We’ve all been taught about the importance of exercise and movement and the benefits it has on our physical health and mental well-being. But did you know that physical activity holds the key to unlocking our body’s potential? In fact, science shows that regular exercise can even cut your risk of chronic diseases in half. Yet, many people never fully tap into their body’s true capabilities.
Have you ever wondered what happens inside your body during exercise? Your heart beats faster, your lungs expand, your muscles activate, and countless systems work together to support you.
These changes aren’t random but are a part of naturally coordinated processes. My role as an exercise physiologist is to better understand how our bodies adapt and how we can use movement to optimise your health.
In this post we’ll discuss everything you need to know about exercise physiology; how it works, how it works, why it matters, and how understanding it can help you improve your fitness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall well-being.
Understanding Your Body’s Response to Movement
It’s well known that physical activity triggers amazing changes in the body, both during and after exercise. But what exactly happens?
Going From Rest to Activity
When you start moving, your body quickly shifts from a parasympathetic (part of your nervous system responsible for calming and restoring balance in the body ) to a sympathetic state (part of your nervous system is responsible for preparing your body for action, increasing heart rate, dilating airways, and releasing energy), preparing itself for action.
Proper breathing is essential. Your respiratory system kicks in first, responding with faster and deeper breaths. Your breathing volume can jump from around 10 Liters per minute at rest to over 100 Liters per minute during intense exercise. At the same time, lung surface area becomes more available for gas exchange, your heart rate increases and your blood vessels adjust to send more oxygen-rich blood to your active muscles.
Short-Term Change During Exercise
As you engage in physical activity, your body works to maintain balance and optimise performance. The cardiovascular system increases blood flow by raising both heart rate and stroke volume.
Blood flow patterns change while active muscles receive up to 80% more blood than when you’re resting, delivering oxygen and nutrients needed for efficient movement. Simultaneously, your body activates its temperature control systems sending more blood to the skin, increasing sweat production, and widening blood vessels (vasodilation) to help manage the heat generated by exercise.
Long-Term Adaptations
The more consistently you exercise, the more your body adapts to these changes, improving your performance, breathing and stamina. Studies show that plasma and red blood cell volume grow by 8-10% within 30 days of exercise.
Long-term training also boosts muscle protein synthesis, which contributes to better muscle strength and endurance. Additionally, your body becomes more efficient at regulating temperature. With continued exercise, cooling mechanisms improve, allowing you to exercise at higher intensities and for longer periods without overheating.
What Is Exercise Physiology?
But what does Understanding Your Body’s Response to Movement have to do with exercise physiology?
From your muscles to your heart, your lungs to your hormones, each movement you make triggers an intricate response that is designed to keep you healthy and strong. But, when you are suffering from chronic pain or are recovering from an injury these natural processes can be disrupted.
That’s where exercise physiology comes in.
Exercise physiology is the scientific study of how exercise impacts the human body. Unlike general fitness, which focuses on maintaining a healthy level of physical activity for the average person, exercise physiology takes a more specialised approach using exercise as a therapeutic tool to address specific health needs and goals. It focuses on understanding the immediate changes that happen during physical activity and how to harness this to improve health, manage chronic conditions and support recovery.
- Musculoskeletal injuries and chronic conditions
- Mental health challenges
- Neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease
- Cancer-related fatigue
- Respiratory conditions
- Metabolic disorders
The Key Benefits Of Exercise Physiology
Exercise physiology offers a wealth of benefits for both your body and mind, providing a holistic approach to improving your overall health and quality of life.
- Improved ability to move: Enhance mobility, flexibility, and range of motion for smoother, more efficient movement.
- Better pain management: Tailored exercise programs designed to manage and reduce chronic pain, improving overall comfort and quality of life.
- Increased strength and balance: Build muscle, improve coordination, and increase stability to reduce the risk of falls and improve overall physical performance.
- Improved mental health, well-being, and self-esteem: Boost mood, reduce anxiety and depression, and increase self-confidence through consistent physical activity.
- The ability to effectively self-manage your condition: Gain the tools and knowledge to take control of your health and manage specific conditions more effectively.
- Improved independence and the ability to achieve life goals: Enhance your strength, endurance, and confidence to achieve personal milestones and live a more independent, fulfilling life.
What Does an Exercise Physiologist Do?
Exercise physiologists are accredited professionals who use exercise-based treatments to help manage and treat chronic conditions. They focus on evidence-based exercise strategies designed to improve overall health and deliver better long-term outcomes. Unlike physical therapists, who typically concentrate on rehabilitation after injury, exercise physiologists create comprehensive programs that enhance overall physiological functioning, prevent future issues, and help clients lead healthier, more active lives.
Exercise physiologists take a holistic and individualised approach to health. They work closely with clients to design personalised exercise programs, offering a broad range of services, including:
- Creating exercise treatments for chronic conditions: Tailored exercise programs that target the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and more.
- Teaching health and physical activity basics: Providing essential knowledge about movement, exercise, and lifestyle changes that promote overall health.
- Helping people change their lifestyle: Guiding clients in adopting healthier habits and making positive lifestyle changes to support long-term health.
- ·Providing exercise advice and rehabilitation support: Offering expert advice on proper exercise techniques and rehabilitation strategies to support recovery and prevent injury.
- Building preventive care programs: Developing programs that focus on preventing injuries and improving general well-being before issues arise.
The Respire Process
At The Respire, our process begins with a full understanding of your body, pain, and lifestyle. To ensure an effective and personalised plan, exercise physiologists take a thorough, holistic approach by combining movement, performance, and breathing assessments. These assessments are vital for addressing all aspects of your health and mobility.
Movement Assessments
We begin by evaluating your current range of motion, comfort levels, and postural structure. We pinpoint areas of limitation, aiming to restore movement and reduce discomfort.
- Biomechanical Analysis: We assess how your body moves, focusing on joint alignment and muscle activation to identify imbalances that might affect your movement efficiency.
- Left AIC Assessment: This assessment focuses on identifying postural asymmetries, especially around the pelvis, to understand how these imbalances impact your movement patterns.
- Chronic Pain Assessment: We work to uncover the root causes and impact of any ongoing pain, allowing us to design effective treatment strategies tailored to your needs.
- Injury Profiling: By reviewing your past injuries, we can determine their effect on your current movement and help reduce the risk of re-injury.
- Gait & Posture Analysis: We analyse your walking patterns and posture to detect any abnormalities that may be contributing to pain or discomfort.
Performance & Breathing Assessments
Next, we focus on evaluating how your body uses its energy. We consider your physical limits, and performance during exercise to help us identify areas where breathing and energy management can be improved.
- VO2max Testing: This measures your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise, giving us key insights into your cardiovascular health and endurance capacity.
- SMO2 Measurements: We track how efficiently your muscles use oxygen during exercise to assess their efficiency and overall performance.
- Biometric Data: We collect important health metrics, such as body composition and muscle strength, to track your progress over time.
- Energetic Limiter Assessment: We identify any factors that may be limiting your energy output and performance, helping you maximise your potential.
- Biomechanical Analysis (Performance Focus): We assess how efficiently you move during exercise, allowing us to fine-tune your movement patterns for optimal performance.
Breathing Assessments
Did you know that your breathing mechanics are closely tied to your movement, pain levels, and recovery? That’s why we take a detailed look at your breathing patterns to identify any areas that may be affecting your overall well-being.
- Biomechanical Analysis (Breathing Focus): We examine how your posture and movement impact your breathing, helping to identify areas for improvement.
- VO2 Analysis: This allows us to assess how effectively your body uses oxygen during both rest and exercise, which plays a key role in overall energy levels and recovery.
- Pattern Testing: We look for any breathing issues, such as shallow breaths or holding your breath, that may hinder your health and performance.
- Pain & Injury Profiling (Breathing Focus): We examine how your breathing patterns influence pain and injury, working to improve your recovery and overall movement efficiency.
Key Takeaways
From managing chronic pain to enhancing performance and mental health, the benefits of exercise physiology are, the evidence is clear. Regular, structured movement has the power to create remarkable changes in both physical health and mental well-being.
If you’re ready to take the next step toward improved health and mobility, don’t wait! No one should have to suffer through chronic pain or discomfort. As an accredited exercise physiologist on the Gold Coast, The Respire offers the clarity and direction you need to achieve lasting results. Get in touch to schedule your consultation and begin your journey today.
