Staff at QRI are promoting the importance of an active lifestyle among the public.
Doha: Staff at Qatar Rehabilitation Institute (QRI) are promoting the importance of an active lifestyle among members of the public and patients who are recovering from spinal cord injuries through its’ back on track’ initiative.
The initiative highlights the significance of physical activity, good posture, proper body mechanics, and healthy working conditions for a healthy spine.
The ‘back on track’ initiative was launched to support patients who have suffered a spinal cord injury and initiated with the opening of Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) QRI in 2017. Every month, between five and eight new patients, comprising both males and females over the age of 14, are enrolled in the programme. QRI receives patients referred from inpatient and outpatient departments across HMC.
“The ‘back on track’ program aims to promote an active lifestyle and encourages everyone, not only our patients, to get back on track while focusing on effective spine care,” said Medical Director of Qatar Rehabilitation Institute, Dr. Hanadi Al Hamad.
Dr. Al Hamad, who is also Qatar’s National Health Strategy lead for Healthy Ageing and Medical Director of Rumailah Hospital, says spinal cord injuries are one of the top five medical diagnoses requiring admission to QRI.
“Around 25 percent of these cases are non-traumatic and occur as a result of poor spine care. Spinal cord injury and the resultant paralysis has devastating physical, mental, social, and vocational consequences on the injured person. Besides, spinal cord injury increases the economic burden on the affected person and potentially his or her entire support network,” said Dr. Al Hamad.
Dr. Al Hamad explains that rehabilitation aims to increase a patient’s functional autonomy, maximize participation in their social setting, and minimize the pain and distress they and their caregivers may experience.
“Among our patients, we promote restoration of the loss of physiological or psychological function, and our rehab team ensures their community reintegration through a tailored program that supports each patient in becoming a productive member of society,” notes Dr. Al Hamad.
QRI’s spinal cord injury multidisciplinary team lead, Dr. Sarafudheen Villan, said QRI’s comprehensive patient-centric rehabilitation program aims to improve patients’ physical, functional, and psychological capabilities after sustaining an often-disabling spinal cord injury.
“A comprehensive rehabilitation team comprising of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation nurses, speech therapists, rehabilitation physicians, prosthetic and orthostatic specialists, and dietitians, and other specialists including a social worker, case manager, and rehab coordinator, help patient to get back on track,” said Dr. Villan.
Dr. Villan adds that staff at QRI are always encouraging patients to ensure safety remains at the forefront of their mind and the importance of remaining active.
“At QRI, we treat traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries. We advise patients to follow the prescribed safety measures, remain active, do regular exercises, avoid sitting for long periods, to stand and walk every 30 to 45 minutes, to avoid lifting heavy objects by themselves, and to use proper lifting techniques,” said Dr. Villan.
