FIND A PHYSICIAN        

Trade-in prescription medications for exercise

Stephen Sievers, MD, Nephrologist, Columbia St. Mary’s

Posted: June 1, 2008

What if you could eliminate prescription medicine for certain health conditions?
Research has shown that regular exercise is an essential component of achieving a healthy lifestyle. Yet, people suffering with chronic illnesses often experience limitations in their activities as a result of their conditions and find it hard to exercise regularly. Columbia St. Mary’s offers a new program that empowers patients to change the course of their lives by overcoming their barriers to physical activity and by managing their disease.

“Moving Matters” is a medically supervised exercise program for individuals who may be suffering from one or more of the following conditions: diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, chronic fatigue syndrome, peripheral vascular disease and depression. The program was designed by Columbia St. Mary’s staff and physicians and encourages people to achieve active lifestyles even while experiencing illness.

It’s our goal to take people who have an established disease and prevent the secondary complications of that disease. We try to prevent, limit or diminish the need for medications and other medical interventions such as dialysis, cardiac bypass, or surgery, by improving overall fitness and health. I often discuss exercise with my patients as a way to lose weight and better manage their disease. Along with a healthy diet, regular exercise has been shown to help manage such conditions as high cholesterol levels and blood pressure, reducing the need for oral medications.

Patients participating in “Moving Matters” exercise on equipment at our rehabilitation facility at Lakeside Commons in Mequon, 11725 N. Port Washington Road. We help them develop an appropriate exercise routine and set specific goals, such as losing a certain amount of weight or decreasing their body mass index, and then get them started. We then monitor their progress and adjust their routine if needed to meet their goals. The entire program lasts six months. At the end of that time, we hope the patient will have some initial success and will be motivated to continue on their own.

There is nothing like “Moving Matters” available to patients anywhere else in the area. We’re trying to treat disease and prevent the use of medication. Instead, we want to use exercise as a prescription. A physical therapist is available for consultation at all times, and patients have monthly one-on-one meetings to discuss their progress. Dietary counseling is also available. “Moving Matters” costs $500 for a six-month program.

Joining “Moving Matters” is a small investment for a better quality of life and future prescriptions of exercise only! A physician’s referral is required for participation. For more information, please call Columbia St. Mary’s at 262-241-2131.

We Have Answers
Do you have medical questions or need help finding a doctor? The experts at Columbia St.Mary’s can help. Click here.