PHYSIOFit

14/10/2026

Today is World Allied Health Aotearoa New Zealand Professionals Day. Better Health happens when we work together.

Clinical Exercise Physiologists are an essential part of the allied health workforce, using evidence-based exercise to support people living with chronic conditions, improve quality of life and empower healthier communities.

Leave a comment about how you have used Clinical Exercise Physiology to change someone's life!

30/09/2026

In the world of evidence base back pain rehabilitation:

https://www.facebook.com/share/14nYLZ2Fhnt/

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻: 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

▪️ This systematic review of randomized controlled trials RCTs evaluated how strength exercise dosage parameters—specifically exercise selection, intensity, frequency, and treatment duration—impact pain intensity and disability in adults with chronic non-specific low back pain.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿
🔹 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 — 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝘀. 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹
▪️ Lumbar extension exercises LEE specifically targeting the back extensor muscles produced statistically significant reductions in both pain MD -19.6 95% CI -25.4 to -13.7 and disability MD -12.5 95% CI -14.9 to -10.1.
▪️ In contrast, general strength training GST without a lumbar focus did not show statistically significant overall benefits.
🔹 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆
▪️ Higher-intensity resistance training >60% of 1RM led to statistically significant reductions in pain MD -19.3 95% CI -27.0 to -11.6 and disability MD -14.2 95% CI -15.7 to -12.8 compared to lower-intensity training ≤60% 1RM.
▪️ Gradual exposure to higher loads may reduce perceived movement threat and enhance functional adaptation.
🔹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆
▪️ Executing sessions once per week demonstrated statistically significant improvements in pain MD -19.3 95% CI -27.0 to -11.6 and disability MD -11.8 95% CI -16.2 to -7.5.
▪️ Higher weekly frequencies >1 day/week did not reach statistical significance.
▪️ Longer recovery windows between high-intensity sessions may benefit chronic pain populations by allowing full recovery and boosting adherence.
🔹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗧𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲
▪️ Shorter intervention durations 3 months did not reach statistical significance.
▪️ Overall, lower total treatment dosages were effective, and increasing total exercise volume did not deliver superior outcomes.

𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

📊 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
▪️ From 15,677 initial records, 8 RCTs met inclusion criteria for qualitative synthesis, and 5 were included in the quantitative meta-analysis encompassing 219 participants for pain and 278 for disability.
⚠️ 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
▪️ Certainty assessed via the GRADE framework was low to very low.
▪️ Primary reasons for downgrading included small sample sizes 60% 1RM performed once per week can provide meaningful clinical benefits while minimizing patient time commitment and healthcare costs.
▪️ 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Future clinical research must measure baseline strength and report exercise parameters clearly to refine prescriptive dosage guidelines.

Article👇

23/09/2026

Check out the latest newsletter

It has been a huge term at PHYSIOFit — an exciting speaking invitation, real progress on a national pilot programme, and some outstanding client achievements. Here's what's been happening.

14/09/2026

🫀 Did you know cardiac rehabilitation could save your life, or the life of someone you love?

If you've had a heart attack, angioplasty/stent, cardiac surgery, heart failure, or another cardiac event, cardiac rehab is one of the most powerful tools in your recovery toolkit and it's not just "going for a walk."

As a Clinical Exercise Physiologist here's what I actually do during cardiac rehab:

✔️ Assess your fitness, heart rhythm, and blood pressure response to exercise
✔️ Design an individualised, supervised exercise prescription that's safe for YOUR heart
✔️ Monitor you closely so we can push you just enough to rebuild capacity without overloading
✔️ Help you return to work, sport, gardening, and the things you love
✔️ Coach lifestyle change: movement, stress, sleep, and habit building

The evidence is strong: cardiac rehab reduces hospital readmissions, improves quality of life, and can reduce long-term mortality. Yet too many Kiwis who would benefit never get referred.

Who's it for?
After a heart attack, coronary stent or bypass, heart failure, valve surgery, pacemaker/ICD, or heart transplant. Your GP or cardiologist can refer you.

How to get started:
✅ Ask your doctor for a referral
✅ Email or message me directly
✅ Or drop a ❤️ in the comments and I'll send you info

Your heart worked hard to keep you alive. Let's help it work better.



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13/09/2026

Attended the CEPNZ annual conference over the weekend and was introduced to the Movement Wheel and LOVED how it debuked the myth the exercise guidelines will not override excessive additional sedentary volume.

Did you know sitting for 3+ hours straight can measurably reduce blood flow to your brain — even if you hit the gym that morning?

Here's something that changes how we think about "exercise": your body doesn't just care about your workout. It cares about your whole 24 hours. Even meeting weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity targets does not offset harms from prolonged unbroken sedentary time — both must be addressed independently.

Tremblay's Movement Wheel breaks the day into sleep, sitting, and activity — and the research is clear: ticking off your 150 minutes of exercise per week does NOT cancel out hours of unbroken sitting. They're two separate problems that both need addressing.
The good news? The fix is small.

👉 Every 30 minutes, get up and move for 1–2 minutes.
👉 A short walk beats sitting still — even light movement counts.
👉 This simple habit has been shown to improve metabolic health and lower mortality risk, sometimes more than a single 30-minute workout.

So today's challenge: set a reminder, stand up, walk to the kettle, do a lap of the office — whatever gets you moving every half hour. Replacing 1 hour/day of sedentary time with 1 hour/day of either light or moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity was associated with 18% and 42% lower mortality, respectively, among less active adults.

Your heart, your brain, and your metabolism will thank you. 💙

07/09/2026

Key words in this article are
Supervised
Structured
Intentionally applied
Apart of routine care

Why??? Because community based attendance is not enough to illicit the benefits they're stating. Community based attendance is good for morale, comradery, mental health, it does have its place. But for exercise as medicine, it requires a bit more precision.

Fortunately, the prostate group in Cambridge has 2 supervised sessions per week (1 funded), and their routine has a clear rationale!

Love love the Exercise is Medicine message being projected as equal to adujvant therapies!

NHS trial finds exercise protects men with prostate cancer from side effects.

30/08/2026

This could mean exercise too!!!!

Have you had to self-fund an unfunded breast cancer treatment? This election year, we are calling on all political parties to commit to actions that will make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders facing breast cancer.

Personal stories can be a powerful way to help decision-makers and the wider public understand what these issues mean for people and why change is urgently needed.
We would like to hear from anyone who is currently paying for an unfunded breast cancer treatment and may be willing to share their experience in support of our advocacy work.

To find out more about what sharing your story could involve, please email [email protected] with a little information about your breast cancer diagnosis, the treatment you are self-funding and how this has affected you and your whānau.

A member of our communications team will be in touch if there is an appropriate opportunity to share your story.

25/08/2026

Had the privilege of presenting this wee number at the Breast Cancer Foundation Medical Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, alongside the teams Oncologist.
Weve been working very hard over the last few years getting structured precision exercise oncology in place in NZ, and we were well received.
The committee supported our proposal. On to the next step!!
😮‍💨

25/08/2026

Last one was AMAZING (and im not a space girl!) Looking forward to seeing you there!

17/08/2026

🧠⚖️ Did you know your balance is actually a three-way team effort?
Most people think balance is just about strong legs or a good core — but the science tells a much richer story!
Your brain is constantly juggling signals from three sensory systems to keep you upright:

👁️ Vision — your eyes tell you where you are in space
🦵 Proprioception (Somatosensory) — sensors in your muscles, joints and skin feel how your body is moving and what surface you're on
🌀 Vestibular — your inner ear detects head movement and orientation

When one system is less reliable — think walking on uneven ground, or in the dark — your brain automatically leans harder on the others. This is called sensory reweighting, and it's something you can train!

So what does good balance training actually look like? 🏋️‍♀️
✅ Unstable surfaces (foam pads, wobble boards) — challenges your proprioceptive and vestibular systems together
✅ Eyes closed or vision-restricted exercises — forces your brain to rely more on feel and inner ear signals
✅ Dual-tasking — doing a cognitive task (like counting backwards) while balancing, because real life is never just one thing at a time!
✅ Progressive challenge — starting simple and building difficulty over time so your nervous system keeps adapting
✅ Gait and lower limb strength work — because strength and balance go hand in hand

The research is clear: training that targets all three sensory systems — not just one — produces the biggest improvements in balance and the greatest reductions in fall risk.

The great news? This kind of training is accessible at all ages and fitness levels. Whether you're an athlete wanting better performance or an older adult wanting to stay steady on your feet, multisensory balance training is one of the most evidence-backed investments you can make in your body.

💬 Curious what this looks like in a session? Get in touch — we'd love to show you!