PE trauma puts Brits off exercise for life Millions of Brits will not exercise following their "traumatising" Physical Education (PE) lessons. 22 April 2026 Physical Education (PE) has put millions of Brits put off exercise for life. A man doing exercise at a gym A new study has found nearly a third of middle-aged adults still feel "traumatised" by PE, with many carrying negative memories decades later. The poll of 2,385 people aged 50 to 65 revealed 29 per cent remain haunted by their school experiences, while 28 per cent say it has stopped them taking part in sport altogether.