What is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist?

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Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) are university qualified allied health professionals equipped with the knowledge, skills and competencies to design, deliver and evaluate safe and effective exercise interventions for people with acute, sub-acute or chronic medical conditions, injuries or disabilities. Pathology domains covered by the services of AEPs include cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, musculoskeletal, cancers, kidney, respiratory / pulmonary and mental health, and any other conditions for which there is evidence that exercise can improve the client’s clinical status.

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Exercise Matters is the premier Exercise Physiology Clinic on the Sunshine Coast. Exercise Matters is a full service Exercise Physiology clinic dedicated to providing comprehensive care for health needs and injury rehabilitation. Our team of Exercise Physiologists are experts in restoring peak physical function through exercise programmes tailored to meet each individual's needs. Servicing the Noosa and Sunshine Coast region, our Exercise Physiologists will help client understand how exercise can help them reach their goals.

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Exercise Matters is proud to be the only clinic in the Noosa and Sunshine Coast region to offer full-body composition scans. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA) provides a rapid and non-invasive assessment of FM (fat mass), FFM (fat free mass) and bone mineral density. It is considered to be the gold standard and only reference method in clinical research due to its level of accuracy. A DXA scan is a safe, non-invasive procedure that typically takes 10 minutes or less. During the scan, you will lie on a cushioned table while an X-ray beam passes across your body. The X-ray beam is able to accurately measure the densities of different tissues in your body – including bones, muscles, and fat. The results from a DXA scan can provide insight into your health that other methods cannot; for example, a DXA scan can measure changes in bone density more accurately than other methods such as ultrasound or MRI scans. 

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DXA Body Composition Scans versus the rest (BIA scales, InBody, Evolt, skin folds etc)

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Most gyms these days have clients step on a bioimpedance (BIA) scale (usually Inbody or Evolt Brand) in order to monitor changes in muscle mass and body fat. Bioimpedance scales work by "estimating" muscle and body fat by calculating the resistance to electric current flow through the tissues. Unfortunately, BIA scales have poor reliability and validity - in other words they are simply not accurate enough to rely on. It is very common to see ~3kg errors in muscle mass and body fat measurements when using a BIA scale (Inbody, Evolt ect). For example, research by Pateyjohns et al. (2006) 14(11):2064–70. in the journal Obesity, reported that BIA underestimated Fat Mass from 1.06 to 14.25 kg and overestimated Fat Free Mass (Muscle) from 0.83 to 15.12 kg compared to DXA. Therefore, if you rely on BIA scales for body composition you are not getting the right information. DXA is the only accurate method to reply on for your body composition measurements. This is the reason why DXA scans are the tool of choice for research institutions around the world as they are the most accurate means of measuring your body composition.

 

A DXA scan is a cutting-edge medical imaging technique that allows for accurate detection and monitoring of changes in body composition over time. This important tool is used to measure bone mineral density, fat mass, and lean muscle mass – providing valuable information about the health of your bones, muscles and overall body composition. In order to comprehensively understand what condition your body is in and the effects of a diet or exercise program, a DXA scan is the only accurate means available that can evaluate your progress over time. DXA scans are an important measurement that can be used to track changes in body composition as you work towards achieving your health goals. 

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Having a DXA scan can help you in many ways, from evaluating the progress of rehabilitation from an injury to determining risk for osteoporosis and monitoring changes in diets and body composition over time. To get the most from the scan you need to know how to analysis the results; Fortunately, the Exercise Physiologists at Exercise Matters are experts at interpreting the results of a DXA scan so you can know what actions you need to take.

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If you are interested in learning more about DXA scans and how they can help you reach your health goals, contact Exercise Matters today to set up an appointment with one of our exercise physiologists. 

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