Embedded Files
Exercise Physiologists (EPs) are one of the most underutilized allied healthcare professionals in the health and wellness industry. Many people—including medical professionals—still misunderstand our role, often confusing us with physiotherapists or personal trainers.
In this article, let’s focus solely on Exercise Physiologists (EPs) and how we contribute to Exercise is Medicine (EIM).
What is an Exercise Physiologist (EP)?
An Exercise Physiologist (EP) is an allied healthcare professional specializing in primary and secondary prevention of chronic conditions such as Osteoporosis, Dyslipidemia, Diabetes, Hypertension, Cardiac Conditions, Osteoarthritis, Others Chronic Conditions.
As an EP, we prescribe individualized exercise dosage and program based on factors like:
Medical history 🏥
Current medications 💊
Physical activity level 🏃♂️
Exercise test outcomes and others 📊
One key misconception is that exercise is just about moving more—but it’s not that simple. EPs deeply understand human physiology and how medications interact with exercise responses. For example, some medications blunt heart rate responses, which impacts how we design safe exercise.
💡 OUR GOAL?
To help individuals prevent their conditions from worsening and possibly reduce their medication dependency by improving their overall health through structured and individualized exercise. Exercise is not a type of treatment but management.
Why Should You Work With an EP?
Many chronic conditions can be managed or improved through Exercise as Medicine. Here’s how:
✔️ Hypertension – Exercise can lower blood pressure post-workout for several hours, similar to beta blockers and ACE inhibitors.
✔️ Diabetes – EPs ensure safe exercise plans to prevent complications like hypoglycemia and cardiac event.
As an EP, we have worked with many individuals who were initially hesitant about exercise due to their medical conditions. However, with the right guidance, monitoring, and individualized exercise prescription and program, they gained confidence and saw improvements in their health.
One key thing to remember: Exercise is a powerful tool, but it must be prescribed correctly and individually. If not managed properly, exercise could lead to potential adverse events, especially for individuals on medication and with special conditions.
What to Expect When Working With an EP?
Most of the time, physicians (General Practitioners, Cardiologists, etc.) refer patients to EPs for exercise-based interventions. Here’s what happens next:
1️⃣ Initial Assessment – We conduct exercise tests to understand your physiological response.
2️⃣ Exercise Prescription – We prescribe and design an individualized exercise intervention based on test results.
3️⃣ Supervised Training – We monitor vitals (blood pressure, blood glucose, oxygen levels, etc.) to ensure safe and effective exercise.
4️⃣ Education & Lifestyle Guidance – We promote "Move More, Sit Less" and encourage healthy habits.
5️⃣ Progress Monitoring – We reassess your progress with your physician, using data from our testing.
🛑 What EPs Are NOT – We are not counselors, dietitians, or nutritionists. However, we provide lifestyle education (specifically physical activity) and general healthy eating recommendations to support long-term well-being.
Who are EPs?
In Malaysia, an EP are certified professional (eg. American College of Sport Medicine [ACSM]) with a minimum requirement of Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science or Kinesiology. Not only that, EP must have certain practical lab hours such as exercise testing and prescription, data analysis and research experience.
🚨 However, I’ve noticed a concerning trend—some individuals call themselves EPs without the proper qualifications and lab hours. This leads to:
❌ Poor exercise testing protocols
❌ Inaccurate data analysis
❌ Unsafe or ineffective exercise prescriptions
💡 Why are LAB HOURS important?
Some think lab work is just scientific research, but in reality, it’s where we gain practical experience—testing blood pressure during exercise, analyzing and studying physiological responses such as heart rate variability, and even collecting blood samples to study metabolic responses. Without these practical lab hours, EPs cannot provide accurate exercise prescriptions.
Where Can You Find an EP?
EPs work in various settings, including:
🏥 Hospitals & Medical Centers – Working with cardiac rehab, post-op patients, and specialists (e.g., cardiologists, bariatric doctors).
🔬 Clinics/Private Center – Facilities that may look like a gym but have exercise testing equipment and EP supervision.
📊 Research Labs – Conducting studies on exercise physiology to advance knowledge in health and sport performance.
🏆Performance Centers – Supporting athletes in optimizing performance while preventing overexertion injuries.
EPs operate between clinical healthcare and sports performance. Whether it’s helping a patient recover from heart surgery or ensuring an elite athlete can safely train in extreme conditions (high altitude, heat, etc.), our role remains the same:
🔹 Apply exercise science to understand physiological responses
🔹 Prescribe the right exercise dosage for safe and effective outcomes
🔹 Prevent injury and improve long-term health
Conclusion 🎯
Exercise Physiologists play a crucial role in healthcare by using exercise as medicine to manage chronic conditions. If you're a physician, you can refer your patients to an EP to ensure safe and effective exercise prescriptions.
If you’re still confused about the differences between Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, and Personal Trainers, check out the previous article: [Understand the role of each professional] for more clarity! 📌
👉 Let’s raise awareness about Exercise Physiology, Exercise is Medicine (EIM) and its impact on healthcare! If you found this helpful, please share! 😊
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse