Exercise prescription in medical practice.

The goal of exercise prescription is to advise and motivate an individual to attain the maximum health benefits of exercise for a given indication with minimum risk and other "costs". Numerous data indicate both perceived demand and medically determined need of such service for healthy as well as for sick people. The knowledge of the effects of exercise and its behavioral basis is sufficient for individual prescription for fitness maintenance and improvement. Safe and effective exercise as self-conducted activity or as formal rehabilitation can be prescribed also for large numbers of high risk and sick persons for fitness and to counteract the harmful effects of disease. The most problematic area is exercise prescription for disease prevention. Where ischaemic heart disease is concerned, the analysis of the published information suggests that regular exercise of moderate intensity and amount is an effective and feasible preventive measure, and its prescription is an appropriate medical service.