The Future Of Exercise Science

The Future of Exercise Science By Linda Young And Asaundra Pickett

A Paradigm Shift Definition Changes which occur over time and after the initial fear of change has subsided

Example of a Paradigm Shift The switch from mechanical Swiss watches to electronic watches made by the Japanese and Americans in the 1970’s The exercise science discipline The shift is still occurring

Accounts of human movement have been highlighted throughout history Planning and executing movement have been two of the most basic survival skills Movement skills were practiced and incorporated into competition, tribal rituals, and war

Chinese believed that disease could result from inactivity The Greeks became the first to keep a scholarly account on how human movement was accomplished Leonardo da Vinci studied in detail human movement and descried muscle origins, insertions, and actions throughout a range of motion

Advancement in the study of human movement during the 20th century began in different disciplines: Physiology Engineering Psychology

Basic Science Effects Increase in the growth and development of scientific-based curricula Increase in the number of laboratories studying human movement These have led to increased opportunities for graduate study and research

Many technologic advances in various exercise science sub disciplines Respiratory gas analysis Computers facilitated data collection and increased the amount of data compiled Cellular and molecular mechanism for exercise responses and adaptations have become the principle variables

Disciplinary Vs. Professional Concerns After WWII, people studying human movement were found in academic settings (PE departments) Traditional PE programs focused on teacher preparation Undergraduate PE preparation since the 1970’s has changed

Presently, there is an in-depth scientific, knowledge-based approach concerning human movement in addition to the traditional teacher education approach Undergraduate programming requirements include:

Calculus Chemistry Physics Biochemistry Anatomy and Physiology Exercise Physiology Biomechanics Nutrition

There is little difference between the general academic course requirements for: Physical Therapy Medicine Exercise Science

This approach in conjunction with the increased awareness for the need to be physically active to improve health has open many professional opportunities previously not available for students in exercise science

Exercise science is used as preprofessional training for students interested in the following professional careers: Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Medicine

Career opportunities in Clinical exercise settings include: Cardiac rehabilitation programming Pulmonary rehabilitation programming

National Associations include: ACSM – American College of Sports Medicine AACVPR – American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation

The Paradigm Shift revisited The transition from a traditional teacher education approach to a science based approach reflects a paradigm shift A transition from a discipline that emphasized teacher preparation to a new discipline that emphasized science-based preprofessional preparation

This new approach is the discipline of exercise science Exists alongside its sister discipline of physical education The refinement of exercise science as an academic discipline effectively leads to a refocusing of physical education

Physical education retains the status of academic discipline But… It’s activities have taken on the characteristics of a profession

Academic disciplines are chiefly concerned with providing definitions, descriptions, and cause-effect relationships of variables These are research-based activities that seek t add to the body of knowledge of the discipline

Professions are concerned with objectives, programs, teaching, learning, and evaluation. Clinical professions are concerned with diagnoses, therapies, prescription, rehabilitation, and prognoses

The knowledge derived from the discipline of exercise science is translated into practice by the profession Professions often function as a guide for the discipline which may lead the discipline to alter a theory based on observations made in the day to day practice of the profession

Discipline Principle function is to develop a coherent body of knowledge that describes, explains, and predicts key phenomena from the domain of interest or subject matter

Profession Professions try to improve the conditions of society by providing a regulated service in which practices and educational/training programs are developed that are in accordance with knowledge available from one or more relevant disciplines

Discipline Seek to understand subject matter

Profession Implement change based on the understanding of subject matter

Future Perspective Future will not be like the past because it will be more complex New data that are yet to be established may not be like current data. Frames of reference, demographics, science and technology, social norms, cultural norms, and political institutions will all very independently of one another as well as independently of science and technology.

Future Perspective Predicting the future courses and direction has been neglected Swanson and Massengale states The process of creating alternative futures, studying them, and then selectively choosing most appropriate future is not currently being done in the field of exercise and sport science. The leadership of the field needs to focus attention upon the creation of alternative futures, the selection of one, then take the necessary steps to make the future true.

Future Perspective Historical development of exercise science reveals 2 consistent points The direction and growth of the profession must continue to be assessed and it must be determined whether the present curricula are meeting the this growth Possibly the most important consideration is the continued development of a science-based exercise science curriculum so there is continued training of undergraduate and graduate students in the scientific sub disciplines of human movement and performance

Exercise Science in the 21st Century The journey that began in the 20th century will lead to exciting new discoveries Future Studies Purpose are to discover or invent: examine and evaluate and propose possible, probable and preferable futures

Exercise Science in the 21st Century Questions Asked How will exercise science continue to develop? What will be the relationship between the discipline of exercise science and new and existing professions with human movement as their knowledge base? Will out understanding of human movement continue as rapidly as the pace of technologic advancement?

For any future to be bright it takes hardworking people with a vision to make it happen

Another Paradigm Shift The next shift may see exercise science and related movement profession take on a much more prominent role in society Groups such as PT, PE, and government will begin funding a radically new vision of what healthcare could eventually become by 2015.

Another Paradigm Shift Market forces that were driving healthcare policy at the end of the 20th century are likely to become more intense in the first decade of the 21st century As population ages, exercise and physical activity will play a larger role The economic burden could drive healthcare cost up to unforeseen heights

A decision could be made to restructure healthcare delivery

Another Paradigm Shift Medical profession may be juxtaposed with that of movement profession in the year 2015 (pg. 416) Movement profession earning could more than double Practice in private office, clinics, and medical centers Future landscape of the movement profession would mirror that of the modern medical profession

Future Trends The middle of the 21st century the world would consist of 70 million Americans over 65 and 12 million over the age of 85. The older population will have greater chance to be healthier than any person of similar age in previous generations. Lifestyle interventions being the best method for optimizing health and reducing healthcare cost

Future Trends Important research directions exercise science will embark on is to determine the medical value of exercise for preventing, managing, and treating disease and rehabilitating patients. Society will begin to expect individual who work in some aspect of exercise science to be knowledgeable, certified, and academically prepared.

Future Trends As more data substantiate the important roles of exercise and nutrition on health, exercise science will continue to gain acceptance in the medical and allied health profession Claude Bouchard and Barry A. Franklin both were exercise scientist of at the end of the 20th century made predictions that should help students of exercise think about future direction.

Future Trends Claude Bouchard Daily energy will continue to decrease Increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity Development of the field of molecular exercise science

Future Trends Barry A. Franklin Courses in exercise and nutrition counseling will assume an increasingly important role The socioeconomic ramifications of keeping older adults self-sufficient through physical activity programs will represent important opportunities in gerontology

Future Trends In this century exercise science and those professions relying on the movement knowledge base will play an important role in the lives of us all