Building a healthy heart through cardiac fitness

This spring, Joao DeToledo will be stepping onto the volleyball court to play for his high school team for the first time. It will be a proud moment for the high school senior from Somerville — playing a competitive sport is a goal he hadn’t dreamt possible just a few years ago. Though Joao has always loved sports, he was born with Ebstein’s anomaly, a congenital heart condition that, until recently, has forced him to spend a lot of time on the sidelines. When Joao expressed frustration at not being able to participate in gym and sports as much as he’d like, his cardiologist, Dr. David Fulton, recommended the Cardiac Fitness Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. The program, one of the first of its kind, offers kids and adults with congenital heart disease a chance to exercise in a safe environment. “Before starting the program, I’d rest as soon as I felt any shortness of breath,” says Joao. “But now, I know I don’t have to stop.” Getting medical clearance to play volleyball is a testament to how far he’s come in just a few months. Feeling more confident Joao’s mom, Lucy, accompanies him to his weekly sessions, and is one of his biggest supporters. “I’ve seen a lot of positive changes in him since he started, and not just with his heart,” she says. “He’s been a lot more confident and a lot happier. It’s been awesome.” Joao works with Jennifer Pymm, one of his exercise physiologists She credits much of the change in his confidence to th...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Cardiac Fitness Program Dr. David Fulton Dr. John Emans Ebstein's anomaly kyphosis Source Type: news