What Does an Exercise Physiologist Do? A Guide to Exercise Physiology

Pain, injury, disability or a chronic health condition can make exercise difficult. You may know that being active is important, but knowing what exercises are appropriate, how hard you should exercise and how quickly you should progress can be much harder.

This is where an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) can help. Exercise physiologists use individually prescribed exercise to help people improve their physical capacity, manage health conditions, recover from injury and become more confident with movement.

At MedPhys Rehabilitation, exercise physiology goes beyond simply giving someone a list of exercises. Treatment begins by understanding the person’s condition, symptoms, physical capacity, functional limitations and goals before developing an individualised exercise rehabilitation program.

Whether your goal is to return to work after an injury, improve strength and balance, manage persistent pain or become more independent with everyday activities, exercise can be progressively adapted to your individual needs.

What Is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist?

An Accredited Exercise Physiologist is an allied health professional who specialises in the use of clinical exercise interventions for people with injuries, disabilities, chronic health conditions and complex health needs.

While a personal trainer commonly works with generally healthy individuals looking to improve their fitness, an exercise physiologist is trained to work with people whose medical conditions, injuries or functional limitations may affect how they exercise.

Exercise physiology may involve:

  • Strength and conditioning
  • Functional rehabilitation
  • Balance and falls-prevention exercises
  • Cardiovascular exercise
  • Mobility exercises
  • Pain-management strategies
  • Neurological rehabilitation
  • Graded return to activity
  • Work-specific conditioning
  • Education and independent exercise programs

The exercise program should be based on the individual’s presentation rather than using the same program for everyone.

Exercise Physiologist

What Does an Exercise Physiologist Actually Do?

Your exercise physiologist will usually start by determining what you can currently do and what is preventing you from doing more. This may involve assessing areas such as strength, mobility, balance, walking capacity, cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance and functional movements.

The results can then be used to establish a baseline and develop an appropriate rehabilitation program.

For example, someone experiencing persistent lower-back pain may have difficulty lifting, bending or tolerating prolonged activity.

Rather than simply avoiding these movements indefinitely, exercise rehabilitation may progressively work on improving trunk strength, lower-limb strength, movement confidence and tolerance to progressively greater physical demands.

The objective isn’t necessarily to make every symptom disappear before someone exercises.

Instead, exercise can be appropriately prescribed, monitored and progressed according to the person’s capacity and response.

What Conditions Can an Exercise Physiologist Help With?

Exercise physiology can be useful across a wide range of health conditions and functional limitations.

These may include:

Musculoskeletal conditions

  • Lower-back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Joint pain
  • Persistent musculoskeletal pain
  • Post-injury rehabilitation
  • Reduced strength following injury

Neurological conditions

  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Stroke
  • Acquired brain injury
  • Neurological balance and mobility difficulties

Mental health conditions

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • PTSD
  • Reduced motivation and activity
  • Social withdrawal and reduced participation

Metabolic and cardiovascular conditions

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Hypertension
  • Reduced cardiovascular fitness

Exercise physiologists can also assist people experiencing general deconditioning, reduced mobility, poor balance and loss of physical independence.

Exercise Physiology for Chronic Pain

Persistent pain can gradually change the way someone moves.

People may begin avoiding certain activities because they are concerned about aggravating their symptoms. Over time, reduced activity can contribute to declining strength, conditioning and confidence.

Exercise physiology can provide a structured way of gradually rebuilding physical capacity.

Depending on the individual, rehabilitation may focus on improving:

  • Strength
  • Mobility
  • Muscular endurance
  • Cardiovascular capacity
  • Confidence with movement
  • Tolerance to everyday activities
  • Functional lifting and carrying capacity

Exercise doesn’t need to begin with heavy weights or difficult movements.

The starting point should reflect what the person can safely and realistically tolerate before gradually progressing.

Exercise Physiology for Back Pain

Back pain is one of the common reasons people become hesitant about exercise.

However, avoiding movement altogether can sometimes contribute to further loss of strength and physical capacity.

An exercise physiologist can assess how your symptoms affect activities such as:

  • Bending
  • Lifting
  • Walking
  • Sitting
  • Standing
  • Carrying
  • Working
  • Exercising

Your rehabilitation program can then progressively target the areas that are limiting your function.

For some people this may involve trunk and hip strengthening. For others, improving general conditioning, lifting tolerance, mobility or confidence with particular movements may be more important.

There isn’t one universal exercise program for back pain.

Exercise Physiologist vs Physiotherapist: What’s the Difference?

This is one of the most common questions patients ask.

Physiotherapists and exercise physiologists can both play important roles in rehabilitation, but their approaches and areas of focus can differ.

Physiotherapy may include assessment, manual therapy, exercise, education and other treatment techniques.

Exercise physiology places a particularly strong emphasis on exercise prescription, physical conditioning and progressive rehabilitation.

For some patients, the two professions work alongside each other.

For example, someone recovering from an injury may initially receive physiotherapy treatment before increasingly focusing on progressive strengthening, conditioning and functional rehabilitation with an exercise physiologist.

At MedPhys Rehabilitation, the aim is to determine which approach is most appropriate for the individual’s current stage of recovery.

Exercise Physiology for Work Injuries

Returning to work involves more than simply reducing pain.

A worker may need to regain sufficient physical capacity to repeatedly perform the demands of their occupation.

Depending on the job, this could include:

  • Lifting
  • Carrying
  • Pushing and pulling
  • Prolonged standing
  • Walking
  • Repetitive movements
  • Overhead work
  • Manual handling
  • Maintaining physical activity throughout a working day

Exercise physiology rehabilitation can progressively reproduce relevant physical demands in a controlled environment.

Progress can also be objectively assessed over time to help determine whether physical capacity is improving.

Exercise Physiology for WorkCover and CTP Claims

Exercise Physiologists can form part of the rehabilitation team following a workplace injury or motor vehicle accident.

Where appropriate and approved, treatment may focus on restoring physical function and progressing the individual towards their occupational and everyday activity requirements.

Programs can include graded strengthening, conditioning, functional rehabilitation and work-specific exercise.

Communication with the wider treating team may also form part of rehabilitation where required.

Exercise Physiology and the NDIS

Exercise physiology may also support eligible NDIS participants where exercise intervention relates to the functional impact of their disability and their individual goals.

Depending on the participant, exercise physiology may target areas including:

  • Strength
  • Balance
  • Coordination
  • Walking capacity
  • Physical endurance
  • Mobility
  • Functional capacity
  • Community participation
  • Confidence with physical activity
  • Greater physical independence

Programs should be individualised around the participant’s functional needs rather than simply providing general fitness training.

Exercise Physiology for Neurological Conditions

Neurological conditions can affect movement in many different ways.

A person may experience changes in their balance, coordination, walking pattern, strength, endurance or ability to complete everyday activities.

Exercise programs can therefore incorporate activities targeting:

Balance and postural control – improving the ability to maintain stability during everyday movements.

Strength – maintaining or improving the physical capacity required for walking, transfers and daily activities.

Gait and mobility – practising movements relevant to walking and community access.

Coordination – challenging the ability to control movements accurately.

Dual-task activities – combining physical and cognitive activities where appropriate.

Cardiovascular conditioning – maintaining fitness and activity tolerance.

The specific program will depend heavily on the individual’s neurological presentation and functional goals.

Exercise and Mental Health

Exercise can also form part of a broader approach to managing mental health.

For some people experiencing depression, anxiety, PTSD or other psychological conditions, simply being told to “exercise more” isn’t particularly helpful.

Symptoms may affect motivation, confidence, routine and the ability to independently initiate physical activity.

Structured exercise physiology can provide a progressive and supportive framework for increasing activity.

The aim may include establishing routine, improving physical health, increasing confidence with exercise and gradually developing greater independence.

Exercise physiology does not replace appropriate psychological or medical treatment but can work alongside these services.

What Happens at Your First Exercise Physiology Appointment?

Your first appointment is generally more than a workout.

Your exercise physiologist needs to understand why you’re attending and what you want to achieve.

The assessment may include discussion of your:

  • Medical and injury history
  • Current symptoms
  • Medications where relevant
  • Previous treatment
  • Current activity levels
  • Work or daily activity requirements
  • Functional limitations
  • Exercise history
  • Personal rehabilitation goals

Physical assessments may then be performed depending on your condition.

These could include measures of strength, balance, mobility, endurance, cardiovascular capacity or functional movements.

The results provide a baseline that can be reassessed as rehabilitation progresses.

Will I Have to Exercise in a Gym?

Not necessarily.

Exercise physiology can occur in different environments depending on the individual’s needs and goals.

This may include a clinic, gym, home environment, hydrotherapy setting or community environment.

The important consideration is whether the exercise environment allows the individual to work safely and effectively towards their goals.

How Long Does Exercise Physiology Take to Work?

There isn’t a universal number of sessions.

Someone recovering from a relatively straightforward injury may require a very different rehabilitation period from someone managing a long-term neurological condition, persistent pain or significant physical deconditioning.

Progress will depend on factors including:

  • The underlying condition
  • Duration of symptoms
  • Current physical capacity
  • Exercise tolerance
  • Consistency
  • Rehabilitation goals
  • Other medical considerations

Your program should therefore be reviewed and progressed according to your response rather than following an arbitrary timeline.

Do I Need a Referral to See an Exercise Physiologist?

This depends on how you are accessing the service.

Some people attend privately, while others may access exercise physiology through an appropriate referral, funding or insurance pathway.

Depending on eligibility and approval requirements, this may include programs associated with:

  • Medicare
  • NDIS
  • Workers Compensation
  • CTP insurance
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs
  • Private health insurance

It is worth checking the requirements of your particular funding pathway before commencing treatment.

When Should You Consider Seeing an Exercise Physiologist?

You may benefit from an assessment if pain, injury or a health condition is preventing you from exercising independently or participating in normal activities.

You may also consider exercise physiology if you:

  • Don’t know which exercises are appropriate for your condition
  • Keep experiencing symptoms when attempting to exercise
  • Have lost strength or fitness following an injury
  • Have difficulty with balance or walking
  • Need structured rehabilitation before returning to work
  • Have a chronic health condition affecting exercise
  • Need help progressing beyond basic rehabilitation exercises
  • Want to become more physically independent
  • Have been advised by another health professional to increase your physical activity

You don’t necessarily need to already be “fit enough” to see an exercise physiologist.

Finding an appropriate starting point is part of the process.

Exercise Physiology in Sydney

MedPhys Rehabilitation provides individualised Exercise Physiology and rehabilitation services in Sydney, including services across Concord and surrounding Inner West areas.

Our approach focuses on assessing the individual first and then prescribing exercise according to their condition, physical capacity and goals.

Rather than simply asking:

“Where does it hurt?”

we also want to understand:

“What is this stopping you from doing?”

That may be returning to work, walking further, lifting confidently, exercising independently, improving balance, or simply keeping up with everyday life.

The objective of rehabilitation is to progressively build the physical capacity required to get you closer to those activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an Exercise Physiologist the same as a personal trainer?

No. Accredited Exercise Physiologists are university-qualified allied health professionals trained in clinical exercise prescription for people with chronic health conditions, injuries and disabilities.

Can an Exercise Physiologist help with back pain?

Exercise physiology may be appropriate for people experiencing back pain where strength, conditioning, movement tolerance or physical capacity needs to be improved. An assessment helps determine an appropriate starting point.

Can Exercise Physiologists treat injuries?

Exercise physiologists commonly work within injury rehabilitation, particularly when progressive exercise, strengthening and restoration of physical capacity are required.

Can I see an Exercise Physiologist through the NDIS?

Exercise physiology may be funded for eligible NDIS participants where the support meets the relevant funding requirements and relates to the participant’s disability and goals.

Can I see an Exercise Physiologist through WorkCover?

Exercise physiology can form part of rehabilitation following a workplace injury where treatment is considered appropriate and the necessary approval has been obtained.

Can Exercise Physiology help with Parkinson’s disease or neurological conditions?

Exercise physiologists can work with people living with neurological conditions where exercise is appropriate. Programs may address strength, balance, gait, coordination, endurance and functional capacity depending on the person’s presentation.

Do I need to be fit before seeing an Exercise Physiologist?

No. Exercise is prescribed according to your current capacity. For someone who has been inactive because of injury or illness, the initial exercises may be relatively simple before gradually progressing.

Take the Next Step

If pain, injury, disability or a chronic health condition is limiting your ability to exercise or complete everyday activities, an Exercise Physiology assessment can help identify an appropriate starting point.

MedPhys Rehabilitation provides individualised Exercise Physiology programs focused on improving strength, mobility, physical capacity and independence.

Whether you’re returning from injury, managing a long-term condition or simply unsure how to exercise safely, we can help develop a program around your individual needs. Call 0422 785 958 to enquire about an Exercise Physiology assessment.