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James demonstrating a lunge to a client on a sunny sports oval

Frequently asked questions

What an Exercise Physiologist actually does, whether you need a referral, and what to expect the first time we come to you.

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Common questions

The things people ask most often before a first session. Open any question to read the answer.

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We answer these ourselves, usually within one business day.

0417 523 330james@motusih.com

An Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) is a university-qualified allied health professional accredited by Exercise & Sports Science Australia. AEPs use exercise as a form of clinical treatment for injury, pain, disability and chronic health conditions, combining assessment, education and individualised exercise prescription to improve function, strength, mobility and overall health.

AEPs undertake extensive university-level training in exercise physiology, rehabilitation and the management of complex health conditions, allowing exercise to be prescribed safely and progressed according to each person’s presentation, goals and response to treatment.

Physiotherapists and Accredited Exercise Physiologists are both university-qualified allied health professionals, and there is often overlap in the people and conditions they support. Physiotherapists assess and diagnose movement-related conditions and may use a combination of exercise, manual therapy and other treatment approaches to restore movement and function.

Accredited Exercise Physiologists specialise in using exercise as a clinical treatment. They assess your function and capacity, then prescribe, supervise and progressively adapt exercise to improve strength, mobility, confidence, independence and overall health. AEPs work with injuries, disability and acute, sub-acute, chronic and complex health conditions.

James Pirie, the founder of Motus Integrated Health, is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with Exercise & Sports Science Australia, and holds a Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology (MCEP) and a Bachelor of Sport Science. He is also certified to deliver GLA:D® Australia, the education and exercise program for hip and knee osteoarthritis, and has worked across the health and fitness industry for the past seven years.

Two things outside the qualifications shape how we practise. Our founder lives with Ankylosing Spondylitis and has managed his own persistent pain through exercise, which is why sessions are paced as carefully as they are. And growing up alongside family living with Cerebral Palsy is where our approach to individualised, independence-focused care comes from.

Motus Integrated Health is based in Kensington and operates right across the Perth metropolitan area, ABN 70 701 133 547.

Not for most people. You can book privately with no referral at all. A referral is only required for some funded pathways: Medicare Chronic Condition Management Plans and DVA both require a GP referral. Workers’ compensation clients can also be seen without a GP referral, although claim details and insurer requirements may need to be confirmed. Private health extras and NDIS generally do not require a GP referral.

Wherever suits you. Motus is based in Kensington and fully mobile across the Perth metropolitan area, so sessions run in your home, your local gym, a community setting or outdoors. There is no clinic to travel to. If you would rather train at a gym, we work with the equipment that is already there.

Yes. Motus Integrated Health is based in Kensington, a few minutes from South Perth, Como and Victoria Park, and our Accredited Exercise Physiologist comes to you. We also travel right across the Perth metro. See our Service Coverage page for the full list of suburbs, or call 0417 523 330 to check yours.

The first session is a comprehensive assessment. We will talk through your reason for attending, current symptoms, medical history, medications, relevant supports and what you want to achieve, then complete objective testing based on your presentation, such as measures of movement, joint range, strength, balance and functional capacity.

We then discuss the findings with you and agree on the most appropriate treatment plan moving forward. Your individualised exercise program is usually introduced at your follow-up session, with ongoing guidance, technique correction and progression as your capacity, confidence and symptoms change.

No. People start from every level, including after long periods of inactivity, after surgery, or in the middle of a pain flare. The starting point is simply whatever you can do now, and the program is built from there and progressed as your capacity improves.

Comfortable clothes you can move in and supportive footwear such as runners. If the session is at home you do not need any equipment; we bring what is required. Have water nearby, and for the first visit keep any relevant scans, reports or referral letters handy.

GLA:D® Australia is an education and exercise program for people with hip or knee osteoarthritis, based on research from the University of Southern Denmark. It combines two education sessions with twelve supervised neuromuscular exercise sessions over roughly six weeks, and tracks outcomes at the start, at the end and again at twelve months. Motus is GLA:D® certified, with the program coming soon.

Fees depend on the length of the appointment and on whether it is an initial assessment or a follow-up. Travel fees may apply depending on your location and funding arrangement, and these will be discussed with you before your appointment.

What you actually pay depends on your funding. Under DVA, or an approved workers' compensation claim, sessions are billed directly and there is nothing to pay on the day. Under a Medicare Chronic Condition Management Plan, Medicare pays a set rebate per service and you pay the difference. With private health extras you pay in full on the day and claim the rebate back from your fund. Self-funded sessions are paid at the time.

For more information about fees, travel costs or what may apply to your funding arrangement, get in touch on 0417 523 330 or at james@motusih.com.

Book online through Cliniko using the Book Now button anywhere on this site, or call 0417 523 330 if you would rather talk it through first. If you are using a funded pathway, mention it when you book so the right paperwork is in place before the first session.

Ready when you are

Book an initial assessment online through Cliniko, or call 0417 523 330 to talk through whether Motus is the right fit.

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