Moving Medicine: Improving Fitness Literacy and Referral Practices

Presentation Summary: Physical inactivity is a leading cause of chronic disease and diminished health outcomes. Physicians play a pivotal role in addressing this issue by empowering patients to incorporate movement into their lives. However, many physicians feel unprepared to have these conversations due to limited training in physical activity and exercise science along with time and resource constraints within the typical clinical setting. This session is designed to enhance fitness literacy among physicians, providing them with the initial assessment and prescription tools to strengthen their confidence in promoting movement as medicine. With great power comes great responsibility; as physicians, the opportunity to drive and evoke meaningful change in patients is unparalleled. Interdisciplinary collaboration empowers physicians with the knowledge needed to initiate impactful conversations about physical activity in their clinical setting. In-depth exercise integration may be challenging for physicians, as it falls outside their scope of practice. Balancing time between other lifestyle medicine pillars, personal practice preferences, and patient priorities is essential. Time constraints remain a persistent challenge in clinical practice, but through collaboration with health professional team members and structured approaches, we can facilitate the seamless incorporation of physical activity into care plans. By leveraging team-based strategies, physicians can inspire behavior change while optimizing care delivery, ensuring patients benefit from the power of movement without overwhelming the clinical workflow. Participants will receive a set of safe, evidence-based physical activity prescriptions they can offer patients, as an effective first-line treatment.