Transplant Doctors Encourage Physical Activity
 

Regular physical activity is necessary for transplant patients to become as healthy and physically fit as possible. Many studies have shown that exercising as soon as a few weeks after transplant surgery can improve cardiopulmonary function, as well as counteract some of the side effects of the immunosuppressive medications.  Physical activity has also been shown to improve a patient’s overall quality of life and long-term outcome.

After transplant surgery, patients are encouraged to get physically active as soon as they are able to get out of bed.

“All of us start with small steps, walking around the hospital corridors with I.V. poles dragging behind us,” recalls Debbie. “For me, this was an amazing feeling:  before my transplant I barely had the strength to walk; three days after receiving my new liver, I was outrunning everyone in my path!”

Generally, exercise programs for transplant patients are the same as for other patients who have undergone major surgery. However, transplant patients must always be aware of their suppressed immune system, taking extra precautions to protect themselves whenever possible.

Exercise Tips for Organ Transplant Patients
 

• Always check with your transplant team before returning or starting any sports or physical fitness program.

• Start slowly and increase your activity gradually. Start at 10 minutes per day, with a goal of 30 or more minutes per workout, 3 – 5 days per week.

• Try resistance or weight training to regain muscle function and strength. Start with simple exercises like climbing stairs or doing push-ups against the wall.

• Engage in aerobic exercises like walking, swimming, or hiking to help control weight gain, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

• Use sunscreen, a hat and protective clothing when exercising outside.  (A patient’s anti-rejection drugs can cause sun sensitivity and an increased risk of skin cancer.)

• When working out at a health club, clean the gym equipment with disinfectant wipes before using them.  (The viruses and bacteria on those surfaces can live for two hours or longer. The flu virus can last up to eight hours!)

• Wear flip flops in the health club showers and locker rooms to protect your feet from any contagious fungi, viruses and bacteria.

• Bring your own yoga mat to class instead of sharing the communal mats to guard against the germs left by the previous person. Wipe down your yoga mat with disinfectant wipes after each workout.  Bring your own towel to lay over the yoga blankets used during poses.

• Check with your doctors before swimming.  Using chlorinated pools is usually permitted after a patient’s surgical incision has healed.

• Listen to your body. Stop exercising and contact your physician immediately if you experience chest pain, labored breathing or extreme fatigue.

“It’s not about me.  It’s about giving back to the community,” says Healing Moves Foundation member Justin Nielsen.  “I want to help people be the best they can be.”

Justin has always been passionate about the power of exercise. After suffering from a sports injury which hurt his spine, he devoted much of his time learning about healing the body. He became a personal trainer, helping his clients achieve their fitness goals.

In 2002,  a car accident re-injured Justin’s spine causing him to seek pain relief from doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors and other health specialists.

Justin finally found relief and healing when he looked within his own body, mind and spirit.  He lived with a monk  and trained six times a week, 4 – 6 hours a day in the healing art of Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Sword and Still Meditation.

Justin also became involved in the Native American Ceremonies participating in sweat lodges, doing a yearly vision quest and dancing in the Spirit Dance.

“Internally I was building my energy to improve the quality of my life, healing my body from the inside out.  I started practicing QiGong and Still Meditation on a regular basis and knew this was what I was searching for.”

The Healing Moves Foundation is honored to have Justin on our team!  He is a wonderful, compassionate person and a GREAT instructor and trainer!  Justin is the owner of Four Directions Healing Arts.  He gives private sessions and group workshops on Qi Gong, Still Meditation and Personal Training.   Check out his class schedule and his blog at Four Directions Healing Arts.

Click on image to read the Proclamation

Governor Brian Sandoval and the State of Nevada have teamed up with the Healing Moves Foundation and the American College of Sports Medicine to celebrate May 2012 as Exercise is Medicine™ Month. Governor Sandoval signed the proclamation calling on health care organizations, physicians, and other professionals, regardless of specialty, to access, to advocate for, and to review every patient’s physical activity program during each comprehensive visit.

We are currently facing an “inactivity epidemic”.  The Exercise is Medicine™ initiative is committed to the belief that exercise and physical activity are integral to the prevention and treatment of chronic disease and should be regularly assessed as part of medical care.

Lisa has always had a passion to help others live a full and productive life, focusing on the healing power of movement.  Lisa has been a licensed physical therapist since 1981, working with clients at all stages of life, in a variety of rehabilitation settings.

She has also been a pediatric physical therapist at NEIS with 22 years of experience working with children with special needs. As a certified practitioner of Yoga for the Special Child she received training directly from Sonia Sumar, a world-renowned yoga instructor and creator of Yoga for the Special Child. This program is an integrated system of yoga poses designed to increase motor skills, strength, balance, and coordination in typically-developing children and children with a diagnosis. Yoga stimulates all the areas necessary for a child’s development. Yoga for the Special Child™ is designed specifically to benefit children with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Attention Deficit Disorder, Learning Disabilities and other developmental delays.

Lisa also teaches a gentle flow yoga class and an introductory level yoga class for those people with special health concerns such as injuries, arthritis, joint replacements, difficulty getting to the floor or re-entering an exercise program. The entire class can be done in a chair.

Lisa teaches at The Yoga Center in Reno, Nevada
Gentle Flow Yoga – Mondays:  11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Yoga for Every Body – Mondays:  1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Yoga for the Special Child – by appointment
Contact Lisa:  lisaeb3@sbcglobal.net

Rare diseases are life-threatening or chronically debilitating illnesses. Due to the low prevalence of each disease, medical experts are rare, knowledge is scarce, care offering inadequate, and research is limited. Very few cures exist. While the diseases are rare, collectively they affect more than 60 million people in the U.S. and Europe alone. Despite their great overall number, rare disease patients are the orphans of health systems which are often denied diagnosis, treatment and the benefits of research.

The cooperative efforts will help patients in areas such as:

• Access to correct diagnosis (Genetic testing, newborn screening)
• Increase availability of information (Coding and classification, telemedicine)
• Improve scientific knowledge (Registries and databases, international research platforms, multi-centered clinical research, development of drugs and diagnostic tests, training of professionals)
• Mitigate social consequences (Specialized social services that would improve the quality of life of people living with a rare disease and their families, such as Help Lines, Respite Care Services and Therapeutic Recreation Programs)
• Increase provision of appropriate quality healthcare (International reference networks of centers of expertise, multidisciplinary care)
• Improve access to the few existing drugs and care (Pricing and reimbursement, healthcare reform)
• Eliminate isolation (Patients and families support and empowerment, networking and community building)

In a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius, the Coalition was able to obtain bipartisan support from Congress urging her to begin the process of reviewing and renewing the federal physical activity guidelines issued in 2008.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans include recommendations of the types and amounts of physical activity that people of any age or ability level should perform to gain important health benefits.  Because of the rapidly evolving nature of our scientific understanding of the benefits of exercise, we believe the guidelines must be reviewed at least every five years, as are federal dietary guidelines.

Governor Brian Sandoval and the State of Nevada have joined the Healing Moves Foundation to celebrate Exercise is Medicine™ Month.  The Governor’s Proclamation is a Call to Action encouraging primary care physicians and other health care providers to include exercise when designing treatment plans for patients.  Regular physical activity is indeed a powerful prescription, with great potential to improve the health of all Americans.

Click on image to see Proclamation

Cancer survivors, better work up a sweat.

New guidelines are urging survivors to exercise more, even — hard as it may sound — those who haven’t yet finished their treatment.

There’s growing evidence that physical activity improves quality of life and eases some cancer-related fatigue. More, it can help fend off a serious decline in physical function that can last long after therapy is finished.

Consider: In one year, women who needed chemotherapy for their breast cancer can see a swapping of muscle for fat that’s equivalent to 10 years of normal aging, says Dr. Wendy Demark-Wahnefried of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In other words, a 45-year-old may find herself with the fatter, weaker body type of a 55-year-old.Scientists have long advised that being overweight and sedentary increases the risk for various cancers. Among the nation’s nearly 12 million cancer survivors, there are hints — although not yet proof — that people who are more active may lower risk of a recurrence. And like everyone who ages, the longer cancer survivors live, the higher their risk for heart disease that exercise definitely fights.

The American College of Sports Medicine convened a panel of cancer and exercise specialists to evaluate the evidence. Guidelines issued this month advise cancer survivors to aim for the same amount of exercise as recommended for the average person: about 2 1/2 hours a week.

Patients still in treatment may not feel up to that much, the guidelines acknowledge, but should avoid inactivity on their good days.

“You don’t have to be Lance Armstrong,” stresses Dr. Julia Rowland of the National Cancer Institute, speaking from a survivorship meeting this month that highlighted exercise research. “Walk the dog, play a little golf.”

But how much exercise is needed? And what kind? Innovative new studies are under way to start answering those questions, including:

Oregon Health and Science University is training prostate cancer survivors to exercise with their wives. The study will enroll 66 couples, comparing those given twice-a-week muscle-strengthening exercises with pairs who don’t get active.

Researchers think exercising together may help both partners stick with it. They’re also testing if the shared activity improves both physical functioning and eases the strain that cancer puts on the caregiver and the marriage.

“It has the potential to have not just physical benefits but emotional benefits, too,” says lead researcher Dr. Kerri Winters-Stone.

Demark-Wahnefried led a recent study of 641 overweight breast cancer survivors that found at-home exercises with some muscle-strengthening, plus a better diet, could slow physical decline.

Duke University is recruiting 160 lung cancer patients to test if three-times-a-week aerobic exercise, strength training or both could improve their fitness after surgery. Lung cancer has long been thought beyond the reach of exercise benefits because it’s so often diagnosed at late stages. But Duke’s Dr. Lee Jones notes that thousands who are caught in time to remove the lung tumor do survive about five years, and he suspects that fitness — measured by how well their bodies use oxygen — plays a role.

People with cancer usually get less active as symptoms or treatments make them feel lousy. Plus, certain therapies can weaken muscles, bones, even the heart. Not that long ago, doctors advised taking it easy.

Not anymore: Be as active as you’re able, says Dr. Kathryn Schmitz of the University of Pennsylvania, lead author of the new guidelines.

“Absolutely it’s as simple as getting up off the couch and walking,” she says. Exercise programs are beginning to target cancer survivors, like Livestrong at the YMCA, a partnership with cycling great and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong’s foundation. The American College of Sports Medicine now certifies fitness trainers who specialize in cancer survivors. But anyone starting more vigorous activity for the first time or who has particular risks — like the painful arm swelling called lymphedema that some breast cancer survivors experience — may need more specialized exercise advice, Schmitz says. They should discuss physical therapy with their oncologist, she advises. For example, Schmitz led a major study that found careful weight training can protect against lymphedema, reversing years of advice to coddle the at-risk arm. But the average fitness trainer doesn’t know how to safely offer that special training, she cautions. Mary Lou Galantino of Wilmington, Del., is a physical therapist who specializes in cancer care — and kept exercising when her own breast cancer was diagnosed at Penn in 2003. Then 42, she says she was on the treadmill within 24 hours of each chemo session, to stay fit enough to care for her two preschoolers. “You can feel more energy” with the right exercise, says Galantino, a physical therapy professor at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. “I was giving my body up to the surgeons and chemo, but I could take my body back through yoga and aerobic exercise.” 

Editor’s Note – Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for The Associated Press in Washington.

Written By LAURAN NEERGAARD
Washington (AP)  June 28, 2010

The Healing Moves Foundation will be offering special classes for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  Look for the upcoming training class for fitness professionals, nurses, and physical therapists in Reno, Nevada on October 9 – 10. 
Pink Ribbon Program

About the Author:  Carol Krucoff, E-RYT is an award-winning journalist and fitness expert. She is the founding editor of the Health Section of The Washington Post, where her nationally syndicated column, Bodyworks, appeared for twelve years. Carol is the co-author of the book “Healing Moves.”  A frequent contributor to Yoga Journal, she has written for numerous national publications, including The New York Times, Prevention, and Reader’s Digest, and is creator of the home practice CD, Healing Moves Yoga.  Carol is a yoga therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.

Healing Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain is now available from New Harbinger Publishers.  For more information, log on to www.healingmoves.com.

The Healing Moves Foundation attended a news conference and official launch of the PPE Campaign and Coalition for Youth Sports Health and Safety at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on May 13, 2010.  The purpose of the campaign is to encourage consistent, thorough and high-quality preparticipation physical evaluations for athletes beginning training and competition in sports activities.  These medical screenings are extremely important to protect our young athletes.  People who appear healthy can often have undetected conditions such as heart problems, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, or concussion complications.  A new study by the American College of Sports Medicine finds overwhelming support for consistent medical screening of young athletes to identify if any of these conditions are present before they hit the playing field.  Currently, there are no national standards when evaluating students.  Each state has a different mandate on the requirements for the PPE.

Athletes, Physicians Urge Adoption of New Medical Screening Tool

Source: American College of Sports Medicine
May 13, 2010

Many more young athletes would be screened for life-threatening or disabling medical problems, if experts who spoke out today prevail. While announcing the updated Preparticipation Physical Evaluation (PPE), proponents urged its widespread adoption and systematic use. Representatives of the six medical societies who developed the new PPE tools teamed up with athletes and other advocates to underscore its potential to keep young athletes healthy.

“The PPE is an essential part of a responsible athletic program,” said former Congressman Jim Ryun, an Olympic medalist and multi-world record holder in track. “These screenings, if done timely and done right, can help prevent the kinds of injuries that can end a career or even a life.”

David Bernhardt, M.D., and William Roberts, M.D., served as co-editors of the newly revised “Preparticipation Physical Evaluation, 4th Edition” (www.ppesportsevaluation.org). “Done properly, these evaluations can detect conditions such as heart problems,” Bernhardt said. “In addition, screening and education can possibly prevent complications related to conditions such as diabetes, sickle cell trait, or concussion. That information can allow youngsters to safely practice or play sports.”

Roberts noted that the new version of PPE reflects the latest medical and scientific knowledge and includes information on ethical and legal considerations and on evaluating athletes with special needs. “While the PPE does screen for potentially catastrophic conditions, we also try to catch conditions that can predispose an athlete to injury or illness,” Roberts said. “And, for some adolescents, these evaluations are their entry into and only contact with the health care system. Doing these screenings across the board — and doing them well — is of the utmost importance.”

The public agrees

There’s no argument from the American people about that, according to a new study by the American College of Sports Medicine. Ninety-six percent of Americans feel it’s important for young athletes to be evaluated by a qualified health care professional before they begin playing sports. A similar majority — 95 percent — believe such screenings must be conducted in a consistent manner across the U.S. (Kelton Research online survey representative of the U.S. population, +/- 3.1 percent margin of error.)

The PPE Coalition

Improving the quality and consistency of pre-competition medical evaluations of U.S. student-athletes is the focus of the newly launched PPE Campaign and Coalition for Youth Sports Health and Safety. Members include medical organizations, sports governing bodies and other groups. At the PPE launch event, they called for widespread adoption of the updated PPE tool. “Requirements for preparticipation evaluations vary widely from state to state,” said James R. Whitehead, CEO of the American College of Sports Medicine. “Inconsistent effort gets inconsistent results, and too many problems are slipping through the cracks. Every young athlete deserves a thorough screening by a qualified medical professional. [The PPE Coalition] is determined to see that everyone can play or practice safely.”

Background

The Preparticipation Physical Evaluation, 4th Edition, is a collaboration of six leading medical societies:

The PPE is the definitive guide for physicians and other health professionals who evaluate athletes before training or competition — an essential tool for promoting the health and safety of athletes. The PPE provides the medical background for decisions by the individual athlete’s physician or the team physician.

The PPE marks important progress in the movement to ensure the health and safety of youth athletes. Other issues include:

The PPE Coalition for Youth Sports Health and Safety is anchored in promoting the consistent use of high-quality preparticipation evaluations for youth athletes. Activities include:

• Website (www.ppesportsevaluation.org)
• Speakers Bureau — Beginning with representatives of the writing team and expanding to offer qualified speakers where needed to build awareness of the importance of the PPE
• Working with policy makers in legislative and administrative bodies
• Building momentum and support for April as National Youth Sports Safety Month (www.nyssf.org/campaign.html)

SOURCE:  American College of Sports Medicine

Founding Partners of the PPE Coalition for Youth Sports Health and Safety:

• American Academy of Family Physicians*
• American Academy of Pediatrics*
• American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine
• American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance
• American Amateur Baseball Congress
• American.Association of Cheerleading Coaches & Administrators
• American College of Sports Medicine*
• American Medical Society for Sports Medicine*
• American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine*
• American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine*
• Association for Applied Sport Psychology
• Building Healthier America
• Healing Moves Foundation
• International Society for Sport Psychiatry
• MomsTeam
• National Athletic Trainers’ Association
• National Center for Drug Free Sport, Inc.
• National Council for Spirit Safety Education
• National Council of Youth Sports
• National Ski Areas Association
• Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.
• President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
• Road Runners Club of America
• Sanford USD Medical Center
• United States Anti-Doping Agency
• Women’s Sports Foundation