Why Get Kinesiologists to Fill Exercise Prescriptions

The concept of using exercise as medicine to prevent, treat and manage many chronic diseases is gaining ground and hitting mainstream media. Have you ever been to your doctor, had them discuss your lifestyle, then prescribe exercise instead of medication?   

Doctors of B.C. have had access to specific prescription pads to be able to prescribe exercise to their patients since 2014. Kinesiologists have the expertise to fill these prescriptions. 

Why Do Exercise Prescriptions Fail?

When a physician prescribes medication, the pharmacist will give the patient instructions that detail the frequency, duration, dosage and whether or not to take it with food.

When patients are told to by their family physician to be more active, they often don't have the first clue of where to go or how to start.  Many are left spinning their wheels and don't take action or aren't as effective with their exercise regime because they become easily discouraged and frustrated. They give up quickly when they've signed-up for a local gym or community center and don't understand which exercises are beneficial or detrimental for their chronic disease. They need guidance of how to fill their prescription based on their health history, lifestyle and goals. Others might go to a Personal Trainer who's scope of practice and knowledge is usually limited to training an apparently healthy population, e.g.  with no known diseases or injury.

What is the difference between a Personal Trainer and Kinesiologist?

Stop Feeling Lost When Told to Be More Active

If you have a chronic medical condition seek the expertise of a kinesiologist or exercise physiologist. We provide greater detail to the prescription for exercise provided by your doctor.  Some clients have several conditions that we need to be aware of when deciding on an exercise intervention for their medical needs, age and physical activity history.  

Kinesiology is the study of human movement. At a minimum, during our undergraduate degrees kinesiologists study human anatomy, exercise physiology, psychology, motor learning and human biomechanics to understand how humans interact, move within and adapt to our environments as well as gain insights into how our lifestyle choices impact our health. 

We are part of the health care team and kinesiologists are registered health professionals in Ontario.  Kinesiologists are able to develop, guide and progress an appropriate physical activity program for people with chronic diseases such as, but not to limited osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and Parkinson's disease.   Disability managers often refer to kinesiologists to assist with the last phase of their clients' effort to return to work.  People injured in car accidents have 12 pre-approved Kinesiology (formerly active rehabilitation ) sessions to help them regain strength and mobility.

It is encouraging to see exercise as medicine gaining more media exposure.  Kinesiologists can replace the generic advice of "be more active" with more specific prescriptive and individualized advice.  Alex Allan, a Registered Kinesiologist in Ontario gives some excellent examples in his article in the Globe and Mail "Exercise as medicine' can help treat chronic diseases - if done properly ."

Sharing the Globe and Mail article on Twitter started a conversation with Dr. Lora Giangregorio, a professor at the University of Waterloo, who studies osteoporosis. She helped develop new Canadian guidelines for exercising with osteoporosis that includes balance and resistance training. 

How to Find a Kinesiologist or Exercise Physiologist

Make sure the exercise physiologist/kinesiologist has experience working with someone with your condition(s) and they are registered with their provincial association (college in Ontario). In B.C. this is the British Columbia of Association of Kinesiologists.