Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs help improve health in both men and women who have experienced cardiac events or have been diagnosed with lung disease or disorders.

A cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation program can help:

• Strengthen and condition your heart and lungs,

• Increase your self-confidence,

• Lay the groundwork for the development of a healthier lifestyle,

• Reduce your symptoms and chances of experiencing another cardiac event,

• Develop breathing techniques and manage shortness of breath episodes,

• Return to work and activities of daily living more quickly,

• Develop coping, and stress reduction skills, and relaxation techniques.

The primary purpose of rehabilitation is to enable people to function at the highest possible level despite physical impairment. Rehabilitation includes a vast array of interventions provided by a diverse group of providers across the entire continuum of care. While rehabilitation may be provided to all age groups, the fastest-growing population of persons requiring rehabilitation services is adults over 65 years of age.

Making good use of rehabilitation resources is facilitated by an appreciation for how disability occurs and the mechanisms by which rehabilitation is effective. This knowledge leads to an understanding of which specific rehabilitation services might best be provided, where to provide them, and who should provide them.

Sports injury rehabilitation is a safe, therapeutic approach that helps athletes effectively treat pain and achieve optimal performance with:

• Targeted exercises to help you return to pre-injury function

• Personalized exercise prescription to improve mobility restrictions

• Reduced susceptibility to further sport-related injuries

• Preparation to avoid recurring injury episodes

• Achieving peak athletic performance

Sports injury rehabilitation treats a range of conditions, including:

• Acute sports injuries

• Strains

• Sprains

• Muscle, tendon and ligament repairs

• Tendonitis

• Hand injuries

• Shoulder dislocation

• Foot or ankle dysfunction

• Surgery rehab

The sports injury rehabilitation program will benefit those with:

• Post-operative injuries

• ACL reconstruction

• Meniscus tears

• Rotator cuff repair

• Acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries

• Sprains and strains

• Tedonitis and bursitis

The goal of stroke rehabilitation is to help you relearn skills you lost when a stroke affected part of your brain. Stroke rehabilitation can help you regain independence and improve your quality of life.

The severity of stroke complications and each person's ability to recover vary widely. Researchers have found that people who participate in a focused stroke rehabilitation program perform better than most people who don't have stroke rehabilitation.

What's involved in stroke rehabilitation?

There are many approaches to stroke rehabilitation. Your rehabilitation plan will depend on the part of the body or type of ability affected by your stroke.

Physical activities might include:

• Motor-skill exercises.

  • These exercises can help improve your muscle strength and coordination. You might have therapy to strengthen your swallowing.

• Mobility training.

  • You might learn to use mobility aids, such as a walker, canes, wheelchair or ankle brace. The ankle brace can stabilize and strengthen your ankle to help support your body's weight while you relearn to walk.

• Constraint-induced therapy.

  • An unaffected limb is restrained while you practice moving the affected limb to help improve its function. This therapy is sometimes called forced-use therapy.

• Range-of-motion therapy.

  • Certain exercises and treatments can ease muscle tension (spasticity) and help you regain range of motion.

Technology-assisted physical activities might include:

• Functional electrical stimulation.

  • Electricity is applied to weakened muscles, causing them to contract. The electrical stimulation may help re-educate your muscles.

Cognitive and emotional activities might include:

• Therapy for cognitive disorders.

  • Occupational therapy and speech therapy can help you with lost cognitive abilities, such as memory, processing, problem-solving, social skills, judgment and safety awareness.

• Therapy for communication disorders.

  • Speech therapy can help you regain lost abilities in speaking, listening, writing and comprehension.

• Psychological evaluation and treatment.

  • Your emotional adjustment might be tested. You might also have counseling or participate in a support group.

When should stroke rehabilitation begin?

The sooner you begin stroke rehabilitation, the more likely you are to regain lost abilities and skills.

However, your doctors' immediate priorities are to:

• Stabilize your medical condition

• Control life-threatening conditions

• Prevent another stroke

• Limit any stroke-related complications

It's common for stroke rehabilitation to start as soon as 24 to 48 hours after your stroke, while you're in the hospital.