Background
Problem-oriented Exercise Management
Aerobic Exercise Tests
Summarization

Problem-oriented exercise management is the cornerstone of my approach to exercise in persons with chronic disease and disability. Problem-oriented medical management was developed in the late 1960s and has been beneficial to health care professionals. The major benefit is that this approach organizes extremely complex problems into simpler parts that are more easily tracked and solved. Given the enormous complexity of exercise in chronic disease and disability, it may not be possible to manage some persons without this technique.

Problem-oriented management consist of five steps, commonly documented in the SOAP format:

1) Collection of subjective data, 2) collection of objective data, 3) assessment and generation of problem list, 4) formulation of a diagnostic or therapeutic plan, or both, and 5) periodic reassessment (follow-up). Since SOAP notes provides a quick conceptual reminder of the situation and of any progress that has been made, SOAP notes are useful not only to the manager, but also to any colleagues who may be assisting.