Exercise prescription - A pilot collaboration between medical practitioners and physiotherapists

Objective: A properly prescribed exercise programme goes well beyond simple recommendations as to the mode, intensity and frequency of exercise; however detailed assessment of musculo-skeletal function, cardiopulmonary status, and particularly supervision and monitoring of the response to exercise are often not logistically feasible for medical practitioners. Physiotherapists are specialists in exercise prescription for populations of illness and normal health. This article reports the success of collaboration between medical practitioners and physiotherapists in exercise prescription. Design: One group pre-test post-test design. Subjects: Subjects with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 28 kg/m2, attending a University Health Service for medical consultation were referred to the Campus Rehabilitation Clinic for prescription and implementation of an 8-week individualised exercise programme. Main outcome measures: BMI, abdominal girth, resting heart rate and blood pressures, muscle strength and flexibility, cholesterol profile, and peak oxygen consumption during exercise. Results: Subjects demonstrated improved cardiopulmonary fitness, cholesterol profile, and muscle strength and flexibility at the end of the programme. They also expressed greater confidence in achieving a positive outcome from a programme led jointly by doctors and physiotherapists. Conclusion: Collaborative efforts by medical practitioners and physiotherapists could effectively promote primary health care and should be widely adopted in the community.