Sport & Exercise Physicians (SEPs) are Medical Doctors with expertise in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal injuries and the prescription of exercise for well-being and as form of medicine for medical conditions.

Physical activity has been clearly shown to improve health and well-being at all stages and ages of life.  Exercise prescription for disease management, be it following a heart attack, for depression, to assist with recovery from cancer or for having a healthy pregnancy has excellent evidence to support it.  Having an expert involved in your exercise prescription is as important as having a Pharmacist dispense your medication or a licensed Electrician work on your house!

A Sport & Exercise Physician can help you with:

• Accurately diagnosing an injury or the cause musculoskeletal pain & providing you with advice on relevant investigation and appropriate medical management
• Educating you on how to manage your injury from immediate first aid throughout your recovery back to full participation in the activities you love, be that sport, work, gardening or mountain climbing
• Discussing your active goals and designing a graduated physical activity program to assist you with achieving and exceeding them, with a good understanding of the challenges you may face due to your medical conditions (such as arthritis, asthma or osteoporosis)
• Prescribing exercise as a treatment for a medical ailment, based on the latest scientific evidence

If there was a pill that was proven to:

• extend life by 4.2 years (male), 3.7 years (female)
• reduce risk breast cancer by 20 – 30 %
• reduce risk of colon cancer 30 – 40%
• reduce risk of heart disease
• reduce blood pressure by average of 7/5mmHg
• reduce triglycerides by 5 – 10%, increase HDL cholesterol
• prevent the risk of falls and fractures in later life
• reduce the risk of osteoporosis

Would you take it?

That pill is 30 minutes of moderate level physical activity for at least five days of the week and two sessions of strength or resistance training each week.

A Sport & Exercise Physician can work with you and your GP to identify and treat or manage barriers to you participating in regular physical activity and help you plan to increase your activity levels safely to get these benefits.