Defining exercise in contrast to physical activity.

摘要

During health examinations, patients are often asked about the frequency and amount of exercise undertaken. When most health providers ask about exercise, they are referring to the modern societal notion of exercise events that are planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body. Exercise is recommended or prescribed for patients to improve their health, maintain fitness, and as an important means of physical rehabilitation (The Free Dictionary, n. d.). Exercise is recommended also for its psychological benefits: decreasing feelings of anxiety and depression, improving self-esteem and mental alertness, and decreasing tension, frustration, and fatigue (Schaefer & Brennan, 2009). Assessing levels of exercise and encouraging it in our patients is an important part of health care.