Page 32 - RPA May 2020

30 HEALTH EXERCISE
“You can have multiple
exercise snacks to help
build up to the target.”
FROM PAGE 29
you need to avoid, or how you go about it in the safest possible way,” he said.
“If they’re unwell ... [a] GP or exercise physiologist would be a very good starting point.”
Echoing these sentiments, retail Pharmacy Assistant Brianne Lowe from Pharmacy Alliance said: “Before signing up for that kickboxing class, it‘s a good idea that they make an appointment with their healthcare professional.”
“We should apply the WHAT,
STOP, GO or CARER method before recommending any treatment or exercise routine. We need to know what the existing medications and health conditions are, [and] if unsure, refer to the pharmacist.”
“Something to be mindful of every calendar year,” Mr Vockins said, “is that anyone suffering with a chronic disease or injury is entitled to five Medicare bulk billed sessions with any allied health professional, which includes an exercise physiologist. These referrals are called enhanced primary care plans.”
Think: snacking
Once you’ve got the all-clear to exercise, if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of the recommended ‘two to two-and-a- half hours of moderate-intensity cardiovascular along with the two or three strength exercise sessions a week’, think of it in terms of “exercise snacking”, says Dr Sostaric.
“So, if you’re targeting 30 minutes of physical activity in a day, that doesn’t have to be [all] in one sitting or one go,” he said.
“You can have multiple exercise snacks to help build up to that target.”
It’s about changing the way you think about exercise and doing a little bit, regularly across the day to meet your target.
“Think [of it as], ‘I can do one set of 10 squats [or] I can do something on the floor for my core stomach muscles’ – that workout could take you four minutes,” Dr Sostaric said. “[Across the day] that has an accumulative benefit.
RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • MAR 2020