Physical Therapist helping a PatientIf you or a loved one has experienced a cardiac event, like a heart attack or stroke, or undergone cardiac surgery, chances are your doctor will recommend pursuing rehabilitation and therapy after discharge from a hospital or medical center. Therapy and rehabilitation services can be highly beneficial after you’ve experienced a cardiac event because they may help to prevent another one from occurring.

Although it can be tempting to push yourself and try and resume normal activities after a cardiac event or surgery, there are a few reasons why going to a dedicated health and rehab center like A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab is preferred.

First, it can be difficult to know the limits of your heart after a medical event. For example, even climbing up a few stairs in your home could leave you feeling winded. Medical and rehabilitation experts at a rehab facility are familiar with patients who have heart-related concerns and can recommend a therapy program that ensures you exercise at an appropriate level.

Second, should you experience symptoms that require medical attention – such as chest pain, extreme shortness of breath, or nausea, there are medical experts on-hand to provide help.

What Types of Exercise Might I Perform at a Rehab Center?

At our rehabilitation facility, there are a number of exercise machines and equipment available to help seniors recover and strengthen the heart. We also have in-house therapists who will tailor programs to individual patients. While each person’s exercise program will vary, many programs begin with some type of low-impact cardiovascular exercise. Examples might be:

  • Walking on a treadmill
  • Using an elliptical machine
  • Riding a stationary bicycle
  • Participating in other low-impact exercises such as walking and step-ups

In addition to these cardiovascular exercises, it’s also a good idea to incorporate stretching and strengthening exercises. These can help build muscle, and an added benefit is that your body will burn fat more efficiently. Examples might include lifting free weights, using stretchy exercise bands and/or using weight machines to build muscle. Our experienced therapists at A.G. Rhodes will work with each patient to determine the specific strengthening exercises that will be most beneficial.

Who Should Seek Therapy for a Healthy Heart?

Virtually anyone can benefit from physical therapy exercises to strengthen your heart and body overall, and the seniors who come to A.G. Rhodes for therapy and rehabilitation services usually do so because they have experienced a heart attacks and/or stroke, or they have undergone cardiac surgery, such as bypass, stent placement or valve replacement.

We encourage seniors who are looking to recover from a cardiac event or surgery to contact us. We would be happy to work with you and your medical team to determine what course of action will  help you live a longer, healthier life.

For more information on our therapy and rehabilitation services, call A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab at (877) 918-6413.