The Department of Health defines exercise as a planned episode of physical activity to improve or maintain a person’s health or fitness.
Physical activity is any form of activity that requires a person to use more energy than when they are resting.
This article focuses on how exercise can be used to help treat or prevent a wide range of health conditions.
Exercise benefits
Regular exercise has proven health benefits for anyone who wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle, lose weight and improve their fitness level.
As well as helping to maintain health and fitness, a controlled and carefully supervised exercise programme also has important therapeutic benefits for people with chronic (long-term) health conditions and disabilities, such as:
- muscular dystrophy: a genetic condition that gradually causes the muscles to weaken
- chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): a condition that causes chronic tiredness (fatigue)
- disability: people with any form of disability can benefit from regular and appropriate exercise as those with limited mobility can often have an increased risk of heart disease and weight issues.
- depression: feelings of extreme sadness that last for many weeks or months, and are severe enough to interfere with daily life
See Health benefits of exercise for a list of health conditions for which exercise has proven benefits.
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