Several health systems now allow a doctor to exercise instead of medication.
The patient receives a to a supervised programme, usually for twelve weeks.
For mild depression, back pain and early , trial results are comparable to drugs.
Side effects are limited to muscle and the risk of doing too much too soon.
is the whole problem.
Roughly half of patients stop within two months, which is also true of tablets.
The difference is that a tablet requires thirty seconds and a class requires an hour and a bus.
Programmes with the best share three features.
They are close to home, they are booked in a group, and the first session is easy enough to finish.
Cost comparisons favour the approach even at modest success rates.
A knee operation avoided pays for many twelve-week courses.
Doctors report a subtler obstacle, which is the conversation itself.
A prescription is a short, respected act; advice about exercise sounds like blame if it is delivered badly.