Counseling on Exercise: The Pharmacist\u27s Role

Only one in three adults in the United States meets the weekly physical activity recommendations, and only 5% of adults are active for at least 30 minutes a day.1 Exercise is a key component of health and wellness, especially for patients already experiencing comorbid conditions. Exercise has been proven to help alleviate pain in patients experiencing anything from low back pain to fibromyalgia and has been a helpful adjunct in diabetes management.2 Pharmacists are in an exciting position to advocate for changes in patients’ lifestyles daily and are in an incredibly accessible position to do so. However, exercise management and recommendations are generally not a large part of formal pharmacy education although it is understood that patients should be exercising. What qualifies as exercise though? What exercises should pharmacists be recommending to patients? With little formal education in this area, pharmacists may feel they do not have the resources to properly assess and make recommendations for patients in this area. The primary objective of this study is to analyze how equipped current pharmacists feel counseling on exercise recommendations. Data from this study will assess if there is a gap in knowledge and comfort in counseling on exercise among pharmacists, providing the foundation to enhance education and resources for pharmacists to counsel in this area more effectively and efficiently. In a world that is becoming increasingly sedentary, it is crucial we, as pharmacists, expand access to exercise ideas, suggestions, and even conversation to help motivate our patients to be active and healthy