Anniversary of the Exercise and Health commission of the German Society of Sport Science

Poly-Pill Exercise - Opportunities, Risks and Side Effects

Health enhancing physical activity is today considered to be a “Poly-Pill,” capable of yielding diverse health benefits. Evidence for its preventative effects for many non-contagious, chronic-degenerative diseases particularly stand out, while its protective effects have been shown, most recently in regards to heavy cases of Covid-19. Moreover, physical training has been shown to have an equal - or in some cases better - effectivity in therapeutically treating numerous disorders when compared to available pharmaceutical treatment options. These findings have led to even stronger interest in health-political issues.

New statistics have however shown that inadequate physical activity in Germany remains the absolute standard, regardless of initiatives that try to counteract this problem – whereas during the corona pandemic, notions of the insufficient importance placed on sport and physical activity in societal and political discussions has been strengthened.

The often-monodisciplinary research into physical activity and its promotion continues to leave many questions unanswered: How can the needs and possibilities of inactive individuals be adequately taken into account in “participative” promotion of health-enhancing physical activity? What roll does subjective experience play for an “optimal exercise dosage?” And last, but certainly not least: Does the “medicalization” of sport and physical activity introduce undesired side effects into the field of sports sciences?