Exercise Medicine MSc

• Defining the physical behaviour continuum including sedentary behaviour, physical activity, exercise, sport, and fitness with relevance to their individual and collective links in public health, primary and secondary prevention, 
• Considerations for the entire physical behaviour continuum, including the totality of human movement throughout history, from paleontological times to present day life: at home, at work, in transport, in leisure, in medicine
• Contemporary issues relating to the assessment of physical activity and sedentary behaviour including the validity/ reliability of subjective/ objective methods
• The value of epidemiological and observational evidence versus traditional clinical trial style for evaluating the effectiveness of physical activity in it underpinning of health strategies within national and international policies

To develop a critical understanding of how both the natural world in which people live and conscious choices people make in their lives affects how physical active they are and how this affects public health and clinical health policies and standards 

An introduction to:

Literature searching and critical appraisal of research literature

Evidenced based practice

Research methods and methodologies

Qualitative and quantitative research methods 

Ethical considerations

Development of research questions and hypotheses

Preparation of a research proposal

Research planning and governance

To develop the critical appraisal skills necessary for level 7 study and in preparation for the development of a research proposal. To develop an awareness of different research paradigms and methodologies, that can be utilised and applied in a practical setting.

Students will choose a pathway of focus either of psychology in exercise for health or human competitive performance

Core principles for all students will include mood, self-efficacy, planning or rehearsal

Exercise psychology will include

• Theoretical foundations of exercise psychology;
• Exercise issues and physical activity mediators within the general population;
• Psycho-biological factors which influence uptake and adherence 
• Theories of exercise behaviour and change including Social Cognitive Theory, Self-Efficacy Theory & Stage Theories;
• Intervention planning key principles and guidelines for working with different populations.

Sport performance 

• Practice and philosophy of the applied practitioner;
• Mental training core principles and application;
• Coaching roles and working with coaches;
• Leadership styles including the application of leader member exchange;
• Cohesion and the development of task and social cohesion;
• Performance enhancement. 

• Critically review the theoretical frameworks and skills relevant to sport psychology practice.
• Investigate the practical applications of mental skills training.
• Critically examine theories of behaviour change and the models and techniques that are used to modify behaviour
• Explore the various factors that may affect the successful modification of behaviour

Cardio-respiratory and metabolic responses to incremental exertion from rest to maximum oxygen uptake

Measures of muscle strength, power, endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination and proprioception

Factors of neuromuscular fatigue and loss of motor control- metabolic, cardiovascular, neurological, substrate availability

Comparing limitations of performance in athletes versus older clinical population

Comparing physiological adaptations in athletes with older clinical populations

To demonstrate a critical understanding of human physiological responses and adaptations to chronic physical activity/exercise training, respectively, in both athletic and in clinical populations

1. General principles of exercise testing
2. Pre-exercise health screening and risk stratification
3. Overview of types of exercise testing procedures
4. Lab based assessments (cardio-pulmonary exercise testing, neuromuscular, and field-based functional capacity submaximal testing)
5. Integrated analysis of exercise ECG and respiratory responses; alluding to risk stratification and exercise prescription, especially related to cardiopulmonary and metabolic dysfunction
6. Exercise testing in athletic screening
7. Designing exercise training programmes and guiding physical activity from test results
8. Safety and effectiveness
9. Effective use of heart rate and RPE in clinical lab settings and practical field settings
10. Influence of cardiovascular medications on exercise and physical activity
11. Practical functional tests of aerobic fitness (Step Tests, Cycle Tests, Shuttle Walk Tests)

1. Analyse critically the physiological evidence base for exercise prescription.
2. Develop a comprehensive understanding of clinical exercise testing procedures and critical evaluation of results, especially as they relate to cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic functioning
3. Translate test results into effective and evidence-based exercise prescription in a variety of settings

On completion of the taught modules, students will have developed their knowledge base and attained a high level of competence in the application, analysis and evaluation of theory and practice. This knowledge and critical skills will have been assessed in all previous assignments, thereby providing students with the opportunity to undertake a piece of research relevant to their taught programme of study. The project topic will be agreed with an appropriate supervisor and the Module Leader (Research Coordinator). 

1. To provide the student with an opportunity to investigate systematically a health/medical based topic of direct relevance to physical activity, exercise or sport which is linked to the programme of study and the student's personal interests.
2. To enable the student to draw on and contribute to the development of the growing body of knowledge in the broad field of sport and exercise medicine
3. To present the outcomes of personal research in the form of a substantive written research project.

For learning through a case-client approach, to choose content from any two of the programme's taught modules, MD7801, 7802, 7803, 7804, 7805, 7814, plus an option of additional sport and exercise medicine topics not found within these modules learned from CPD courses, conferences or modules at other institutions and then apply this learning to caring, exercise programming, training, rehabilitation with real clients or patients and evaluate its efficacy in relation to the evidence base and/or professional guidelines. Typical settings would include:

Public Health promotion services in physical activity, exercise referral services, or sports medicine settings or specialist rehabilitation units for a chosen condition or small set of conditions (e.g. cardiovascular-respiratory disorders, obesity and metabolic disorders, chronic musculoskeletal disorders, mental health, cancer, elderly or frail low functioning individuals)

To critically evaluate the pragmatics and efficacy of putting the related evidence-base into practice, with real clients/patients that relates to the core concepts of health and exercise science, including: public health & epidemiology, research techniques, psychology, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition/pharmacology, and as an option other areas of sports and exercise medicine not covered in the current programme modules learned from CPD courses, conferences or modules at other institutions

• Nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and ergogenic aids in health, wellbeing and disease.

• Nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and ergogenic aids in athletic performance.

• Effects of pharmaceutical interactions on exercise performance in health, disease and athletic performance, including relevance to rationale for WADA banned substances in athletic competition.

1. To compare and contrast the nutritional requirements of the general public, clinical and athletic populations.

2. Critically evaluate athletic dietary habits and whether they have a role in healthy eating practices?

3. To understand whether a food, supplement, drink or drug is simply ensuring the body is working to its optimum or if it has a true effect as an ergogenic aid.

4. To compare the medical use of pharmaceuticals to improve health and manage disease with their interactions/effects on athletic performance.

5. To understand why a drug is placed on a banned substance list, including policies and procedures for its prescription for competing athletes, and what is considered an abuse of these regulations.