Better Hearts Programme UCD
The Better Hearts programme is a programme run as partnership between the UCD School of Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science and UCD Sport with Heart 2 Heart Cardiac Physiotherapy subcontracted to deliver the programme.
What is it?
The programme is a twenty eight programme run once weekly. It is a cardiac rehabilitation programme which combines cardiovascular and strength training to optimise your performance – hence reducing the workload of your heart. During each session your blood pressure and heart rate are monitored. The sessions are conducted by Karen Cradock, Specialist Cardiac Physiotherapist.
Who benefits from this programme?
If you have had a cardiac event you will benefit from this programme. A cardiac event includes the following; heart attack, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stenting, heart surgery, autonomic dysfunction, POTS syndrome. Also if you ae at risk of a cardiac event you will benefit from this programme. If you are unsure please contact us and we can advise you if you are suitable for the programme.
How do I enrol?
If you have completed a phase III cardiac rehabilitation programme in the last 6 weeks you can enrol online via the following link (you will need to create a password)
(opens in a new window)https://ucd.sports-booker.com/customer
If you email betterhearts@ucd.ie you will receive an automatic email response with this link to facilitate booking.
When do they take place?
The classes run on
- Tuesdays at 9am, 10am and 1pm
- Thursdays at 8.45am and 10am.
Who runs the programme?
Heart 2 Heart Cardiac Physiotherapy is the service provider. Karen Cradock has worked extensively in rehabilitation both cardiac and medical in Ireland, England, New Zealand and Australia for almost twenty years. She completed a research masters in 2006 examining the role of exercise in patients with heart failure and was a pioneer in setting up heart failure rehabilitation services in heart failure in Ireland. She worked in St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin for thirteen years until November 2014 before concentrating on developing Heart 2 Heart Cardiac Physiotherapy a dedicated cardiac physiotherapy practice.
She was awarded Specialist Membership of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists in Ireland in recognition of her work in cardiac rehabilitation.
What are people saying about the programme?
The Better Hearts programme run by Karen Cradock in UCD is simply Superb!
It’s a personalised and supervised exercise programme for folks who have had a cardiac event. Personalised in that your Blood Pressure (BP) is taken both before and after exercise and also monitored during the workout. You can really see and measure the impact exercise has on lowering BP. The programme is supervised during the session and your heart rates are closely monitored and kept in your own ‘range’ to ensure you are getting the benefits. Karen is always ready and available to assist the many nagging questions one does have and her advice is very personable and reassuring. Her considerable experience and wide network is also an invaluable asset. As a rule I rarely miss these classes and always look forward to the next one. I highly recommend this programme for your Better Heart Health.
Michael Quinn
What are the contact details?
The contact details are as follows:
Email: betterhearts@ucd.ie
Tel: 01 7163870.