Chronic Disease Management

Chronic diseases are conditions that are long-term and usually progress over time.The most common chronic conditions include Cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, movement disorders such as Parkinson’s, auto-immune conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and cancer.

Chronic disease management is ongoing care and support for people who are living with chronic diseases. Good medical care, knowledge, skills and resources aids in better management of the disease and help the patient better manage their day and life.

At Riana van Wyk Biokinetics, we pride ourselves in our ability to manage and treat our patients as a holistic being with physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs. We assess all these factors in our assessments and try to incorporate it into our chronic disease management programs. The Riana van Wyk Biokinetics team advocates that the patient must be an active participant in the rehabilitation process to achieve functional goals. Instead of being a problem-orientated, we prefer to employ a patient-centred goal-orientated approach where the patient's personal needs are used to guide them towards specific, measurable, achievable, realistic time-based goals. When treating a patient, attention is also given to the emotional, social and cognitive needs of the patient depending on the chronic condition being treated. 

Previously, these conditions were associated with older adults. However, our lifestyles have changed so much that these chronic diseases are prevalent in younger adults now. One of the biggest reasons for this is the shift towards a physically inactive lifestyle. The result of the development of chronic conditions leads to more physical inactivity. This, in turn, leads to deconditioning that initiates a downward spiral leading to more physical inactivity and ultimately, a loss in functional capabilities. In many chronic conditions, the health-related benefits of physical activity surpass that of conventional medications. Please contact Riana van Wyk Biokinetics to further can discuss a strategy for future health and functionality.