Research: Exercise for mets: Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth needed now. All states later.

[Admin]

In short

There is a research project aiming to come up with an a system that will give programs of exercise to men with metastatic prostate cancer. The system will be online and hopes to benefit men who cannot reach an accredited exercise physiologist in person - men isolated by their disease or by their location.

 

The project

The research team was awarded an ANZUP “Below the belt” grant to create a tailored online website tool to help deliver individualised exercise prescriptions for men with mets as well as information on the benefits, safety implications, other lifestyle advice and where else to find support.

Step one: Look at the needs of men with mets. That is complete.

Step two: Develop the first ‘draft’ of the computer system. That is complete

Step three: Have men with mets look at the system as it stands and give their opinion. That is the need now. Volunteers are needed now to help with this. They have to reach Adelaide, Melbourne or Perth. No payment for your travel or your time, but a $40 Coles Myer voucher to say thank you, and your parking fees are also paid.

Step four: Put the system into practice and see how it works. Volunteers will be needed in all capitals (at a later date).

 

More detail

Last Tuesday I caught up with Holly Evans, an Accredited Exercise Physiologist from Adelaide.

Holly is a PhD Candidate and she needs help with a research project about exercise for men with metastases.

 

Holly is lucky to be part of a dream team of exercise researchers, including three that many of our group will be familiar with:

• Professor Robert Newton, Associate Dean, Medical and Exercise Sciences and Research Professor, Exercise Medicine Research Institute at Edith Cowan University Perth, Western Australia.
• Daniel Galvão, Professor of Exercise Science and Director of the Exercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia

and, best known to most of us

• Professor Suzanne Chambers AO, Dean of the Faculty of Health at the University of Technology Sydney, a long-time friend of men with prostate cancer and their partners.

They are joined by

• Dr Camille Short (Behavioural Scientist and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne) whose expertise includes eHealth interventions, persuasive communication, enhancing user engagement and designing interventions for high risk population sub-groups.

 

With this team, I think the chances of success are very high.

 

Volunteer

You have to reach, at your own expense:

Adelaide: The University of Adelaide (Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building, Adelaide)

Melbourne: The University of Melbourne (Parkville, Melbourne)

Perth: Exercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University (Joondalup)

The research would be a once off and only last approximately 2 hours. There is a $40 Coles Myer voucher to say thank you. Parking expenses will also be paid.

 

To volunteer:

Email: holly.evans@adelaide.edu.au

Mobile 0421 765 004.

If you are able to volunteer or not, could you let any groups you are involved with know about this?

 

Postscript: Ethics

I’m sure you’ve often heard often about exercise something like: “Consult a professional before you start any strenuous exercise program”. That’s because doing the wrong thing can be dangerous. In this research it is easy to imagine the wrong advice to a man with mets leading to disaster.

So who decided that this research should go ahead? Did PhD candidate Holly just decide to go ahead on her own?

No. The law in Australia and many other countries says a committee of experts should decide whether the risks involved in clinical research are worth the good that may come. The project has only gone ahead after careful consideration, and approval of each step, by an Ethics Committee brought together according to the national guidelines:  National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research.

 

Jim

[Bruce Kynaston]

Gents,

I can recommend this activity.

 

I attended a course at the School of Human Movement Studies at Queensland University several years ago.

A medical status may be required if there are 'risk' areas.

I had an exercise bike, a 'Gynstick' for arm exercises, and a pair f hand bells, each of 5.25KG. These are for exercising thigh muscles (Quars.) as I hold them and slide up and down (only to when the thighs are parallel to the floor?)

Also for the biceps, while seated.l

a series of step up up step down

impace exercise BT 'running on the spot, but ON THE HEELS.

i have a child's soccer ball in a sack, restrained by a step ladder for punching stiff armm for impact for the arms and shoulder joint. ( I use a pair of riggers gloves for protection

Bruce 

[PeterH]

Great to see that this research is happening, but the results are going to take some time and that's no excuse for not doing something now!!!

Back in May 2016, the ABC had a program about exercise on Catalyst that was really interesting. But, when a friend asked about it when he next went for treatment, nobody knew a thing. I've had another look and I reckon it's something that everyone should check out.

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4459555.htm

Possibly even more to the point is the following paper by the Dr Newton, who is interviewed on the program and also a part of the team doing this research. Fortunately, it's available free at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5961562/

 

Peter