Cardiac Rehabilitation

    As a result of today’s stress filled lifestyle many people have been affected by heart and blood pressure problems. To cater for this growing social problem, The Australian Academy of Tai Chi and Qigong (AATC) has developed a Cardiac Rehabilitation program.

    The skills learned in this program can be very effective for reducing stress, normalising blood pressure, increasing muscle tone and improving circulation. Therefore, this program can be especially useful for individuals suffering with chronic heart problems, or for those who are recovering from a heart attack.

    In looking at the role of the following body systems we can highlight the benefits provided by the Australian Academy of Tai Chi’s program.

 

The Circulatory System

    The blood system provides each cell in the body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs to survive. The waste products of this oxygen and nutrient exchange are toxic and are removed from the body, again, by the blood system.

    There is a tendency to view the function of the heart as a separate task to the blood system. The fact is that the blood system and the heart work together to maintain a healthy circulatory system.

    Whilst there are three pumping mechanisms for the blood system, the heart is the most important. Failure of the other two mechanisms can seriously impair circulation and paces excessive strain on the heart, requiring it to work much harder than it was designed to.

 

The Musculature

    The veins of the body, particularly in the limbs, are threaded through the muscles. Each time the muscles contract they pump the blood forward. The veins have their own in-built valves to prevent backflow. If the muscles are not exercised, they lose their tone and become flaccid. In this condition they are ineffective at pumping venous blood. Consequently, the heart must use arterial back-pressure to move blood through the vessels. This results in high blood pressure.

    Likewise, if stress causes the muscles to be continually held tight, their pumping action is restricted and the heart must work harder to force the blood trough them against the muscle tension. This also leads to high blood pressure.

 

The Lungs

    The lungs not only take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide; they assist in moving blood to and from our internal organs. Diaphragmatic breathing, as taught in the Australian Academy of Tai Chi’s Cardiac rehabilitation program, improves blood flow to the internal organs by increasing the movement of the lung diaphragm.

    Inhaling increases the lung capacity and creates a downward movement of the diaphragm. This gently squeezes blood from the organs. Exhaling contracts the lungs, which increases the available space in the diaphragm cavity. The internal organs expand to fill that space and upon doing so, fresh arterial blood is drawn into them

    The Australian Academy of Tai Chi’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program is a safe, gentle and effective way for people with heart problems to help regain or maintain fitness and general health.

The information in this handout is not meant as a substitute for medical advice. If you have any concerns you should refer to your own medical professional.