Although patients with chronic illnesses typically refrain from exercise, many of them could benefit significantly from mild, long-term exercise therapy. While factors such as pain or weakness often discourage the chronically ill person from being physically active, lack of motivation and lack of knowledge are the primary obstacles. An effective way of overcoming these obstacles is to provide an individualized exercise regimen that both motivates and instructs. Patients who receive an exercise prescription enjoy this individualized approach, tend to exercise safely and quickly become aware of the benefits of exercise therapy as an adjuvant to their medical treatment.