Patients who are diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and enter cardiac rehabilitation present with limitations in activity and restrictions in their abilities to participate in society. Even after a standard course of cardiac rehabilitation, some individuals will still present with deficits. One area this is seen is the ability to stand up from a chair. A new device, the Biodex Sit2Stand Trainer, has been designed to help improve the standing movement in those with lower extremity weakness. The trainer provides a graded lift or push through the seat to help the participant reach a standing posture. This study will whether a six week training program using the trainer will lead to improvements in strength, function and quality of life for those individuals who have recently completed a cardiac rehabilitation program. This study is a pilot study to help determine the ideal dosage of training and identify any limitations in using the device with this population. Based on the results of this pilot work, a larger intervention study will be conducted to examine the effectiveness of the trainer in a cardiac rehabilitation program.
