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Reflection On Personal Experience

Decent Essays

Personal Reflection 1
Reflecting on personal and professional experiences I have become to understand that although there is vast scholarly literature identifying the key determinants of physical activity as demographics, social, cultural and environmental factors (Amireault, Godin, and Vezina-Im, 2013), there are also many psychological (mental health) and health dependent (physical, structural, and functional) determinates that have been introduced to me during my final year of study. All factors can be internal, external, community, organisational, interpersonal and personal (****). As a future practitioner, it is vital that I understand and identity these determinates as enablers and barriers to improve client health outcomes.
So why …show more content…

Financial restrictions can limit choices (gym membership costs) and or create opportunities (adventure holidays and weekends).
Cultural enables and barriers encompasses ethnicity, religion, beliefs, values, and cultural norms. After traveling for many years, I realised how lucky I was to grow up in a country which values physical activity and sport as not all cultures are founded on an active lifestyle of beaches, football, cricket and outdoor life. This is however changing in recent generations and the introduction to technology. Culture influences the way we think and act, we predominately tend to adapt to the surrounding cultural environment due to the human desire to ‘fit in’ or ‘be popular’.
Environmental enablers and barriers consist of climate, location, safety features, access to facilities, and weather. Weather influences me greatly, becoming less active in winter or in poor weather than summer because of discomfort, inconvenience and lack of motivation. Where someone lives geographically influences access to facilities and safe environments. I have lived in the country and on the coast and found I was more active in the coastal environment, using the beach every day, having access to 24 hour gyms and sporting centres.
Professional practice
As an Exercise Physiologist student studying the prevention and management of chronic disease and injuries through the use of physical activity, I feel it is important to understand what physical activity

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