What is the key difference between a Physiotherapist and an Exercise Physiologist?
Well, let’s start with what they have in common!
Both exercise physiologists and physiotherapists are university qualified allied health professionals.
They undergo continued education requirements to maintain their accreditation each year. Both professions also utilise exercise as a part of their treatments.
Exercise physiologists use evidence-based research to prescribe and implement exercise as a health intervention, like a doctor would prescribe medication for an illness.
When prescribed via the correct modalities and dosages, exercise can be a powerful tool to improve the health status of many chronic conditions. Exercise physiologists can also be an integral part of musculoskeletal rehabilitation. This is where cross over of physiotherapy and exercise physiology can present some confusion.
Your physiotherapist will take care of managing your acute injury, disability and pain through assessment, diagnosis and hands-on manual therapy in the primary phase of recovery to restore function to the body.
Once this is achieved the goal is then optimising this function; your treatment may be involving more exercise-based modalities and an exercise physiologist can then step in and take over the care.
Whilst you are under the care of an exercise physiologist, they will guide and support a structured exercise and lifestyle program, including education that allows you to take control of your activity and health.
Exercise physiologists transition individuals into self-management through progressively loading the body, facilitating behaviour change and supporting your wellness for life.
It is our aim to empower each individual to feel comfortable in managing their own lifestyle.
