Physical Therapy Guide to Heart Disease and Heart Failure

By: American Physical Therapy Association and edited by Anna Hilpertshauser, PT, DPT

February is American Heart Month, and the American Heart Association promotes awareness of heart disease through educational blogs, fundraisers, and promotions. Additionally, the American Physical Therapy Association offers insights into heart disease and the advantages of physical therapy interventions through their Choose PT website. https://www.choosept.com/guide/physical-therapy-guide-heart-disease-heart-failure

Heart disease and heart failure are systemic cardiovascular diseases. They can affect exercise tolerance, endurance, and quality of life. Heart diseases make it difficult for a person’s heart to keep up with their body’s daily demands.

Heart disease is widespread and resulted in 931,578 deaths in the United States in 2021, according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease and stroke claimed more lives in 2021 in the United States and globally than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined. According to the American Heart Association’s 2024 Statistics update, the estimated direct and indirect cost of heart disease, in 2019 to 2020 (average annual) was $252.2 billion in the United States. This cost includes coronary heart disease, heart failure, part of hypertensive disease, cardiac dysrhythmias, rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, pulmonary heart disease, and other or ill-defined heart diseases.

Heart failure affects an estimated 6.2 million Americans older than age 20. This number is expected to increase to affect greater than 8 million adults by 2030.

If you have heart disease or heart failure, a physical therapist can work with you to help keep it from getting worse. Physical therapists may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Physical therapy is a cost-effective way to improve your exercise capacity, strength and endurance, and overall health and well-being.

To schedule an initial evaluation with one of our physical therapists, call A Step Ahead Physical Therapy at (770) 998-6636 or request an appointment here: https://patients.betterhealthcare.co/booking/facilities/10222/appointment-type?utm_source=client&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=4345

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna joined A Step Ahead Physical Therapy in 2022 and has been a physical therapist since graduating from Mercer University with her Doctorate in physical therapy in 2021. As a PT, she enjoys working with youth athletes, but also enjoys working with the weekend warriors and golfers. She has previously worked with and treated an array of orthopedic conditions within all lifespans.