♥ Valentine’s Day Heart Health ♥

Relationships are often affected on Valentine’s Day!

Today, we would like to tell you how we address the relationships between the ribs and thoracic cage after open-heart surgery.

Our Physical Therapists give love to the ribs and the thoracic cage which are the heart’s house, mobilizing the scar tissue and joint restrictions created by the hands on your heart.

Here’s how we create harmony between all your layers of tissue affected by this complex relationship.

We assess the relationship between the 39 Joints affected by the mechanics of the open-heart surgery including the sternum, ribs, and spine. During open-heart surgery, your sternum is cut in half, top to bottom, and the ribs are pulled back to allow the surgeons access to the critical heart tissues. This affects the mechanical connection to their joints at the spine and at the sternum once everything is closed and sewn back together.  All of the joints at the ribs, sternum, manubrium, xiphoid process and every connection of those ribs to the vertebrae should have a springy end feel in all directions to allow for normal breathing, full trunk rotation, side-bending, arms overhead and bending forwards and backward. During the healing phase after surgery, the joint capsules can become stiff from unconsciously protecting those areas and the relationships and mechanics of how these joints move.

We assess the love of the soft tissue layers including the skin, fascia, and muscles in the chest, between the ribs, and surrounding the scar tissue of the original incision and where the drainage tubes are located. Each layer of these tissues during the healing phase is in a process of appropriate scarring. But not moving these tissues appropriately creates restrictions rather than a gentle ease with love.  By using some manual therapy techniques with myofascial release and Functional Manual Therapy®, we can quickly address each area in the thoracic cage that is holding you back from your full movement potential.

Then we create harmony by providing neuromuscular and motor control to ensure that your heart has a happy home. Once these joints and tissues work in harmony with each other, we can train those muscles how to work to their fullest potential again for deep inspiration and movement to return to the activities that you love.
♥ Cheers to a heart-healthy relationship on this Valentine’s Day!!!! ♥

Authored by Alyson Entwhistle PT, MSPT & April Oury Founder, PT MS, IOC, CFMT, FAAOMPT, Women’s Health Specialist

If you have questions about this topic or are in need of this type of treatment, call us at (877) 709-1090 or email [email protected] to discover how we can help you achieve your goals.

Don’t forget to check out our Instagram, Facebook, and Podcasts for more great information and be on the lookout for our Exercise of the Week: Olympics Editon coming at you this Friday for opening day.