As Juli mentioned in the previous blog post “heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States”. Most people that have mild to moderate cardiac conditions are aware that they would benefit from exercise. However, most people that have what would be considered severe cardiac conditions are hesitant to exercise due to their current condition. Here are some statistics…
- 41% of people with mild cardiac conditions exercise 1-2 times per week
- 27% of people with moderate cardiac conditions exercise 1-2 times per week
- 6% of people with severe cardiac conditions exercise 1-2 times per week
Within the last two decades, a significant amount of research has concluded that exercise in later stages of heart failure is beneficial whereas people used to refrain from exercise during this time period. It has been determined that people with stage 3 heart failure should engage in regular exercise under the supervision of a trained professional. To the surprise of the public, patients even with stage 4 heart failure (the worst stage) should still partake in regular very light exercise. Consider this, inpatient cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack will begin as soon as symptoms resolve which may be within a day or two. It is time to stop fearing exercise and recognize that our hearts require exercise just like our body requires movement and exercise.
“Our bodies are meant to move” – Dr. Caitlin Goggin, PT, DPT
One might ask… how can I exercise if I have late-stage heart failure, heart arrhythmias, heart valvular disease, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies? After all, exercise may have been the causation of a heart attack to begin with.
Here’s the thing, exercise may have triggered a heart attack, but cardiac issues often stem from years of lack of exercise, poor diet, and poor lifestyle choices. Cardiac issues obviously can arise due to aging and genetic predisposition as well. Never the less, no matter what the cause, exercise will always be one of the most important factors in prolonging life and keeping the heart as healthy as possible.
If you feel unsafe exercising, this means you should seek medical professional guidance when initiating exercise to ensure you are doing it safely. At Advanced Rehabilitation and Health Specialists, you can initiate exercise under the supervision and guidance of licensed professionals. We can monitor your vitals, properly assess the presence or absence of important cardiac symptoms, and ensure you are safe to progress to more intensive exercise or recognize that you should regress your exercise. Our goal would be to get you to a place where you can feel confident exercising on your own whether that means power walking 3 miles or simply performing slow easy movements while sitting in a chair. No matter what you are doing you will be lapping everyone laying on the couch.
Matthew Millard, SPT
Student Physical Therapist at The Ohio State University