Exercise Physiologist
Job Description
An exercise physiologist is a health care professional who monitors, documents and analyzes the improvement and maintenance of health and fitness.
In addition to these, exercise physiologists can oversee the results of heart disease rehabilitation and the rehabilitation of other chronic diseases and disabilities.
One of the most important responsibilities of exercise physiologists is guiding and counseling professional and amateur athletes so that these individuals can enhance their performances or recover from injuries.
Exercise physiologists are commonly referred to as personal trainers, but their job description goes far beyond that.
They administer exercise stress tests, evaluate the overall health and fitness of a person and develop a complete exercise program to enhance fitness, strength and endurance.
Sometimes, they are appointed by physicians to develop a customized exercise plan to meet the individual fitness goals of the patient.
Responsibilities
Exercise physiologists are tasked with the analyzing patient health, developing exercise programs, and maintaining patient wellness goals.
This involves performing body composition and BMI examinations, recording accurate data, collaborating with other healthcare professionals in clinical meetings, educating patients and families on fitness programs, providing outreach to hospitals and clinics, and training other staff members in the exercise elements of the field.
They also work alongside coaching staff members to maximize the effects of their training recommendations by advising them on heart rate monitoring, recovery, hydration, and overtraining.
Exercise physiologists typically work with physiotherapists, dietitians, and sport psychologists.
Skills
|
Communication |
Must effectively communicate with your co-workers to ensure the best care and the proper procedures. Must be able to communicate in high-stress environments. |
|
Active Listening |
Offering your full attention to an individual person or group in order to fully understand problems and their nature. |
|
Critical Thinking |
Must use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
|
Judgment and Decision Making |
Needs to be able to act autonomously and make difficult decisions that would benefit the patient or make corrections. Must consider all benefits and repercussions of potential actions and choose the appropriate one. |
|
Complex Problem Solving |
Must be able to identify complex problems and develop and evaluate corrective options and implement solutions. |
|
Stress Management |
Must be able to endure intense situations and handle pressure that comes with extreme situations you may encounter. |
|
Trustworthiness |
Must be trustworthy because you have people's lives in your hands and what you do could help or hurt them. They are entrusted with a great responsibility and must live up to it. |
|
Perceptiveness |
Gauging how people react and read their body language to decipher their feelings and predict their actions. They must be able to determine if people could be a risk to themselves or others and to distinguish truths from lies. |
Working Conditions
Exercise physiologists can work in a variety of settings such as colleges, universities, fitness facilities, athletic programs, corporate wellness programs, military training centers, hospitals and rehabilitation clinics.
Additionally, some may find positions as sports managers, exercise directors, program coordinators, or rehabilitation specialists.
Some exercise physiologists are employed by the makers of sports gear and equipment where their expertise becomes invaluable to the development of products.
Some of these physiologists are known to open up their own businesses where they serve as sports or athletic performance consultants.
Salary Outlook
| Estimated Annual Salary | Average Hourly Wage | Positions Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| $49,040.00 | $23.58 | 15,000 |