The human body is a truly amazing machine. Against all odds, our bones, muscles, and organs work together to keep us alive, functioning in ways that we still don't fully understand. Consider, for just a moment, all of the events taking place within any of us right now. The heart is beating. The lungs are working to breathe. The brain is computing thousands of thoughts, sensations, and messages every second. The body is completely responsible for these functions, ensuring that they take place and that they succeed--and it's a good thing, too, because no one really knows how to voluntarily beat their own heart or control messages sent by the brain. When it comes right down to it, we do very little to take care of our bodies considering how much they do for us. However, there are some occasions when the body demands more care, like after cardiac surgery--and on those occasions, rehabilitation is the answer.
Cardiac Rehab
Rehabilitation is to your body what a vacation is to you: it's a way to relax, recharge, and heal. Although rehabilitation takes many forms, cardiac rehabilitation is among the most crucial. Cardiac Rehab is a program designed by your healthcare team and overseen by professionals in a variety of fields, tailored to unique needs and goals in order to improve your recovery experience. The objective of this program is to help recovery, maintain overall health, and greatly reduce the risk for future heart problems after surgery. Cardiac Rehab takes place at the hospital, in training facilities, and even at home, providing every individual with the tools and knowledge necessary to maintain health and safety. May Cardiac Rehab programs also utilize respiratory splints to keep patients comfortable throughout the rehabilitation process.
A Closer Look
So, what makes up a Cardiac Rehab program? Here's a quick look!
- Inpatient. The first steps of Cardiac Rehab begin when you're an inpatient at the hospital. Within two days of your arrival, your doctor and healthcare team will work with you to establish goals for light exercise.
- Outpatient. A week or two after you've left the hospital, the second stage of your Cardiac Rehab can begin: joining a supervised rehab program. Professionals will work with you to once again establish unique goals; the exercises will start out light and gradually increase in difficulty as you grow stronger. Your vital signs will likely be monitored throughout the program to help maintain safety.
- At home. Your Cardiac Rehab program may come to an end, but that doesn't mean the benefits have to. It's important to apply what you've learned by adding exercise to your schedule, cutting out junk-food, losing excess weight, and generally improving your lifestyle.
Interested in more details on successful Cardiac Rehab? Contact us today!