People can face physical limitations for all sorts of reasons, from disability to injury or chronic illness. In many cases, there are interventions available that can help reduce those limitations – and for some people, help them recover or improve their health.

For people living with an ongoing disability, exercise physiology can help improve their mobility and day-to-day functions.

Let’s look at what exercise physiology is, and how it might benefit you.

What is exercise physiology?

In simple terms, exercise physiology is the study of the body’s responses to physical activity.

Exercise physiologists are tertiary-qualified, allied health professionals who specialise in designing and delivering exercise programs to help people improve their fitness, manage their weight, or manage chronic disease, injury, or disability. The aim is to enable optimal physical function. In other words, exercise physiologists develop the right exercise program to help you move as best you can, and be able to live as independently as possible.

As well as exercise programs, exercise physiologists also provide education, advice and support on diet, lifestyle, and behaviour modifications. They can also assess and evaluate an individual’s needs.

Is it like physiotherapy?

Often physiotherapy and exercise physiology go hand-in-hand, however the main difference is that exercise physiologists are “hands off”. They are coaches, educators and counsellors who help show people how to help themselves through exercise, diet, and lifestyle choices.

Exercise physiologists collaborate closely with clients, their families, and carers to provide a comprehensive assessment of their physical, health, and wellness requirements, and identify the best course of action.

How can exercise physiology help people with a disability?

Often exercise physiology can help people living with a disability become more independent by increasing their mobility and improving their overall health. A regular exercise program can also help improve mental health.

Exercise physiology can help if you have or at risk of any condition that impairs your physical movement, or causes problems with your weight, or mental health.

Some examples include:

  • Learning to walk again following a spinal cord injury
  • Improving balance, strength and coordination after a brain injury
  • Muscle relaxation techniques for people living with cerebral palsy
  • Support for people living with Down Syndrome to become more active
  • Delaying the progression or reducing the risk of complications for people living with multiple sclerosis
  • Managing mental health symptoms

How can LiveBig help?

At LiveBig, we have a team of accredited exercise physiologists and are registered in NDIS categories 12 and 15, which are improved health and wellbeing, and improved daily living skills.

This means, under an individual’s NDIS plan, our team can provide targeted advice about the required exercise to help you improve your overall health and wellbeing, or to be able to live more independently.

Our exercise physiologists understand that everyone’s needs are different, and carefully evaluate individual needs to recommend the best options that are right for you and your goals. We work with you and your support team to set clearly identifiable and achievable goals as part of your NDIS plan – whether your plan is self-managed, planner-managed or NDIA-managed. We regularly review your progress and update your goals.  

Our experts can come to you, or provide services via our telehealth platform. We also have an award-winning, innovative app called StepUpToday – which is a program to help improve function, independence and wellbeing by setting goals around everyday activities.

To find out more about the services we offer, and how we can help you under your NDIS plan, visit our website or call 1300 390222.