Exercise with Chronic Health Issues
A chronic health issue is a long-term health condition that may not have a cure. Examples are asthma patients, stroke survivors, chronic back pain, (rheumatic) arthritis, COPD, asthma, cardiac disease (also congenital), diabetes mellitus, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson.
If you have a chronic disease regular physical exercise has proven to improve your quality of life and reduce the risk of developing new issues (like heart disease or diabetic). For many chronic health issues, physical activity provides therapeutic benefits and should be part of the recommended treatment.
The benefits of regular physical activity include improved cardiovascular, cardiorespiratory and muscle fitness, improved brain health and better ability to do tasks of daily life. You will add life to your years.
However, most people with chronic health conditions are afraid to exercise. They are afraid they simply cannot do any exercise, or that exercise will worsen their chronic health condition.
The physical activity guidelines affirm that persons with chronic conditions should be physical active on a regular basis. In consultation with their physician and a physical activity specialist they should understand how their disease / condition / issue of disability affects their ability to do physical activity.
Always adopt your physical activity program to your abilities and progress at your pace.
To be healthy doesn’t mean to be free of disease. It means you can function, do what you want to do, and to become what you want to become.
Rafana works with a qualified multidisciplinary, multilingual and multicultural team dedicated to guide the elderly clients with their exercise to improve their health and most important their quality of life.