As a professional, you probably already know just how important sternum support can be when it comes to cardiac rehab. Healing after heart surgery has a lot of moving parts, and the one thing that can help keep all those parts moving smoothly and soundly is reliable sternum support. A group of professionals decided to explore this relationship by putting sternum support under the microscope.
The Study
At Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC, an important study took place--one that might just change the lives of cardiac patients for years to come. Experts realized that readmissions after heart surgery were too often due to sternal wound dehiscence and other complications--so they started studying sternum support in high-risk patients. Individuals with large chests or a weight greater than 250 pounds were given sternum support devices and sent home for rehabilitation. The results? Out of the 19 patients involved in the study, only two were readmitted to the hospital, staying an average of three days--while the control group had four out of 19 return to the hospital for up to three months.
How Sternum Support Helps
So how did something as simple--but important--as sternum support change the game when it comes to cardiac rehabilitation? Here's a quick look, straight from the sternum support experts!
- Support. They call it "sternum support" for a reason. Patients often feel uncomfortable moving, coughing, or doing deep breathing exercises, and sternum support provides the security and comfort necessary for these tasks to be simple again.
- Compliance. Another big factor when it comes to sternum support is compliance. Patients who worry about pain or discomfort won't be quite as willing to follow your recommendations--but with a sternum support device, they will be confident in their ability to move and even cough comfortably.
- Features. Sternum support is for everyone--which means that the devices need to be for everyone, too. With a wide range of features including different sizes, handles to squeeze when coughing or moving, and adjustable parts for use over street clothes, sternum support is as easy to use as it is important.
Looking for sternum support for your patients? Contact us today!