Heart disease can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and life expectancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One in every four deaths in this country is due to heart disease. Heart disease includes several types of heart conditions, with the most common being coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attacks. The good news is that there are ways to reduce your risk for heart disease. These include eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and regular exercise. Your physical therapist can play an important role in improving your heart health and general mobility.
You can work together with a physical therapist to develop an exercise program to safely improve your cardiovascular endurance. Physical therapists can also monitor your heart rate and blood pressure before, during, and after exercise to make sure your heart is responding appropriately to activity. Your physical therapists can contact and work together with your cardiologist and medical team to coordinate your care and ensure a safe and healthy progression of exercise.
Many people have good intentions of exercising more, but they may find themselves with new injuries or stirring up old injuries as they return to the gym. This can be discouraging and become a barrier for people wanting to lead healthier lifestyles. Physical therapists are uniquely trained to adapt health care recommendations to community environments where people live, work, and play. This includes providing counseling for safely performing fitness activities, taking into consideration an individual’s specific past medical history, past or existing injuries, and goals.
If you find yourself with an injury that is limiting your mobility, daily function, and fitness activities, you will likely benefit from physical therapy. Physical therapists treat a variety of regions, including, but not limited, to the spine, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, ankles, and feet. Balance and gait problems can also be improved with therapy. New Jersey residents have direct access to physical therapy, which means you can be evaluated by a physical therapist without a physician’s prescription. Don’t let your injuries prevent you from leading a healthy life. If you would like more information about physical therapy or how physical therapy can help improve your heart health, call Profysio Physical Therapy for a free one on-one consultation.
By Dr. Cherri Tsang
Staff Physical Therapist at ProFysio Physical Therapy.
