The Department of Health (DH) defines exercise as a planned episode of physical activity to improve or maintain a person’s health or fitness.
Physical activity is any form of activity that requires a person to use more energy than when they are resting.
This article focuses on how exercise can be used to help treat, or prevent, a wide range of health conditions. The Live Well section provides information and advice about how exercise can help you to lose weight and improve your fitness.
Exercise benefits
Regular exercise has proven health benefits for anyone who wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle by losing weight and improving their fitness level.
However, as well as helping to maintain health and fitness, a controlled and carefully supervised exercise programme also has important therapeutic benefits for people who are living with chronic (long-term) health conditions such as:
- muscular dystrophy - a genetic condition that over time gradually causes the muscles to weaken,
- chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) - a condition that causes chronic tiredness (fatigue), and
- depression - feelings of extreme sadness that last for many weeks or months, and are severe enough to interfere with daily life.
See health benefits of exercise for a comprehensive list of health conditions where exercise has proven to be beneficial.
Exercise for rehabilitation
Exercise also has a significant role to play in helping people to recover after a serious illness or injury. For example, if you have had a heart attack, it is very important that you remain active in order to improve the strength of your heart, and reduce your risk of having another heart attack.
Following a major illness, or a health condition, such as a heart problem, it is important that exercise undertaken for rehabilitation purposes is carefully planned, and based on the individual’s previous fitness and activity levels.
In this situation, an exercise specialist will be able to provide you with assistance and advice regarding the appropriate amount of exercise and the correct level of intensity. See the rehabilitation section for more information.
Exercise referral schemes
Exercise referral schemes are designed to help people who would benefit from regular exercise. They are aimed at people with medical conditions that put their health at risk, and those who are at risk through a non-active lifestyle.
The Department of Health (DH) recommends that exercise referral schemes should be available for individuals who meet specific criteria. They are usually run by local councils in partnership with local primary care trusts (PCTs).
To be eligible to take part in an exercise referral scheme, you have to have a medical condition such as:
- high blood pressure (hypertension),
- type 2 diabetes,
- obesity,
- asthma,
- depression, anxiety, or stress,
- osteoarthritis, or
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The health conditions that are included in the scheme are subject to change, so you should check with your GP for a full and up-to-date list.
During an exercise referral scheme, you will meet an exercise specialist, such as a personal trainer, for several sessions each week. Your trainer will design an exercise programme that is specifically tailored to your needs and requirements, and they will be able to offer you support and guidance throughout the course.
Exercise referral schemes usually last for about 10 weeks and, during this time, you will learn how physical exercise can have a positive effect on your overall health and well-being.
Your development will be closely monitored throughout the course, and at the end you will meet with your trainer to review your progress. They will also be able to give you further help and advice about how to maintain your lifestyle changes in the long-term.
