Outpatient Based Physical Rehabilitation for Survivors of Prolonged Critical Illness - a Randomised Controlled Trial

Admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) due to illness has been shown to have a dramatic effect on the human body and mind. Following discharge from an ICU, patients suffer from varying degrees of weakness and muscle wasting. It can take many months before their strength returns to something like before they were ill. This weakness can have important consequences on an individual, affecting their ability to perform routine tasks (e.g. housework, shopping), and whether they can return to work or not. Not surprisingly, this inability to perform activities they used to do prior to their illness can have knock on effects on their mental well being and confidence.

What the investigators hope to see through this study is whether or not patients can recover their ability to perform exercise more quickly following an ICU admission if they undergo an exercise-based rehabilitation programme. The investigators also hope to see whether taking part in a rehabilitation programme has any affect on physical and mental well being.

The investigators hope to use a simple exercise test on a bicycle to assess subjects ability to exercise shortly after leaving hospital. We will then repeat the test after a period of physiotherapy lead rehabilitation to see if they have received any benefit from the programme. The investigators hope to show that by undergoing an exercise-based rehabilitation programme subjects will recover their ability to exercise more quickly than those who do not.

By means of questionnaires the investigators hope to see what effect the rehabilitation programme has had on participants physical and mental well being.