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Exercise training for patients: how to effectively implement it?

Implementing exercise training requires an interdisciplinary team approach, from the check-in at hospitals to the referral to professionals.

Implementing exercise training requires an interdisciplinary team approach, from the check-in at hospitals to the referral to professionals in outpatient clinics, communities, or facilities that help them be more active.

Watch the video interview to get expert insights on properly implementing exercise training. In this interview, Dr. Mark Stoutenberg, Associate Professor at the Department of Kinesiology at Temple University in Philadelphia, talks about the major issues facing exercise implementation and the best strategies to overcome them.

After watching

Here are some points we’d like to highlight:

Integrating physical activity into health settings is challenging and requires careful planning and buy-in from health system leaders, administrative staff, and the entire clinic team.
Teams integrating physical activity into health systems should have a comprehensive evaluation plan ready and in place at the earliest stages.
When evaluating physical activity integration in health systems, consider using an implementation science lens that looks at processes, as well as outcomes.

Discussion

The existing socioeconomic challenges, the ageing population and the associated increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases, strongly support a high demand for the skills and competences of exercise professionals and Sports and Exercise Medicine specialists. It should be integrated by a specific training in the medical student curriculum and the specialisation of other physicians and healthcare/exercise professionals involved in the therapeutic application of exercise in medicine.

Which could be the role of Sports and Exercise Medicine specialists in the implementation of the therapeutic application of physical exercise in the healthcare system?

Share your answer in the Comments section!