Exercise has been found to be beneficial in the management of numerous conditions and our team can help with conditions that include:

• • Cardiovascular conditions
    • Coronary artery disease (ischemic heart disease)
    • Chronic heart failure
    • Hypertension
    • Peripheral vascular diseases
    • Angina
  • Metabolic conditions
    • Obesity
    • Metabolic syndrome
    • Impaired glucose tolerance / insulin resistance
    • Diabetes (Types 1 and 2)
    • Dyslipidaemia
  • Musculoskeletal conditions
    • Osteoarthritis (OA)
    • Osteoporosis
    • Joint replacement
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Musculoskeletal injury
    • Postural issues
    • Lower back pain
  • Respiratory conditions
    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
    • Asthma
    • Emphysema
  • Hormonal conditions
    • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
    • Post Menopause Syndrome
    • Hypothyroidism
    • Hashimoto’s disease
    • Androgen deprivation therapy
  • Psychological conditions
    • Depression
    • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
    • Anxiety
  • Fatique conditions
    • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
    • HIV / AIDS
    • Cancer & cancer treatment
  • Neurological conditions
    • Stroke
    • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
    • Parkinson’s Disease
    • Developmental Coordination Disorder

If you want to improve your fitness and lose weight, an Exercise Physiologist is the health professional for you. A knowledgeable and experienced personal trainer, who can help improve your lifestyle. We can provide motivation and help you achieve your goals by providing a safe and effective exercise program.

If you are recovering from an injury or suffering chronic pain and still want to lose weight and get fit, we can help you train, as well as rehabilitate. Get the most out of personal training with an Exercise Physiologist.

Physiotherapists tend to treat the primary problem, usually an injury, at the acute and early post-acute stages of rehabilitation. AEPs treat the whole person, using exercise and other lifestyle strategies and health coaching. AEPs help people recovering from illness (eg heart attack), injury (eg muscle tear) or an operation (eg hip replacement), with a goal to helping clients to help themselves to better long term health and fitness (prevention).

There can be a big difference in qualification levels between these two professions. A personal trainer is qualified to prescribe exercise to healthy clientele and usually gains a qualification through a TAFE or similar organisation. The courses are often short courses allowing a personal trainer to be qualified after 6 weeks. A basic personal trainer can work with stable, low risk clients, but does not have the in-depth training that an AEP does at post graduate level.

The great thing about Moonee Valley Health and Fitness is that our Personal Trainers are not your typical trainers. All our trainers are either Accrediated Exercise Physiologists or have Bachelor of Exercise Science degrees.

An AEP studies at university for 4 years and completes 500 hours of clinical practice to gain accreditation. All our personal trainers who have exercise science degrees also studied at university for 3 years. An AEP tends to work in a clinical setting. They provide advice to the general ‘healthy’ population as well as those with medical conditions. They form part of a multi disciplinary team which can include doctors, physiotherapists, dietitians and diabetes educators.

Yes we can come to you! We provide home visits on request to the North-Western suburbs of Melbourne, including Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Niddrie, Maribyrnong, North Melbourne, Carlton, Fitzroy and Coburg.

Make an enquiry below, or call (03)9996-0790 and we can check whether we can offer in-home or mobile exercise physiology in your suburb of Melbourne.

This depends on your goals, but will generally involve cardio exercise as well as resistance (weight) training. Each exercise program is tailored to the client and is designed to improve their condition and quality of life. As clients improve the exercises will match their progression.

The Exercise Physiologist performs an assessment and sets a strength and conditioning program relative to your functional level. They deal with medical patients through to the weekend warrior and elite athletes.

After you initial consultation, your Accredited Exercise Physiologist will discuss whether and when you need to return for review of the program. Review appointments are generally 45 minutes in length.

Book your initial consultation or make an enquiry

Exercises tailored to you and your body will be a part of all AEP sessions. Please wear comfortable clothing you can walk and move freely in, and walking shoes or runners. Please also bring a water bottle and a towel to every appointment.

There are two main ways in which to claim your exercise physiology sessions. Medicare Rebates and Health Fund rebates.

We are registered to provide sessions for Medicare Australia, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Worksafe and TAC. You will need to discuss this with your GP to find out if you are eligible.

Moonee Valley Health and Fitness provides Exercise Physiology services that are recognised and funded by the following:

• Medicare
  • Enhanced Primary Care Plans (5 visits)
  • Group sessions for Type 2 diabetes clients
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Transport Accident Commission
• Workcover

If you are elligable, a GP referral will be required to claim Medicare Rebates.

Consultations with an AEP may attract a rebate from your private health fund as Exercise Physiology is listed under extras. The rebate available does differ for each health fund, so check with your provider as to your entitlements.

Exercise is one of the best medicines that can be prescribed for chronic disease and injuries. Doctors are referring to Accredited Exercise Physiologists to prescribe safe, effective, specific and tailored exercise programs to patients.

Moonee Valley Health and Fitness is proud to be part of the Exercise is Medicine Australia Network (EIM).

To claim any Medicare benefits that are available, a referral is required from your GP to access these subsidised programs. To find out if you are eligible, contact our clinic on (03)9996-0790 or visit your doctor and ask about your options.

Medicare Australia have developed a ‘chronic disease management plan’ (CDM) which is set out by your medical practitioner (including general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician). To be eligible for Medicare support you must be referred from a GP to one of our Exercise Physiologists and placed on a Chronic Disease Management Plan. To be eligible for that Plan you must have a chronic disease or injury (an issue longer than 3 – 6 months). Your GP will determine practitioner support for you which may include a maximum of 5 Medicare rebate services per each calendar year for services like Exercise Physiology.

Download the required CDM Plan form here

If appropriate, this can be arranged through your GP. Referred participants will receive a rebate from Medicare for each of the 5 sessions. Full payment is required at the time of consultation and you will be provided with a receipt to claim at Medicare. The nearest 3 Medicare offices that are located within 5km of the Moonee Valley Health and Fitness studio are.

Newmarket Service Centre (about 1.2km from the studio)
482-490 Racecourse Road
Flemington VIC 3031

Footscray Service Centre (about 3.5km from the studio)
75 Moore Street
Footscray VIC 3011

Moreland Service Centre (about 3.8km from the studio)
172-186 Moreland Road
Brunswick VIC 3056

The Enhanced Primary Care progam or EPC program is now known as the Chronic Disease Management plan, and is explained in the above FAQ – What is the Chornic Disease Management (CDM Plan?. Some people still refer to this plan as an EPC program but it is essentially the same thing – 5 subsidised sessions through Medicare.

MV Health and Fitness exercise physiologists provide functional exercise for the purposes of returning an injured worker to suitable work activities. This includes specific exercise therapy related to the worker’s injury and work demands, and / or specific work activities as exercise.

All our exercise physiologists are WorkCover accredited to provide return to work services under WorkCover and CTP schemes

Exercise Physiology services are now recognised by almost all private health funds and substantial rebates are available. We recommend you contact your health fund to ensure you are eligible for Exercise Physiology services dependent on your level of cover. Our Exercise Physiologists are registered with the all the major Health Funds which include:

• Australian Unity
• Australian Health Management
• Commonwealth Bank Health Services
• GMF Health
• Grand United (GU) Health
• BUPA Australia
• HBF
• HCF / Manchester Unity
• Medibank Private
• NIB
• Teachers Health Fund (THF)
• Reserve Bank
• …plus other Health Funds

You can view a full list of the available health funds and what type of rebates for exercise physioloy and fitness services you can receive here – Private Health Funds

No. Referrals are certainly welcome, but are not necessary if claiming through your health fund.

Anyone can see an Exercise Physiologist. A referral is not a necessity. Most private health funds recognise Exercise Physiology allowing for private health rebates.

A referral from your doctor is required when using Medicare (CDM) funding or for insurance claims (Workcover/CTP). Eligibility requirements will need to be discussed with your Doctor.

Cost for an Initial Assessment is $88 and follow up appointments are $80. Moonee Valley Health and Fitness requires payment at the time of consultation. We do not have a HICAPS machine available, for you to claim your benefits at the time of your consultation but you will receive a printed invoice with every session so you can claim the sessions with your Private Health Care provider.

In addition to our Exercise Physiology services, many people use the service similar to Personal Training but with the additional benefit of using the Health Fund rebates that are available.

Session costs vary, but keep in mind that besides Health Fund claims you may also be eligable to get a GP referral under a Medicare Chronic Disease Management plan which entitles you to a Medicare rebate for up to 5 Exercise Physiology sessions.

You may be able to claim a higher rebate than Medicare from your private health fund. In this case, we recommend using these funds first as you it will reduce the costs to you for your initial appointments. You will still be able to use the Medicare rebate for subsequent visits.

We do not have a HICAPS machine at MV Health and Fitness, so all patients will need to arrange any health fund rebates that are available for exercise physiology. Please contact your fund if you wish to know the exact rebate amount, as this varies depending on your fund and your level of cover. We accept cash, EFTPOS, VISA and MasterCard. Payment is required at the time of consultation and no accounts will be issued.

We are located at 378 Mount Alexander Road, Travancore VIC 3032. Directions to get to the studio can be found here – MVFIT on Google Maps

We are happy to offer same day appointments when available. Call us now on (03) 9996 0790 for the earliest available appointment.

We make a promise to all of our Exercise Physiology patients that come into our studio:

Our Exercise Physiologists promise to take the time to accurately assess your current medical, physical and lifestyle status and to take the time to explain our recommendations in a way that you understand. Your long term health and well-being is our main objective.

We promise to do everything we can to get help you meet your exercise goals. We have a great team of AEP’s, personal trainers and nutritionists in our team and you won’t be rushed in for a quick fix – we take the time to understand what motivates you and use this information to help you get there as quickly and safely as possible.

We promise to greet you with a smile and make you feel part of the MVFit Community. It might not sound like much, but our patients tell us that the relaxed and friendly staff help them feel more comfortable to attend other personal training and boot camp exercise classes we have on in the studio.

We promise to work as part of your medical team. We always liaise with your GP to keep them informed of your progress. We are also have a great network of Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists, Strength Coaches and Nutritionists in our team who we work closely with.