Exercise Right Week 2024 is urging us to embrace movement with its theme, “Just Move!”

Exercise Right, led by Exercise & Sports Science Australia, champions the benefits of exercising ‘right’ for your health, wellbeing, and overall fitness. Join us in promoting 30 minutes of daily exercise in May through the Exercise Right Week and Exercise Right Challenge campaigns.

“While the 10,000 steps per day recommendation may seem overwhelming, research suggests that 7,000 to 8,000 steps daily offer substantial health benefits. Achieving this target just twice a week can yield significant advantages, with increasing levels of physical activity providing a continuum of benefits. So, every bit of movement counts towards a healthier you,” says Dylan Perera, Senior Exercise Physiologist – Staff Exercise Physiology Clinic, Northern Health.

Northern Health prioritises the importance of exercise by establishing the Staff Exercise Physiology Clinic, a tangible and evidence-based health benefit accessible to all Northern Health staff.

The clinic serves individuals with risk factors or existing chronic diseases and musculoskeletal conditions, as well as those seeking to make healthy lifestyle changes to enhance both their longevity and quality of life.

With expertise in exercise prescription for various health conditions, Exercise Physiologists at the clinic customise evidence-based interventions to meet individual needs, promoting sustainable behaviour change in a collaborative and patient-centered approach.

For more information about the clinic, including how to self-refer, refer to Intranet.

Incorporating movement into the workday can be challenging, especially for those with desk-based and sedentary roles. However, it is essential to make an effort. The recommendation is to break up extended periods of sitting every 30 to 60 minutes with brief movement intervals. Engaging in a few steps or other whole-body movements during these intervals stimulates metabolic and cardiovascular responses, promoting overall health.

“Another important finding is that it’s not just about the sheer volume of steps that matter, but how regularly those steps are accumulated throughout the day. When we break it down, it essentially revolves around muscle contractions and the choice to increase physical activity, perfectly resonating with the Exercise Right Week 2024 theme: Just Move!” adds Dylan.

Across the organisation, Northern Health has a team of skilled and passionate Exercise Physiologists who deliver patient care to our northern community across a number of different programs throughout the network.

This Exercise Right Week, we want to spread the message of moving more for a more active and healthy community and encourage clinicians to consider referral of their patients to Exercise Physiology services internally and externally.

Together, we can make a powerful impact!