I thought I’d change it up a bit this week. This past academic year, I have been involved in a research project at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, which is examining the effectiveness of current rehabilitation programs for stroke survivors. Now I usually like to write about sports and athletics at Vic and U of T, but I figured that since my project is drawing to a close with the end of the academic year, I thought I would convey to you readers the importance of this specific research field. At the Toronto Rehab institute, I work with patients who have had a stroke and are dealing with multiple physical and cognitive deficits that preclude them from living the kind of life they are usually used to. Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in Canada, and it’s estimated that approximately 300 000 Canadians are currently living with the effects of stroke. So basically, it’s one of the most impactful diseases burdening the health care system today. Traditionally, rehab was used to restore basic function in patients so that they could perform self-tasks and daily functions. However, there has been a lot of interest recently in the idea that exercise might be able to improve the long-term outcome for stroke patients by restoring physical and cognitive function and by reducing their risk of developing other co-morbid and fatal diseases that often arise because of stroke.
And that’s exactly what I do at the Toronto Rehab Clinic, I meet with patients and help them through a prescribed workout program. Part of my project has been to examine if whether exercise actually confers some benefit to their recovery. I’m happy to say that it does – patients over the course of 6-months are improving their ability to exercise, which in turn improves their quality of life and their ability to perform activities of daily living. Now, if you ever see me and want to ask more questions about this study, please do so, as I love to chat about the great things that can be done to help stroke survivors.
But the real reason I am bringing this up (beyond the fact that I think research and science is awesome) is because part of the reason that exercise has been recommended as an intervention for these patients is due to the fact that daily physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and neurological decline that comes with increasing age. I think it’s important for every individual to really think about how he or she can include some form of physical activity in their lives and how they can encourage others to do so as well. Student’s go through a lot while at university, and unfortunately, we fall into some maladaptive routines that, while not a huge factor in the 20s, can really influence our health in our “old” age. I think about this all the time and I’ve tried to make a conscious effort to improve my health, and to encourage my friends and family to try and engage in some physical activity. Besides the fact that exercise makes you feel great, helps to build confidence, and gives you personal challenges that add some thrill to life, exercise keeps you healthy.
So get out there and enjoy the great weather coming up and get your sweat on, trust me, it’s good for you!
Guest Bloggers
Nastassia
Sagar
Dora
Brandon
