When I was in high school, I developed a keen interest in the sciences as a path to understand how we interact with our environment and how our environment shapes us. Linked with my interests in sports and exercise, this scientific curiosity still drives me in my profession as an exercise physiologist.
I love understanding how the human body deals with, and uses, exercise-related stress to adapt and become more effective. I feel this knowledge will not only improve rehabilitative process but also keep our society healthy and happier for many years.
My ultimate goal would be to ensure that exercise is achievable and sustainable for everyone. Whether you are an athlete, healthy, injured, or have chronic disease/s there is an activity for everyone that can be done safely and effectively to improve physical and emotional wellbeing. The creation of accessible evidence-based exercise recommendations for all populations is of high importance.
Dr Nattai Borges has been an Exercise and Sport Science Australia (ESSA) Accredited Exercise Physiologist since 2010 and a level 2 Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) since 2009. Dr Borges has a decade of experience working in return to work musculoskeletal rehabilitation programs as well as a strength and conditioning coast in both private clinics and for established sporting institutions. Dr Borges is Lecturer of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of Newcastle, Australia and plays a pivotal role teaching into exercise physiology and rehabilitation courses. Dr Borges runs multi-disciplinary research focused on understanding how exercise can keep us healthier for longer.
I am determined to continue engaging with local, national and international communities to produce applied and impactful research. My research will help increase awareness of accessible activities and the benefits of exercise to all populations to improve physical capacity as well as provide prevention and rehabilitation frameworks.
Specifically, I am looking to take the lessons I have learnt from exercise and sport science and continue to apply them in other areas such as successful ageing and occupational injury management. This research will look to investigate how long-term exercise adherence can mitigate age-related changes to the human body and the role of micro-technology in understanding the demands of highly physical occupational roles to improve the occupational injury management of “industrial athletes”.
