Knowledge About Role of Physiotherapy and Practice of exercise among Hypertensive Patients

Lifestyle modifications in the present era had led to increase in various health problems like diabetes, hypertension, obesity etc. Hypertension is the most widespread cardiovascular disease and is affecting a large group of population.

Knowledge about hypertension, role of physiotherapy and practice of exercise among hypertensive patients.

Hypertensive male and female subjects (N=100) meeting the inclusion criteria were taken from urban and rural area adjoining the Punjabi university, Patiala. After obtaining a written consent, information regarding the demographic profile was recorded on the data collection form. A self structured questionnaire, ‘Knowledge of hypertension, role of physiotherapy and practice of exercise’ was developed to conduct a study.

88% urban and 78% rural of hypertensive patients believed that hypertension is related to excessive thinking, worries and stress, smoking, alcoholism and obesity. 14% urban and 10% rural were aware about the role of physiotherapy treatment in the management of hypertension and had consulted physiotherapists for exercise prescription for hypertension. A large proportion of subjects were involved in some kind of exercise for controlling blood pressure. However, only a small portion followed prescribed exercises, but most of the hypertensive patients performed exercises without any prescription of duration and dosage of exercises.

Knowledge and awareness regarding hypertension and role of physiotherapy was inadequate among the population in relation to locality and it varied with the level of education. The population neither prescribed exercise from Physician nor Physiotherapist for management of hypertension