What is exercise physiology and how much does it cost?
When your body isn’t working like it used to it might be time to see an expert to help get you back on your feet.
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If you’re feeling like your body isn’t moving how it used to or you want help to get on top of long-term problem, you might need to see an exercise physiologist.
From prescribing exercise programs to help manage and reduce pain or rehabilitation after a major surgery, a tailored session can help you get back on your feet.
What is exercise physiology?
Exercise Physiologist from Tailored Health Ben Taylor, said he helps his clients “get back to what they want to do by using exercise as a tool.”
“We help people overcome and improve their health concerns by guiding them to use exercise as medicine so that they can do more of what they love,” he said.
“We specialise in prescribing an exercise or movement that is going to help our patient’s health condition and we’ll tailor the program by providing different exercises over time.”
Mr Taylor said exercise physiologists don’t provide any “hands on or manual therapy”, but rather coach and guide their clients on how to properly complete their exercises to achieve their health goal.
“We really help by mapping out how the program fits in the client’s lifestyle, listening to any obstacles or challenges so they get the results they want in the long term,” he said.
“Over time as you start to improve, we start to give you more challenging exercises so you can reach your health goal.”
Is exercise physiology covered by Medicare?
Medicare Australia generally doesn’t cover exercise physiology. However, if you have a chronic medical condition, you may be eligible for a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements (TCA) and Medicare rebates for five individual visits in a year.
If you are not eligible or beyond the five visits, you will generally need to pay for treatments out of your own pocket but depending on the policy, private insurance can help with the costs.
Can I claim exercise physiology on private health insurance?
Exercise physiology services are covered through some private health insurance extras packages, although the amount you can claim on these visits will depend on the policy’s limit so make sure you review your cover to see if it includes this benefit and how much you can claim.
Why see an exercise physiologist?
Mr Taylor said he sees people of all ages at his clinic, but the most common is the 30 to 60 age group.
“It’s usually when people are finding things are starting to go backwards or are having more health concerns that they didn’t when they were younger and want to get on top of it,” he said.
He also adds it’s common to see people who want to lose weight, have diabetes or health conditions which affect their heart or lungs.
“We help people in pain who often have injuries in their back, hips and knees that could be pre or post operation,” he said.
“I also see people who have some form of disability or mental health condition. Examples include intellectual disabilities, autism, multiple sclerosis, depression, anxiety or PTSD.”
Victorian woman Gail Ryan started seeing Mr Taylor almost 10 years ago after searching for relief while suffering from psoriatic arthritis.
But when she needed a knee replacement five years ago, she sought Mr Taylor’s help to get her prepped for her surgery.
“I wasn’t fit enough for the knee replacement and he [Mr Taylor] designed a program for me so I would be strong enough to recover and go into rehab afterwards,” she said.
After attending group classes and individual programs twice a week, Ms Ryan’s surgery was a success.
“All the hard work I was doing with my exercise physiologist really paid off as my doctor said I already have movement in my knee that he didn’t expect me to have,” she said.
What to expect in a session
A session can incorporate movement or equipment that is tailored to every client’s health goal and progress in their personal program.
Ms Ryan said her exercise program helps improve her balance and the strength of her upper legs following her knee replacement.
“Standing on one leg and throwing the ball against the wall and catching it back is making me use the upper leg and strengthening it to help make my knee strong,” she said.
“We are always being supervised and told how to adjust our bodies and look after ourselves in class.”
Mr Taylor said a session can range between 30 to 60 minutes and can either be an individual or group session with around six other clients.
“For the first month we’re most likely to see a client weekly to build up confidence and momentum but depending on the health condition I could see them fortnightly or monthly,” he said.
After seeing an exercise physiologist, Ms Ryan said it’s helped improve her physical and mental health.
“I can now walk further because of Ben’s consistent programs that I’ve been doing, I feel better and I’m able to keep up with my grandchildren,” she said.
“That helps my mental health because I can participate and do whatever I need to do even though I’m much older than when I first started seeing him.”
How much does it cost to see an exercise physiologist?
Mr Taylor said you don’t need a GP referral to see an exercise physiologist, but if you have two or more health conditions you are entitled to five visits with allied health professionals and Medicare will cover $64.80 per session.
“A session can cost from $80 to $90 so the gap clients can pay is around $20 or $30,” he said.
FAQs:
Is exercise physiology covered by private health insurance?
Exercise Physiology is covered by some private health funds as part of their extras packages but there may be annual limits and waiting periods so it’s important to check your policy.
Are there waiting periods for exercise physiology?
Waiting periods – the amount of time you need to wait after taking out a policy before making a claim – are set by health insurers and vary depending on your provider so make sure you check out the details on their website.
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How can I see an exercise physiologist in lockdown?
Despite lockdown, you can still see an exercise physiologist by booking in a telehealth appointment online for either a one-on-one consultation or group session. In some instances you can still attend the clinic in person.
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