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How exercise therapy can help you get fitter and more active

November 10, 2025

Regular exercise is important for everyone

The benefits of keeping fit and active are many. From improving your mental health and having a good quality of life, to reducing your risk of falls and chronic health conditions, like cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

We should do some physical activity every day

The NHS recommends adults aged 19 to 64 should do some physical activity every day. And should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity every week.

If you’re an adult aged 65+, and capable, you should aim to do the same level of activity.

The 150 minutes might seem like a lot. But if we break it down across the week that’s only 30 minutes, five days a week.

Moderate intensity activity could be anything from a brisk walk or bike ride to pushing a lawnmower.

If you’re an adult aged 65+, but are not capable of moderate intensity activity, you should aim to do some light activity every day.

Light activity could be anything from light housework to getting up to make a cup of tea.

But many adults aren’t doing enough

In 2025, more than half of the UK’s working population is classified as sedentary.

There are also high levels of physical inactivity in older adults. Approximately 32% of adults aged 75-84 are classed as physically inactive. And this rises to 54% of adults aged over 85.

According to the NHS, many UK adults spend around nine hours a day sitting. This might include using a computer, watching TV, reading, and travelling by car, bus or train.

Sitting for long periods is thought to slow your metabolism. And this can affect your body’s ability to regulate your blood sugar and blood pressure, and break down body fat.

Why you’re not as active as you should be

If you’re not as active as you’d like to be, that could be due to:

Your lifestyle
Health conditions
Pain, injury, or injury recovery
Low motivation, or mental health challenges
Loss of confidence, after a fall or injury.

But in the vast majority of cases, there are things you can do to be more active. You just need the right kind of exercise, the right technique and the right support.

This is where exercise therapy will help you.

What is exercise therapy?

Exercise therapy is a form of rehabilitation. It’s a structured programme of physical activity. At Hatt Clinic, this is personalised for you, your needs, and your goals.

It’s ideal if you want to get fitter and more active, but you’re out of practice or your body isn’t functioning at its best.

For example, if you’re:

Over 60
Overweight
Feeling out of shape
Lacking in confidence
Living a sedentary lifestyle
Managing an injury or health condition.

Your exercise therapy programme will be devised and supervised by an experienced rehab therapist. Your therapist will understand any limitations you might have and support you to exercise in a way that’s safe and risk-free.

How can exercise therapy help?

Exercise therapy is designed to make you more active, fitter and stronger.

And it will help you towards your personal goals, such as:

Building muscle and strength
Improving balance and stability
Better mobility and range of motion
Achieving a healthy weight and toning up
Boosting your confidence, health, and happiness.

Being more active is also associated with lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and depression.

Exercise therapy at Hatt Clinic

We offer exercise therapy at our clinics in Devizes, Frome and Marlborough.

Here’s an overview of how it works and what to expect.

Your initial exercise therapy appointment

You’ll start by booking an initial 1:1 rehab appointment with one of our expert rehab therapists. You can do this online or over the phone.

Discussing your goals and health

Your appointment will begin with a conversation.

We’ll talk about your:

Goals and what you want to achieve
Medical history and any areas of concern
Current lifestyle and activities
Confidence levels around exercise and movement.

Physical assessment

In your physical assessment, we’ll look at your current:

Balance, posture, and movement
Mobility and flexibility
Strength
Physical function.

This will help us plan your personalised exercise programme.

Your personalised exercise programme

Following your appointment, your rehab therapist will create a personalised plan that’s tailored for your specific needs, abilities and goals.

The exercises will be devised with care and will use techniques that allow you to progress safely.

The plan will include guidance on how often you should exercise at the clinic and what you can do yourself, at home.

Your exercise therapy sessions

In our exercise therapy sessions, everyone has their own programme, designed for them and their goals.

It’s a social and supportive environment, with a maximum of three people per session. This means you’ll always get the personal attention you need.

Evening and early morning sessions are available, making it easy and convenient to fit exercise therapy into your schedule.

Exercising with other people is a good way to stay on track. The social aspect makes it much easier to stick to a routine over a longer period of time. And it can be great fun.

During the sessions, your therapist will guide you through each exercise to make sure you’re using the correct technique and moving safely.

Achieving your long-term fitness goals

Exercise gets easier the longer you stick to it. The first few sessions might feel like an effort, but it will soon become part of your weekly routine, like doing the weekly shop or putting the washing in.

The more you persist, the easier it will be to move and the better you’ll feel.

Reminding yourself of this can be a big help in achieving those longer term goals you’ve set yourself.