia, the calendar provides a one-stop address for locating physical activity events around the country such as fun runs or walks, triathlons and 24-hour challenges. The calendar was introduced to help Australians find out what events are happening in their state and to motivate them to stay active.

“According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), about a third of Australians will suffer from at least one chronic condition which really means everyone is affected, either directly or through a family member. If every doctor considers exercise for every patient at every visit we can change the future for the next generation,” said Ms Hobson-Powell.

If you missed the Catalyst program you can watch a replay on ABC i-view www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3515000.htm.

Ends.

ABOUT EXERCISE IS MEDICINE

The three guiding principles of Exercise is Medicine® Australia, are designed to improve the health and well-being of all Australians through regular physical activity prescription from doctors and other allied health providers. The guiding principles are as follows:
• Physical activity and exercise are important to health and the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases;
• More should be done to address physical activity and exercise in health care settings; and
• Support the referral of patients to appropriately trained allied health professionals to deliver exercise treatment services.

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