Only one in 3 patients, following a heart attack or cardiac surgery, follows a cardiovascular rehabilitation program. Yet an ad hoc program reduces mortality and the risk of a new hospitalization by 30%. To take stock of the rehabilitation cardiology of tomorrow, with analyzes, proposals and suggestions, will be the experts of Gemelli Molise in the sixth appointment of cycle ‘Insieme in Salute’, scheduled for Tuesday 13 April at 4.30 pm. The meeting ‘Together in Shape – Physiotherapy of the heart’ will be broadcast in live streaming on the website and on the Facebook page of Gemelli Molise. Everyone will be able to participate and interact with the speakers, asking questions and comments via social media.
“Thanks to cardiological rehabilitation, aimed at the clinical, functional and psychological recovery of patients who have had a non-lethal cardiological event, we can reduce the symptoms related to the disease, improve functional capacity and reduce the risk of new cardiovascular events – says Massimo Massetti, Director of the Cardiovascular Sciences Department Gemelli Molise – It is therefore particularly suitable for all those patients affected by myocardial infarction, heart failure, or with functional disorders after cardio-surgery “, adds the specialist who will speak at the virtual appointment with Celeste Condorelli , managing director of Gemelli Molise; Alessia Rabini, specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation of the center; Giovanni Barassi, physiotherapist, head of Cefirr Gemelli Molise; Antonio Colombo, Sitra contact person; Donatella Perrella, president of the Molise Paralympic Regional Committee.
The goal of ‘heart physiotherapy’ is not only to do exercises adapted to maintain good cardiovascular function, experts point out, but follow the patient 360 degrees after the event: rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary path through which to thoroughly evaluate the characteristics to set the right secondary prevention and provide psychological support. Rehabilitation cardiology is in fact also a means of following the patient after a cardiovascular problem, so as to reduce the risk of recurrence.
A rehabilitation program – remember a note – can restore full functionality to injured or diseased parts of the body, working on the musculoskeletal system and can help at any age. “It can therefore be indicated for children, adolescents, adults and the elderly – emphasizes Rabini – as it improves the quality of life. Physiotherapy is prescribed to reduce pain and increase the ability to move. An effective path depends above all on teamwork with several professionals involved “.
Doing physical activity regularly helps the heart to work better and harder and to keep the body’s state of well-being high, experts still recommend. But physical exercise must be performed correctly, otherwise it can lead to pathologies of the musculoskeletal system or the cardiovascular system. The concept of physical activity is very broad, including all forms of movement carried out in the various areas of life. According to the World Health Organization, physical activity means “any movement determined by the musculoskeletal system that results in an expenditure of energy greater than that of resting conditions”. This definition therefore includes not only sports activities, but also simple movements such as walking, cycling, dancing, playing, gardening and housework.
“We must increase this type of activity, access rehabilitation and provide information on the health potential it offers – concludes the CEO Condorelli, creator of the ‘Together in Health’ initiative – This is the reason for this meeting: a back pain that does not it makes us sleep, a frequent headache, or the after-effects of an injury. Faced with physical problems it is as if the whole world were blocked. Our life stops in its simplest gestures. However, if we rely on right hands, we can put our life and that of those around us in motion “.