WHAT IS AN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST?

An Exercise Physiologist is a healthcare professional who specializes in the science of physical activity and exercise. They have expertise in how the body responds to exercise and the physiological effects of exercise on the body. They use this knowledge to help people optimize their physical performance, improve their overall health, and prevent or manage chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Exercise physiologists work alongside their clients to create personalised exercise programs that are both safe and effective, while also being specifically designed to meet the unique needs and goals of each individual. At Empower Health NQ, our team have more than a decade of knowledge and have experience working with a wide range of conditions. We take a holistic approach to understanding your needs and understand that each individuals needs and capacities are different.

Overall, the goal of an exercise physiologist is to promote health, prevent disease, and improve quality of life through regular physical activity and exercise.

What to expect during your first appointment

During your first appointment with our Exercise Physiologists our focus is on you. You should expect the following during your first appointment:

• Through rapport and trust building strategies we aim to understand what your goals are and how we can utilise our Exercise Physiology skillset to help you.

• We will also ask questions about your health and medical history as this will to allow us to best understand how you may respond to exercise. This is an important step and this assists us with understanding which exercise modality might suit you best.

• Following getting to know you and your goals, you will then be asked to perform different assessments specific to you. By performing different assessments we can gauge your starting point and is then used as a reference point when you complete future assessments. This is most important as it will indicate whether our exercise prescription is beneficial and helping you achieve your goals.

• Finally, we will provide you with a clear plan to achieve your goals. Usually you will leave with a home exercise program or a management strategy for your health condition.

Remember to wear comfortable clothing you can exercise in, a water bottle and a towel. If you have had recent scans (x-ray, MRI, ultrasound, etc), medication list or anything else that may assist us with providing you the highest level of care, please bring this along to your initial appointment.