Early in bed cycle exercises beneficial for ICU patients, says study
Posted on: 03/Jan/2017 10:18:01 AM
A new study conducted by researchers at the McMaster University, Hamilton in Ontario state, Canada has found that contrary to the beliefs that intensive care unit, ICU, patients cannot afford any physical activity, early bicycle exercise during their stay in a hospital ICU may help some patients recover more quickly. The TryCYCLE study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Say the researchers, People may think that ICU patients are too sick for physical activity, but we know that if patients start in-bed cycling two weeks into their ICU stay, they will walk farther at hospital discharge. Early cycling within the first four days of mechanical ventilation among patients with stable blood flow is safe and feasible. Patients who survive their ICU stay are at high risk for muscle weakness and disability. Muscle atrophy and weakness starts within days of a patient`s admission to the ICU. Cycling targets the legs, especially the hip flexors, which are most vulnerable to these effects during bed rest.
