What is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist?
An Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) is a university-qualified allied health professional who specializes in the delivery of exercise-based interventions for people with chronic diseases, injuries, or complex health needs. AEPs are accredited by Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) and are recognized across major healthcare systems including Medicare, DVA, NDIS, and private health insurance.
AEPs differ from personal trainers or general fitness instructors in that they are trained to manage clinical populations with specific health conditions through structured and evidence-based exercise interventions.
“AEPs are trained to apply exercise as a therapeutic modality, similarly to how a medication would be prescribed in traditional healthcare” (Taylor et al., 2014).
Scope of Practice
Accredited Exercise Physiologists are trained to:
Assess, prescribe, and supervise clinical exercise interventions
Target metabolic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, neurological, and mental health conditions
Work in preventative, rehabilitative, and maintenance phases of care
Collaborate with general practitioners, specialists, and other allied health professionals
Conditions managed by AEPs include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, depression, metabolic syndrome, COPD, and neurological disorders.
AEPs follow clinical guidelines and tailor each intervention to the patient’s health status, functional capacity, and goals.
“Clinical exercise delivered by AEPs is aligned with current chronic disease management frameworks and has demonstrated efficacy across a broad range of conditions” (Bennell et al., 2015).
Education and Accreditation Standards
To become an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, individuals must:
Complete a 4-6 year university pathway, including a Master’s degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology or equivalent.
Undertake extensive clinical placements under supervision.
Gain national accreditation through ESSA, which enforces continuing professional development and adherence to professional standards.
“Exercise physiology training is equivalent to other allied health master's programs, with a focus on pathophysiology, behaviour change, and chronic disease rehabilitation” (Haas et al., 2021).
Access to Compensable Schemes
Patients may be eligible to access Exercise Physiology services through a variety of government-funded and private compensable schemes, including:
Medicare Chronic Disease Management Plans (CDM) – patients may receive rebates for up to 5 AEP sessions per calendar year via GP referral.
Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) – Gold Card and White Card holders may access services depending on their entitlements.
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) – participants with an appropriate support plan can receive AEP support for capacity building and health outcomes.
Private Health Insurance – many policies include coverage for Exercise Physiology depending on the level of extras.
WorkCover and TAC – injured workers may be referred to AEPs for physical rehabilitation under insurance arrangements.
Chronic Disease Management Outcomes with AEPs
Exercise Physiology has been shown to significantly improve health outcomes in chronic conditions. Research highlights include:
Type 2 Diabetes: Structured exercise programs reduce HbA1c, improve insulin sensitivity, and decrease cardiovascular risk (Colberg et al., 2016).
Cardiovascular Disease: Regular exercise supervised by AEPs lowers blood pressure, improves lipid profiles, and reduces the risk of secondary events (Cornelissen & Smart, 2013).
Mental Health: Exercise interventions significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety (Rosenbaum et al., 2014).
Cancer: Exercise improves fatigue, physical function, and quality of life during and post-treatment (Cormie et al., 2017).
“Clinical exercise interventions are comparable to pharmacologic therapy in several chronic conditions, including depression and heart failure” (Naci & Ioannidis, 2013).
Exercise Physiology vs Physiotherapy Across Rehabilitation Stages
While both AEPs and Physiotherapists play important roles in the continuum of care, their focus and timing of intervention differ across the stages of rehabilitation.
Acute Phase (immediately after injury or illness):
This phase typically involves physiotherapy, where the focus is on pain relief, joint mobilization, inflammation management, and restoring basic movement. AEPs may have a limited role unless the patient’s chronic conditions or comorbidities require management during acute recovery.Subacute Phase (transitioning to recovery):
Both physiotherapists and AEPs may be involved here. While physios initiate more active rehabilitation and guide healing, AEPs begin to implement low-to-moderate intensity structured exercise with measurable goals, tailored to comorbid health conditions.Chronic Phase (long-term recovery or condition management):
This is where AEPs take the lead. Their role is to facilitate long-term behaviour change, ongoing condition monitoring, and sustained improvements in functional capacity and health outcomes through structured exercise. Physiotherapists typically discharge by this stage unless a flare-up or specific issue arises.
“AEPs and physiotherapists are complementary: where physios discharge, AEPs continue long-term lifestyle management” (Edbrooke et al., 2017).
Why GPs and Specialists Should Refer to AEPs
Referring a patient to an Accredited Exercise Physiologist ensures they receive:
Safe and effective exercise prescription tailored to medical history
Outcome-based care, with measurable improvements in function, biomarkers, and quality of life
Long-term behavioural support, especially important in chronic disease and mental health management
Access to compensable rebates, reducing out-of-pocket costs and improving continuity of care
“Long-term adherence to exercise is significantly higher when supervised by AEPs compared to unsupervised interventions” (Keating et al., 2012).
Learn More and Verify Accreditation
To verify your clinician is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, or to learn more about ESSA’s national standards and scope of practice, visit:
Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA)
References (APA 7)
Bennell, K., Dobson, F., & Hinman, R. (2015). Exercise in osteoarthritis: Moving from prescription to adherence. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 28(1), 93–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2014.10.019
Colberg, S. R., Sigal, R. J., Yardley, J. E., et al. (2016). Physical activity/exercise and diabetes: A position statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care, 39(11), 2065–2079. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc16-1728
Cornelissen, V. A., & Smart, N. A. (2013). Exercise training for blood pressure: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of the American Heart Association, 2(1), e004473. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.112.004473
Cormie, P., Zopf, E. M., Zhang, X., & Schmitz, K. H. (2017). The impact of exercise on cancer mortality, recurrence, and treatment-related adverse effects. Epidemiologic Reviews, 39(1), 71–92. https://doi.org/10.1093/epirev/mxx007
Edbrooke, L., et al. (2017). Exercise interventions for chronic disease: Exercise physiologists as a workforce solution. Australian Health Review, 41(5), 539–545. https://doi.org/10.1071/AH16115
Haas, R., Hay-Smith, E. J., & Anderson, L. (2021). Allied health professional training in chronic disease management: A systematic review. BMC Medical Education, 21(1), 158. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02563-0
Keating, J. L., et al. (2012). Factors influencing exercise adherence in people with chronic conditions. Physical Therapy Reviews, 17(3), 153–162. https://doi.org/10.1179/1743288X11Y.0000000005
Naci, H., & Ioannidis, J. P. (2013). Comparative effectiveness of exercise and drug interventions on mortality outcomes: Metaepidemiological study. BMJ, 347, f5577. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f5577
Rosenbaum, S., et al. (2014). Physical activity interventions for people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 75(9), 964–974. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.13r08765