- Internal cues (identified and integrated regulations)
- These are personal or bodily signals that remind someone of the need to be active:
- Feeling stressed, or noticing weight gain
- Experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath or elevated blood pressure
- Emotional discomfort or low mood prompting movement for relief
- Reflection on past energy or wellbeing as part of one’s identity when active
- physios seem to only focus on this but it is also important to take note of other cues such as external or situational
- how can we effectively assess social determinants of health in physiotherapy to better understand the external cues...
- These are personal or bodily signals that remind someone of the need to be active:
- External cues (external and introjected regulations)
- These are environmental or social prompts that encourage action:
- Healthcare advice: A doctor, physiotherapist, or psychologist recommending exercise
- Social influence: Friends, family, or peers engaging in or encouraging activity
- Media campaigns: Public health messages promoting exercise for physical and mental wellbeing
- Technology reminders: Fitness trackers, apps, or phone notifications encouraging daily movement
- Organizational prompts: Workplace wellness programs, school-based physical activity initiatives, or community events like park runs
- These are environmental or social prompts that encourage action:
- Situational cues
- Changes in environment or life events (e.g., post-pandemic health concerns, new diagnoses, or joining a social club)
- Scheduled follow-ups or progress reviews (e.g., physiotherapy sessions)
In practice, effective cues to action often combine personal relevance (internal) with environmental support (external). For example, a physiotherapist’s encouragement (external cue) coupled with a patient’s awareness of improved function after exercise (internal cue) can strengthen motivation to stay active