Exercise in people with comorbidity or multimorbidity.

Area of Science:

• Exercise Science
• Clinical Medicine
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Exercise offers significant health benefits but lacks specific guidance for individuals with comorbidity or multimorbidity.
• Current exercise guidelines cater to healthy individuals or those with a single disease, leaving a gap for complex patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the fundamental principles for applying exercise in individuals managing comorbidity or multimorbidity.
• To establish a framework for developing tailored exercise guidance for complex health conditions.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review was conducted on existing research concerning exercise interventions in individuals with comorbidity or multimorbidity.
• The review synthesized findings to extract core principles guiding exercise application in these populations.

Main Results:

• Effective exercise for comorbidity or multimorbidity necessitates rigorous health status assessment.
• Exercise plans must be adapted to the specific combination of health conditions.
• Integration of behavior change techniques is crucial for adherence and success.
• Clinical reasoning by health professionals is essential for safe and effective exercise prescription.

Conclusions:

• Four core principles—assessment, adaptation, behavior change, and clinical reasoning—form a foundation for exercise guidance in complex conditions.
• These principles offer a framework to develop evidence-based exercise recommendations for individuals with comorbidity or multimorbidity.