How-to guide to prescribing exercise for chronic health conditions

[Northerner]

Exercise helps to alleviate the symptoms of many chronic health conditions such as knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, heart disease and more, yet it is often overlooked as a treatment. A review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) aims to provide an easy-to-use how-to guide for health care professionals to prescribe exercise for specific chronic diseases.

"Many doctors and their patients aren't aware that exercise is a treatment for these chronic conditions and can provide as much benefit as drugs or surgery, and typically with fewer harms," states lead author Dr. Tammy Hoffmann, Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Robina, Australia.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160314135915.htm

 

[Copepod]

Always good to see support for exercise in treatment of various conditions. Let's hope this article will encourage more doctors.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Agree, but one of the treatments for diabetes is diet and exercise. The focus always seems to be on the diet part with only a cursory consideration for the other part - exercise.