This is a term used to define a condition that results from decreased physical activity. Any medical or surgical condition that results in decreased physical activity can cause this. Deconditioning is commonly seen after prolonged hospitalization due to complex medical or surgical issues. The Severity of deconditioning depends on lots of factors such as the age of the patient, time duration of decreased physical activity, and premorbid physical capacity.
The deconditioning rehabilitation services are facilitated by us in a manner favorable to the patients. As opposed to traditional physiotherapy clinic in Chennai, recovery from a long period of inactivity is made easier through deconditioning treatment and deconditioning exercises in our center through inter-disciplinary approach.
SYMPTOMS AND MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS
Symptoms and medical issues that are commonly encountered are
- Muscle weakness of the arms and legs
- Poor endurance
- Tiredness and easy fatiguability
- Poor breathing capacity if the respiratory muscles become weak
- Swallow dysfunction if the swallow muscles become weak
- Speech impairment if there is a damage to the structures or weakness of muscles involved in speech
- Bowel or bladder incontinence if the muscles that control these functions are weak
- Difficulty in walking or performing daily activities when these symptoms are severe, leading to poor quality of life
Our comprehensive, interdisciplinary team approach (i.e. care being provided by various disciplines in a coordinated fashion) with Physician (Physiatrist), Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist, Neuropsychologist, Nutritionist and a Rehabilitation Nurse can help reduce your symptoms directly related to the illness as well as prevent medical complications that occur as a result of impaired mobility such as blood clots in the veins of the arms and legs, blood clot in the lungs, pressure ulcers, and muscle wasting. Not all patients will require all services and usually, a combination of these services is required for an individual patient. You will be evaluated at the initial visit to determine what services you require and a tailored treatment plan will be initiated.
Patients will be evaluated by the Physician first to determine the severity of the condition and it’s impact on the patient and then formulate a treatment plan that best suits them. Depending on the patient’s symptoms, the treatment plan will include training on various exercises and treatment modalities, which will be executed by the rest of the healthcare team. The Physician can also recommend appropriate orthosis if the patient has significant muscle weakness, to help walk or perform daily activities better. The physician may also prescribe medications and perform various injections for pain.
The Physiotherapist trains patients on various physical exercises to improve their walking and balance, strength in the arms and legs, endurance, and decrease fatigue. They also use physical modalities to reduce joint and muscle pain and treat and prevent muscle atrophy.
The Occupational therapist helps patients with severe physical impairment to be independent by training them on various physical activities of daily living such as moving in the bed, transferring from one place to another, eating, dressing, bathing, toileting, and driving. The final phase of treatment involves patient training for successful community integration (education, employment etc).
The Neuropsychologist evaluates patients with depression and anxiety that is commonly seen after any major life-changing illness and guides them through the process of rehabilitation thereby improving their quality of life through motivation and counseling.
As adequate nutrition intake is essential for optimal recovery, the Nutritionist recommends an appropriate intake of nutrition.
The Rehabilitation Nurse performs and teaches wound care management for patients with wounds caused due to immobility. They also train patients and caregivers on appropriate bowel and bladder management to improve its function.
Expectations of Recovery
Treatment duration and prognosis depends on the severity of the condition and premorbid physical condition. When there is no irreversible damage to the nerves or muscles and no other associated conditions, a full recovery can be expected. The importance of exercise in this population is to accelerate the recovery process and prevent medical complications caused due to immobility. In the event that there is an irreversible damage to the nerves or muscles, then residual physical limitations maybe noted but community reintegration may still be possible despite these limitations. To find out whether or not there is an irreversible damage to muscles or nerves, a diagnostic test called Electromyography should be done.