Allied Health Discipline
Evidence-Based Practice for
Exercise Physiology in Australia
Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs) in Australia are credentialled by Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) and often operate under Medicare Chronic Disease Management plans. The evidence base for exercise as medicine has expanded dramatically over the past two decades, with robust support for exercise interventions in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, mental health, oncology, and musculoskeletal conditions. OpenBook Clinical enables AEPs to quickly access the most current systematic reviews and Australian clinical guidelines to support evidence-based prescription.
Key Clinical Conditions
- Type 2 diabetes — exercise prescription and glycaemic control
- Cardiovascular disease and cardiac rehabilitation
- Cancer and oncology — exercise during and post-treatment
- Depression and anxiety — exercise as adjunct therapy
- Chronic musculoskeletal pain — graded exercise therapy
- Osteoporosis — resistance and impact training
- COPD — pulmonary rehabilitation
- Obesity and metabolic syndrome
Key Assessment Tools
- 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) — cardiorespiratory fitness
- Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
- Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET)
- Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) — older adults
Databases Searched
- Cochrane Heart and Metabolic Groups
- PubMed / MEDLINE (sports and exercise medicine)
- ESSA Evidence Base and Clinical Guidelines
- NHMRC Clinical Practice Guidelines
Australian Guidelines
- Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines — DoH
- ESSA Position Statement — Exercise for Cancer
- Cardiac Society of Australia and NZ — Cardiac Rehabilitation Guidelines
- Diabetes Australia — Physical Activity and Type 2 Diabetes
Ready to search the Exercise Physiology evidence base?
OpenBook Clinical searches 35 million papers across PubMed, Cochrane, and Australian guidelines. AI-synthesised summaries. Evidence graded by quality. Free to try.