Healthcare
How Exercise Physiology Helps NDIS Participants Move Independently
Job for today: write down the movement goals you’d like help with, so you can take them to your next NDIS conversation. It takes about 20 minutes.
- Pick three everyday tasks that feel harder than they should: climbing stairs, getting out of a car, carrying shopping, standing at the bench. Five minutes.
- Beside each, write what you’d like to be able to do, in your own words. Five minutes.
- Note what gets in the way: pain, tiredness, balance, stiffness, fear of falling. Three minutes.
- List any current supports and who delivers them, such as a physio, an occupational therapist or a support worker. Three minutes.
- Check where your plan lists capacity building or improved daily living supports, or ask your support coordinator. Two minutes.
- Put the page in the folder with your plan, ready for your GP or provider. Two minutes.
That page is the starting point for exercise physiology. The rest of this article explains what the service is, what it can do and what it can’t.
What an exercise physiologist does
An accredited exercise physiologist (AEP) is an allied health professional who uses exercise and movement as treatment for people with health conditions, injuries or disability. That’s different from general fitness training. A personal trainer designs a programme around a fitness goal. An exercise physiologist assesses your condition first, then designs a programme around your function, your safety and your goals.
NDIS exercise physiology is generally funded where it helps a participant build capacity, with goals such as strength, mobility, balance, endurance or confidence with daily tasks. Whether it is included in your plan, and under which category, depends on your goals and your plan. Your plan documents and your planner are the authority on that.
What it can work on
Exercise physiology programmes are tailored, so no two look alike. The goals commonly fall into a few groups:
| Goal | What the work can involve |
|---|---|
| Walking and balance | Leg and trunk strengthening, balance practice, coordination exercises |
| Transfers, such as sit to stand or into a vehicle | Strength, posture and weight-shifting practice, done safely with guidance |
| Stiffness and pain | Gentle mobility work, stretching and graded movement |
| Endurance and fatigue | Cardiovascular conditioning matched to what you can currently manage |
| Everyday tasks | Practising the actual task, such as stairs, lifting a basket or standing for personal care |
Participants with a range of conditions might use it, including neurological conditions, physical disability, chronic illness, musculoskeletal injuries and developmental conditions. Programmes are matched to age, ability and goals, and a good provider will explain how they will measure progress.
Where the sessions happen
Exercise physiology is flexible about location. Depending on the provider and your plan, sessions can be in a clinic, at home, in a gym, at a pool or out in the community. Practising in the setting where you’ll use the skill, such as your own stairs or your own car, can make the work more useful. Ask what is available when you contact a provider, and whether travel is billed.
What it is not
Honesty about limits helps you choose well.
- It is not a replacement for medical care. Your GP or treating specialist still manages your condition, and an exercise physiologist works alongside them. If you have a heart condition, are recovering from surgery or are unsure what’s safe, check with your doctor before starting.
- It is not a guaranteed result. Progress depends on your condition, how often you do the programme and many other factors.
- It is not just for people who want to be athletes. Goals can be as simple as getting up from a chair more easily.
- It is not the only option. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other allied health services can overlap, and sometimes the right answer is a mix.
Regular movement is also associated with better mood, sleep and energy for many people, which is part of why programmes often include a confidence goal alongside the physical ones. Those benefits vary from person to person, and they’re a reason to try, not a promise.
How to choose a provider
Questions to ask before you book:
- Are you an accredited exercise physiologist? Peak professional bodies keep public registers of members.
- Do you have experience with my condition and goals?
- Are you NDIS registered, and does my plan management type need that?
- How do you assess me first, and how will we track progress?
- Where will sessions happen, and how many does my funding cover?
- How do you work with my other providers?
A provider who answers these plainly is usually a good sign. For help with how providers, reports and funding fit together across a plan, this overview of working with NDIS providers is a useful read, and if communication support is also on your list, this guide to speech therapy under the NDIS explains how the funding side works for another allied health service.
Next jobs
Book the GP visit if you haven’t had one recently, and take your page of goals. Ask whether exercise physiology is suitable for you and whether a referral would help. Then contact two providers, ask the questions above and compare the answers before you commit to either.
Sources: Exercise and Sports Science Australia, about accredited exercise physiologists (https://www.essa.org.au/find-a-professional); National Disability Insurance Scheme, supports and plan categories (https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/using-your-funding/other-types-support/what-are-therapy-supports)
