The practical application of exercise training principles in family medicine.

As millions of Canadians take the message of Participaction to heart, family physicians are asked a multitude of questions about exercise. It can be viewed as a pharmacological agent: dosage, frequency, host response, side effects and sensitivities should be considered in the design of an exercise program. Complications of exercise result in overuse injury to muscle, tendon and bone. Important etiological areas involve training, biomechanical features and footwear. Adequate recovery from a training stimulus is necessary for physiological adaptation. Warm up, flexibility, and dosage of exercise need special consideration. Compensatory activity caused by genu varum and pes planus may be reduced by the use of orthotic devices. Study of the wear pattern of the running shoe may reveal clues about biomechanical alignment. The physician's direct practical guidance will minimize complications, as will proper design of the exercise program and selection of appropriate equipment.