Seems to be something on the order of nothing. It only exists because government funding of education allows universities to offer useless degree programs that they could never afford to offer if they had to rely on tuition funding alone. How has anyone's life improved as a result of what goes on in exercise physiology? My guess is it hasn't at all.
I think it has finally ended that heel-strike debate . . .
I'm the white rabbit.
Having taken some exercise physiology classes in undergrad, I also found myself searching for more meaning than simply fascination with my own personal biomechanics and performance.
I did find some other value: rehabilitation, particularly cardiac rehabilitation, the programs and parameters of which rely heavily on research derived from exercise physiology.
Exercise as a rehabilitative activity is left to the exercise physiologists--doctors, nurses, PT, and OT don't have the required knowledge, and work in other areas.
I believe this role to be very valuable--at least it's something.
What has "track and field" contributed to society?
Spectacle.
runningart
