Professor Blankenship
English 1010
Healthy Helping
Living a healthy lifestyle does not come easy for everyone. As humans, our desire to be
healthy is ideal. Unfortunately, the majority of people can agree that being healthy and fit feels
like a miserable, never ending task. More often than not, life gets in the way, personal affairs
occur, health issues arise, and the point of no return seems at hand. The truth is; maintaining a
healthy lifestyle is a task, but it can be rewarding. Its a day to day personal struggle of
acceptance. It involves personal commitment, evaluation and growth. Although, it may seem
impossible for some, with professional help from an exercise physiologist, the process of
creating a healthy life is not so difficult after all. For an exercise physiologist to perform their
job effectively they must use adequate communication skills with their patients. An exercise
physiologist aids to patients medical history, personal health, and fitness goals. Individuals with
serious health issues such as; diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity seek help and
Important skills like compassion, helpful counseling, accurate evaluation, good decision
making skills and interpersonal skills are required in order to communicate properly to people in
need of such help. Its not easy for people to be upfront about their health. For various reasons,
its common for patients of exercise physiologist to feel embarrassed or self conscious. Although,
EPs dont necessarily deal with mental health, the ability to adapt to human emotion plays a
(EPs) are health professionals that evaluate a person's overall health to determine proper,
essential care for each individual. EPs prescribe exercise as their medicine to treat patients. By
doing a full evaluation of a patient's medical history, health issues or concerns, and fitness level,
EPs can construct specific exercise programs to safely improve patients health. Similar to other
medical and health specialists, Exercise physiologists care for many patients year round. A well
formed bond between the EP and each individual patient is crucial in order to see positive
progression. Good communication between both parties can ensure that specific job duties are
performed effectively by EPs. Enabling Interpersonal skills make face to face communication
less of a formality and more of a relationship. EPs access patient's lifestyle behaviors, which
include; eating habits, physical activity patterns, stress levels and readiness to exercise. A good
way exercise physiologists can relate to their patients is to share experiences of their own
personal health journeys, positive outlook, common misconceptions, and their admiration to
help. Explaining personal self worth and acceptance will break the barrier of discomfort a patient
may have towards themselves, thus enabling open discussions of improvisations. In result, this
Each duty implemented by EPs requires different qualities or skills that go hand in hand
with Communication. Starting with the duty to analyse a patient's overall health. This involves
being compassionate and understanding. An EP has to obtain information such as; height,
weight, patients blood pressure, body fat percentage, and oxygen use. Patience can provide
medical history. If not provided, communicating to other care providers of the patient will have
to be made. Information is gained from patients through questionnaire and testing. Being able
speak with a subtle voice, without suspending judgement through tone, will help the comfort of
patients and their ability to respond confidently. To determine what physical activity a patient can
perform properly, EPs need to perform comprehensive functional capacity evaluations. These
evaluations test patients physical fitness, posture and muscle balance, motor control assessments.
Its the EPs responsibility to walk through these evaluations beforehand to ensure patients safety
and capability. Communicating detailed instruction verbally as well as providing visual examples
will show patients proper technique to perform these tasks. After a complete evaluation and
analyzation of the patient, exercise and fitness regimens can be made. One of the most important
duties of an exercise physiologist is to educate patients on the risk factors, proper technique,
correct form, compensation, and self awareness when is comes to exercise. For patients to
decision making skills. Back and forth communication is needed to make a detailed plan and
schedule that works for both the patient and EP. EPs have the obligation to prescribe certain
physical activity to promote good health to patients form them to maintain. The exercises that are
chosen will determine the patient's results. Its critical EPs are aware of patients abilities to
perform exercises that are chosen for them. Proper communication between the two and factors
such as disease or patient readiness determine what activity can be suggested. With a plan in
action, the ability to be motivational is significant. For those who have struggled with health and
fitness regularly, motivation can be challenging. Its critical to a patient's ego that EPs are
supportive, influential and consistently stay motivating. By doing so patients will have the mind
set to carry on and reach the fitness goals that were set in place. Like stated before, living a
healthy lifestyle is a daily task. Depending on the patient. Progress varies in time. Working with
the same patient for several years is a possibility. Another key quality to hold fast to is patience.
Healthy living is a long process. Proving your interest in a patient's progress is important in
regulating business, and restoring hope to patients that do struggle. Constant counseling with
patients to cover what progress has been made, the current evaluation and progress they have left
proves to patients the involvement, and desire EPs have to see them succeed. If an EP is known
for their success with patients due practicing the key skills mentioned, it's likely for business to
accumulate. The ability to help others will attracts those in need, resulting in happier and
The need for individuals that promote a healthy living is on the rise due the drastic climb
of obesity in America. The American Heart Association provides the following statistics:
Almost 13 million (16.9%) of U.S. children ages 2 to 19 are obese. Nearly one in three
(31.8%) U.S. children (23.9 million) ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese. More than
one-third (about 35%) of U.S. adults are obese (more than 78 million adults).
Health and fitness is a popular growing business. Its in demand and its beneficial to personal
lives of your own and those you care about. In order to educate the world on the importance of
regular, safe exercise and practices of maintaining good health, one must know the steps of
becoming an exercise physiologist. What better way than to combine your own lifestyle with
your profession? If you are an undergraduate or high school grad searching for careers to pursue,
consider this information. According to Learn.org, an educational site that provides reliable
information on certain careers, states that the median salary as of 2015 is; $47,010, with a job
growth of 11%, for all exercise physiologists. EPs work in hospitals, fitness facilities, wellness
and physical therapy centers, or other health related clinics. Determining where your desired
work practices will be is your first step in what education route you need to take. Exercise
education, exercise science, health science, kinesiology, psychology, physics of movement, and
motor developments. The study of all subjects mentioned are required one way or another
depending on the decision to complete a four minimum bachelor's degree. If you desire to pursue
your education further to be a practitioner of a higher degree, you may consider completing a
masters degree or receiving a Ph.D. Internships are helpful by providing clinical training, which
is required for this profession. It will give you hands on experience to give you interpersonal
skills useful in the work force. The ability to perform CPR, basic life support and cardiac care are
required if you wish to work in hospitals. Knowing these skill are beneficial in this profession
become board certified through The American Society of Exercise Physiologists. After
completing the administrative test and deemed a professional practitioner, the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics states the following: As a Board Certified Exercise Physiologist (EPC), you
must follow a code of ethics and practices and promote high standards in the profession.
motivated. This career is dependant on the use of key skills such as; good communication,
precise evaluating, adequate decision making, and proper interpersonal skills. By incorporating
these skills with patients, many lives will benefit from the promotion of healthy living by the
desire to educate the importance of exercise and the happiness that goes along with good health.
Work Cited
http://learn.org/articles/Exercise_Physiology_5_Steps_to_Becoming_an_Exercise_Physi
3 May 2017.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/WeightManagement/Obesity/Obesity-