Health conditions need not be a barrier to physical activity, Sports MedicineHealth conditions need not be a barrier to physical activity, Sports Medicine Australia said today.

Many people suffering from the health conditions of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and incontinence believe their condition stops them from participating in physical activity. However this doesn’t have to be the case.
“Often people with certain health conditions think they shouldn’t participate in physical activity, however, this is incorrect. Physical activity can and should still be undertaken, ensuring that the correct guidelines are followed,” said Sports Medicine Australia Victorian Branch Executive Officer, Nello Marino.
Guidelines on how to approach a number of such health conditions in an exercisem context will be discussed at the Victorian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport and Exercise, SMX 2007, to be held on Saturday June 23 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. The conference, hosted by Sports Medicine Australia, will promote knowledge and practice in sports science and medicine at the elite level and how these practices can be applied to community level sport to enhance participation, performance and well being.

“SMX 2007 will provide an insight to practitioners who are working with mild and chronic disease patients on some of the latest exercise-related prevention and treatment techniques. From this knowledge, practitioners will be able to provide patients with information that will get and keep them active.
“One of the key things we want people to take from SMX2007 is that health conditions need not be a barrier to physical activity. Physical activity and exercise practices associated with chronic disease are ever evolving,” said Mr Marino. To find out more about the Victorian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport and Exercise, or to register, visit www.smavic.org.

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