Exercise prescription is not just for medical doctors: the benefits of shared care by physicians and exercise professionals

A key objective of the Exercise is Medicine initiative http://www.exerciseismedicine.org/ is for physicians to assess and record physical activity during every patient visit, similar to a vital sign and to facilitate an exercise prescription. However, despite the acknowledged intentions of the CAESM statement, many physicians will remain ill-equipped, or simply not have time, to deliver individualised exercise prescriptions to patients across the spectrum of health and disease. Exercise professionals can complement the efforts of physicians in this regard.