CLINICAL EXERCISE WHAT??

“So what do you do for work?”

“I’m a Clinical Exercise Physiologist”

Silence….Crickets chirp… Tumbleweed rolls across the horizon…

“…..You’re a what??”

This is basically how it goes every time I meet someone new and the conversation turns to work. If we were overseas, such as in America, Canada, South Africa or even over the ditch in Australia, this may not be the case. But in little old New Zealand, Clinical Exercise Physiology (CEP) is still pretty new on the scene, and the vast majority of people return this comment with a blank stare!

People know what a physio is, but we are not physios. People know what a PT does, but that also does not quite describe us and our role. We are our own special little niche, and I like to think of us as the missing link between the initial stages of illness / injury, and getting back to real life. If we are to look to the word by word definition…

• Clinical = Of medical work or teaching, relating to examining and treating someone who is ill,

• Exercise = (I don’t think I need to explain what this is),

• Physiologist = A person who studies physiology -  the scientific study of the way in which the bodies of living things work.

CEPNZ, our governing body, describes CEP’s as “an individual who specialises in the delivery of exercise, lifestyle and behavioural modification programmes for the prevention, management and rehabilitation of chronic conditions and diseases, and injuries” (May 2019). I prefer to explain what we do as simply using exercise (and lifestyle modification) as a form of rehabilitation.

Don’t physios also do that, you may ask? Yes they do, but differently. Physios are more involved in the very acute stages (i.e. the early stage of injury, and some illnesses), while CEP’s deal with chronic (longer term) health conditions and injuries. Physios also deal primarily with the musculoskeletal conditions (injuries relating to your muscles, skeleton, and connective tissue), with a more ‘manual therapy’ approach (hands on treatment - massage, joint manipulation etc).

CEP’s deal more broadly with organ systems - your heart, lungs, metabolic system, nervous system, as well as the musculoskeletal system - and the integrated role that these play in holistic health. In particular, we are interested in the way that these organ systems help us to function during physical activities, both during structured exercise and day to day activities like hanging up the washing! The clinical aspect of our work means that we also know the things to watch out for during exercise for those with health conditions, things like blood pressure and blood glucose regulation, fatigue management, and correct exercise technique.

This means that… If you have a new injury, such as twisting your ankle playing soccer, breaking your arm, tweaking your back at the gym… Go to see your physio. If you have a health condition that has developed over a long period of time (see below for some of the conditions that we deal with) then a clinical exercise physiologist should be your go-to.

There are some overlaps in the conditions that we and physios deal with, however this can be used to our advantage. We can create a smoother transition from the initial care that you have received, helping you to develop the strength and fitness to get back to living life. Consider it a more graduated return to health - putting the control back in YOUR hands by teaching you better health habits to prevent recurrence or relapse.

So how does one become a CEP?

To be a registered CEP in New Zealand, individuals must have completed post graduate studies (postgraduate diploma or Masters degree) in Clinical Exercise Physiology, have completed 500+ hours of clinical work experience, and hold a valid first aid certificate. (As you can see, there is a bit more study involved than your typical gym PT!).

Us CEP’s expect that our discipline will eventually be commonplace here in NZ, following in the footsteps of Australia and further abroad. Already, many health and income protection insurance companies recognize the value of what it is that we can offer. Now it is just a matter of getting the word out there.

And you too can help us! Keep us in mind and give us a quick mention if you know anyone struggling with:

 - Cancer

- Heart disease

- High blood pressure

- Diabetes

- Stroke

- Anxiety or Depression

- Chronic pain

- Chronic fatigue

- Osteoporosis

- Arthritis

- Asthma and other respiratory conditions

- Parkinsons disease

- Cerebral palsy

- Chronic kidney disease

- (Others! There are many conditions that exercise can help with - just ask us!)