Peripheral Vascular Rehabilitation

Patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) disease may participate in our exercise program designed to increase blood flow in the legs, decrease pain or increase pain tolerance, and therefore increase the ability to sustain activity for longer periods of time. The program meets three times per week, one hour per session. The exercise program is designed to progressively increase the activity intensity and duration over time, using treadmill walking, stretching and non-weight bearing activities (bicycle). Exercise physiologists and cardiac nurses are readily available to assist you in making individualized adjustments in your program to maximize the potential for improvement.

Am I an appropriate candidate for PVD rehabilitation?
Rehabilitation is appropriate for those individuals that have been diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease.

Will my insurance cover the costs?
Medicare currently doesn’t not cover PVD rehabilitation and some standard health insurance plans do while others do not cover the cost. It’s important that you understand the details of your plan, but as a service to you the staff will verify your insurance and notify you of any out-of-pocket costs before beginning the program.

What if my insurance company does not cover cardiac rehabilitation?
We have affordable options available should your insurance not cover PVD rehabilitation services. Our medically supervised exercise program can help you make that transition to a healthy lifestyle.

What does PVD rehabilitation involve?

Evaluation
The first step is a comprehensive evaluation. During this initial consultation, you will meet with the cardiac nurse specialist, who will take your medical history and assess your current physical fitness status. This evaluation will help to determine areas of cardiovascular risk as well as any limitations so that a safe and effective exercise prescription can be designed.

Exercise Training
We recommend exercising most days of the week to maintain optimal health. Exercise can positively affect your risk factors for cardiovascular disease, reduce the risk of future events, and
decrease your overall risk of death from all causes. As a result, a comprehensive exercise program including cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training will be one major focus of your
rehabilitation.

Our current schedule has classes meeting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The program structure is designed for you to exercise during your class time all three days of the week. Please
contact us at (918) 579-4959 to inquire about specific class times.

Education
We believe that education regarding your particular diagnosis and contributing risk factors is a powerful tool within the rehabilitation process. With this in mind, group education classes are held
Wednesday’s to teach a variety of topics associated with cardiovascular disease. They include”

Anatomy and Physiology – Nutrition – Benefits of Exercise
Medication – Stress Management.

You and your family members will meet with our Health Behavior Specialist and Dietitian to help you with proper nutrition, weight loss, smoking cessation, stress management and relaxation.

Smoking Cessation
This Smoke Free course provides assessment and education for participants who want to quit smoking. A Health Behavior Specialist will guide each patient through a sound behavior and attitude modification process to achieve smoking cessation goals for a lifetime. Four one-hour sessions provide the necessary information and strategies for success. It is recommended that ten to 12 days in advance of the first session, patient contact their personal care physician about their intention to quit smoking and request education, if appropriate, to assist the quitting process. The cost of the program is $100.

What do I do after I complete PVD rehabilitation?
After you have competed the PVD rehabilitation program you are encouraged to join the facility as a phase 3 rehabilitation member. Remember that exercise is a lifelong commitment, especially for
those with cardiac disease, because the benefits are seen only when exercise if performed on a consistent basis.