My Exercise Messages

My Exercise Messages is a free and easy to use app designed to support people with osteoarthritis (chronic lower limb joint pain) stick to regular exercise. It can be used with any exercise program prescribed by a health professional. Simply download the app created by physiotherapists at The University of Melbourne, allow notifications, and input your weekly exercise goal. The app will prompt you to log your exercise sessions each week so you can monitor your progress against your goal, over-time. You’ll receive tailored messages based on behaviour change theory and university-led research. These messages will help motivate you and will support you if you encounter challenges getting your weekly exercises done.

== HOW MY EXERCISE MESSAGES WORKS ==

You will tell the app how many times each week you are aiming to exercise, as well as the duration of your exercise program (up to 24 weeks). Each week (or fortnight as you progress through the program) you’ll receive a notification prompting you to record in the app how many exercise sessions you completed in the last week. You’ll also be asked if you encountered any obstacles getting your exercises done. You will then receive tailored messages designed to encourage you to continue your weekly exercises as well as messages to help you overcome any obstacles, if you encountered them. You’ll also receive extra messages throughout the week to remind and motivate you to achieve your weekly exercise goal. At any time, you can change the number of exercise sessions you are aiming to do each week (your goal) in the profile tab.

== FEATURES ==

-PROMPTS: Notifications will prompt you to record your exercise sessions each week -RECORD: The home screen allows you to record the days you exercise – either as you go, or when prompted via a notification -TRACK: The graph tab allows you to monitor and view your exercise progress over time -LEARN: Tailored messages and exercise tips will help you stick to your exercise program -READ: Benefits of exercise page under the settings tab provides information on: i) what exercise should be done for osteoarthritis? ii) what are the benefits of exercise? iii) are there any risks with exercise? iv) how long will it take to feel better with exercise? v) importance of physical activity for osteoarthritis vi) tips for increasing physical activity -REPEAT: A reset feature is available so that you can wipe the data and start the program again when you finish.

My Exercise Messages was designed by research physiotherapists at the Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine (CHESM), The University of Melbourne. Our research shows tailored messages based on behaviour change theory help people with osteoarthritis stick to their exercise program. This app was developed by the Melbourne eResearch Group within the School of Computing and Information Systems at The University of Melbourne.

Follow CHESM on: Website: https://healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au/departments/physiotherapy/chesm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CHESMunimelb Twitter: https://twitter.com/CHESM_unimelb LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chesm

Please visit https://healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au/departments/physiotherapy/chesm/contact-us to contact us if you are experiencing any technical issues.

== APP DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE ==

The app is not intended to replace personal consultation, diagnosis and treatment with a qualified health care professional. You should always obtain professional or medical advice, appropriate to your own circumstances, with any questions you may have regarding a health or medical condition. Never disregard, avoid or delay obtaining advice from your doctor or other qualified health provider due to something you read on the app. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor immediately or seek emergency help.