USD Department of Physical Therapy Screens Community Members for PAD
Physical therapists host screenings like these to raise awareness, educate the public on injury prevention, intervene early with injuries and empower individuals to take charge of their wellness – guiding them toward healthier lifestyles.
USD Department of Physical Therapy faculty members Jed Droge, PT, DPT, assistant professor, and Adam Ladwig, PT, DPT, Ph.D., assistant professor, hosted the PAD screenings, connecting with several individuals at the Farm Show.
“PAD is an atherosclerotic disease that compromises blood flow to the extremities,” explained Droge. “As a practicing physical therapist, I’ve seen first-hand the impact a leg amputation can have on individual and their family, especially in later life. As devastating as that is, individuals with PAD also face increased mortality risk as a form of cardiovascular disease. Many times, initial leg pain from PAD may be overlooked, leading to delayed treatment.”
In individuals at high risk, a simple screening with an ankle-brachial index (ABI), a non-invasive test that measures the ratio of blood pressure in the ankle to the blood pressure in the arm, can help put them on the path to appropriate treatment. One of the barriers to routine ABI screening in clinical practice is time and equipment, as it usually requires a doppler ultrasound machine. However, recent research has shown that performing an ABI for screening purposes can be adequately achieved by using an automatic blood pressure cuff to obtain pressure on all four extremities.
Using an automated blood pressure device, Droge and Ladwig, alongside students from various health disciplines, implemented the ABI to nearly 100 Farm Show attendees to help identify risks for PAD and to predict the risk of future cardiovascular events, such as stroke and heart attack.
“We had the support of a wide range of USD health programs. We were able to help introduce ABI screening to students from many disciplines,” said Droge. “As health care continues to transition towards interprofessional care, it’s important that many team members know about conditions like this.”
“It’s gratifying that we can positively impact the health and wellness of our community,” Ladwig added. “We hope this undertaking inspires physical therapists and other health professionals to consider performing this type of screening at health fairs or similar events.”
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