Physical Activity and Exercise

This subject provides students with the knowledge and skills to prescribe exercises that effectively and safely meet the needs of individuals, groups and populations across the lifespan and along the health and impairment continuum. Students will draw critically on evidence for the requirements for physical activity and exercise and the health risks due to sedentary behaviour. Students will build on their clinical reasoning skills to theorise the mechanism of an individuals’ functional limitations and design and prescribe exercises to meet the goals of optimal health outcomes. A biopsychosocial framework will emphasise the biological, mechanical, social, psychological and cultural elements that influence exercise and physical activity. Factors that influence how the body responds to exercise will be examined and elements that are integral to the safe and effective prescription of exercise will be studied. Further, students will build knowledge of the different types of exercise activity (cardio-vascular, fitness, strength, flexibility) and physical and how they might be used to achieve different outcomes. Students will design, implement and evaluate exercise programs and classes to meet client and community needs in a variety of contexts. Students will be expected to be critical in their analysis and evaluations of new and emerging forms of exercises that are not as yet supported by an evidence base.