Course overview

Chronic Diseases: Implications for Sport and Exercise

This SSISA Research Digest series, Chronic Diseases: Implications for Sport and Exercise, offers an in-depth exploration of how chronic diseases affect athletic performance, physical activity, and overall health. Participants will learn evidence-based strategies for exercise prescription, disease management, and enhancing quality of life through tailored fitness programs.

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What's included?

  • 4 Chapters
  • 1 Certification

Purpose of understanding Chronic Diseases

Fitness trainers, physiotherapists, sports scientists, healthcare professionals, and enthusiasts seeking to deepen their knowledge of chronic disease management through exercise and sport.

What's in-store?

In this series, you will learn and understand the following:
  • Understanding the physiological impact of chronic diseases on exercise capacity.
  • Exercise guidelines and adaptations for common chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and osteoarthritis.; and travel.
  • The role of exercise in prevention and long-term management of chronic diseases.

Course Lessons

Meet our SSISA Research Digest team

Warren Lucas

Research and Partnerships Manager

Warren Lucas is an Accredited Sport Scientist (SASMA), completing a PhD in Exercise Science at the University of Cape Town. His research is focused on designing patient-centred exercise interventions for youth with substance use and mental health conditions in treatment settings. His supervisors are Dr. Sharief Hendricks and Prof. Vicki Lambert (HPALS UCT).

Evan Knight

Research Consultant

Evan Knight is an Exercise Scientist with an MSc in Exercise Physiology from the Stellenbosch. University. He works as a Research Consultant at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, and his research is focused on biomarkers and the intercellular adaptation and communication following different endurance running training regimes in elite runners.

Devon Da Costa

Research consultant & Lecturer

Devon Da Costa is a Qualified Biokineticist completing a PhD in Exercise Science at the University of Cape Town. She works as a Research Consultant and Lecturer at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. Her research is focused on fuelling endurance sports performance through a variety of different dietary and supplementation strategies. She is supervised by Associate Prof Andrew Bosch (HPALS UCT).

Tim Klein

Research Consultant & Sport Scientist
im Klein is an Exercise Scientist who is currently completing an MSc in Exercise Science at the University of Cape Town. His research focuses primarily on the effects of resistance training on cycling performance. His research is supervised by Associate Prof. Mike Posthumus and Dr. Caroline D’Alton (HPALS UCT). 
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