February 7, 2017

Meet the Exercise Physiologist

Name: Nathan Crawford
Education: University of Rhode Island
Specialty: Exercise Physiology
Department: Cardiac Care Center
What is Exercise Physiology?
Exercise physiology is the study of both the acute and chronic adaptations of exercise on the body.

What makes exercise physiology so important for
cardiac patients?
The response and adaptation of exercise on the body is very important for patients with heart disease because their heart function has been weakened and exercise has many benefits that improves cardiac function.

What are other lifestyle modifications important to heart health besides exercise?
Exercise is just one of the dimensions of wellness that is important for improving heart health. Other lifestyle modifications include diet, avoiding harmful substances (tobacco, drugs, alcohol), stress management, etc.

Why do you love your job?
I love working in the field of cardiac rehabilitation because I have a chance to make a profound impact on the quality of life of our patients by giving them the tools they need to be successful in maintaining a lifelong habit of being physically active.