Physical Therapy and Heart Health

When it comes to heart health, most people think about things like eating right, avoiding smoking, and exercising regularly. What most people don't think about is calling their physical therapist.

Three out of four adults aren't exercising regularly. For those folks, a PT may be just the person they need. It's not uncommon to get injured, then never get back to the old routine. A PT can help with the old injury and design a plan to safely return to regular activity.

It's also not uncommon for people to try to be more active on their own, only to stir up pain somewhere - like their back, hip, or shoulder. A PT can help with that too. They'll figure out the cause of the pain, help correct it, and implement a plan to help that person reach their goals.

Physical therapists can also help to safely increase activity levels after a major medical issue like a heart attack, stroke, or even cancer. Recent research has shown improvements in cardiovascular fitness, fatigue levels and even pain in cancer patients who participate in a personalized physical fitness plan from a PT.

Whatever barriers to physical activity exist, a PT can likely help overcome them. As movement experts, physical therapists are trained to deal with a variety of conditions. They can help you work around whatever issues you have so you can safely elevate your heart rate and keep cardiovascular disease away.