[Supervised cardiac rehabilitation for the patients with the disturbance of the motor function after cardiac surgery: the significance of physical therapists' participation].

There are sporadic instances of patients with the motor function disturbance of non-cardiac origin after cardiac surgery, and these patients may need prolonged post-operative cardiac rehabilitation. We established our cardiac rehabilitation program for post-operative patients and a total of 124 patients underwent the post-operative cardiac rehabilitation program (male 73, female 51, average age 60). Among them, 12 patients (9.7%) received the physical therapy for the disturbance of motor function post-operatively. These 12 patients were retrospectively studied. Physical therapies performed were the exercise therapy to improve the range of motion to prevent contracture in 3 patients with peroneal nerve palsy and drop foot, the exercise therapy for pre-operative or post-operative hemiplegia in 6 patients, the instruction of exercise for lumbago in 1 patient with spinal cord disease, respiratory physical therapy in 1 patient, and myotherapy for arthritis in 1 patient. Treatment with physical therapy was very useful in rehabilitating these patients. Active participation of physical therapists in cardiac rehabilitation for patients with the disturbance of motor function after cardiac surgery is possible. It is expected that their participation may improve the quality of life in this subset of patients.