Exercise Physiology

Accredited Exercise Physiologists are university qualified allied health professionals. AEPs specialise in designing and delivering safe and effective exercise interventions for people with a wide range of health issues, including chronic medical conditions, injuries or disabilities. Exercise Physiologists are involved in all stages of the recovery process, providing support and restoring physical function, health or wellness.

Essentially we treat the cause of any muscle dysfunction or injury, whilst educating our clients on how to self-manage the condition.

Our Programs

Fundamentally our programs treat the clients’ symptoms of pain, tight muscles and reduction in strength and range of motion. Concurrently through functional exercises, we pay close attention to proper muscle activation and correct movement patterns.

This means we ensure the right muscles are active during various functional movements in job requirements and activities of daily living, to ensure this is congruent with the long-term rehabilitation, and there is no recursion of injury.

What We Offer

We provide in-clinic consultations, telehealth appointments and mobile exercise physiology typically for workers’ compensation, motor vehicle accident, life insurance and DVA patients, and The National Disability Insurance Scheme clients. Our exercise physiologists treat in locations most convenient and appropriate for the individual client. This could be at their local pool, gymnasium or in their home. We have access to most gyms and pools and if the patient is not familiar with their local facilities, we know which amenities will be most suitable for their treatment. This not only makes the program easier for the patient to implement, but increases long-term adherence and self-management.

We also understand how the psychological status of a patient can directly impact their injury or condition, so counselling throughout exercise treatment sessions is provided when needed. When necessary we refer patients to psychologists, who work with us through the rehabilitation process.

Our Services

Assessments

All patients will firstly undertake an assessment of their current functional capacity, physical fitness and restrictions and limitations.

This will allow us to implement the most appropriate tailored program for the patient. Objective measures are recorded at base level, and throughout the treatment phase, to show progress and stages of rehabilitation. The assessment also allows practitioner and patient to set goals most suitable for the individual’s rehabilitation.

Hydrotherapy

Heated pools specific for hydrotherapy are used, as the warm water decreases pain and stiffness that may be present due to the injury or condition. This helps to mobilize joints and tissues with reduced range of motion and function. When a patient commences exercises in the pool, they immediately feel a decrease in pain and increases in their range of motion. Hydrotherapy is used when the patient’s injury is acute, and land based exercises are likely to cause aggravation at that stage. When pain levels have been decreased and range of motion has been increased sufficiently, it is time for the patient to be progressed to land based exercises, either at home or in a gymnasium.

Home Programs

At acute stages of injury, home programs may be necessary due to difficulties with travel. We also understand for various reasons some people will not enjoy or feel comfortable exercising at the gym, and are more suited to performing their ‘rehabilitation at home. Therefore we prescribe functional exercise programs in their home, to provide the best long-term outcomes for these patients. We also provide necessary exercise equipment such as fitballs, therabands and foam rollers, which can easily be used in any home. Furthermore, both hydrotherapy and gym programs will include self-management therapies at home, such as heat packs, triggering, stretching and range of motion exercises, to comprehensively address the causes and symptoms of the injury. Patients may also start treatments at home, and progress to a gymnasium or hydrotherapy pool.

Gym Programs

A gym program will provide the best strength and conditioning, as well as correction of A gym program will provide the best strength and conditioning, as well as correction ofmovement patterns.

Essentially it will provide the best long-term outcome for patients, but only if that environment is most suitable for them. A gymnasium will ensure the highest levels of hypertrophy (muscle growth), which is important to provide as much support as possible to the injury, whilst undergoing workplace tasks and activities of daily living. A correction of movement patterns will also mean the patient uses the correct muscles and techniques for the tasks at hand, to ensure there is no recursion of injury.

Workers’ Compensation

Our rehabilitation programs prescribe functional exercise for the purpose of increasing a worker’s capacity for employment. We provide all the education and tools for the self-management of injury, work demands and activities, encouraging injured workers to take an active role in their rehabilitation program. The worker must have a current medical certificate or have been referred by a registered medical practitioner.

MVA/CTP Insurance

We provide rehabilitation following fractures, whiplash, back, knee, hip and other injuries, including minor and major trauma. Exercise physiologists are involved from the acute stage of the injury through to recovery. We help you build a solid foundation for a safe return to normal daily activities and improvement of overall quality of life. The client must have a current medical certificate or have been referred by a registered medical practitioner or clearance from your insurer to access exercise physiology services.

Life Insurance / Income Protection

Recovering from an illness or injury can be physically strenuous on your body. Under the guidance of our Exercise Physiologists, your body will be prepared to physically be able complete the tasks you are required to at work and at home, through a personalised exercise program designed for your needs.

NDIS

Exercise Physiologists can treat a wide range of conditions. Everyone is different so the type of program an exercise physiologist develops for you will be based on your individual needs and aims. This service can be funded by your NDIS package under the following support categories:

Capacity Building – Improved Daily
Living Skills
Capacity Building – Improved Health
and Wellbeing
Core – Assistance with Daily Life

DVA

Exercise Physiologists can provide clinically necessary Rehabilitative treatment for DVA entitled clients (Gold card and White card holders with a chronic condition) on referral from a GP. Our programs address the needs of a specific condition and provide the skills for self-management of the condition through exercise.

Private / Health Insurance

In order for a patient to receive a rebate from their Private Health Insurer, the patient’s cover must include exercise physiology services and the treatment must aim to prevent, delay or ameliorate a chronic disease or injury. Insurers do not pay a benefit for general fitness programs.