SPORTS AND PHYSICAL THERAPY AS MEANS OF PRIMARY PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of global mortality and represents a rapidly escalating public health challenge in African countries, including Nigeria. Epidemiological transition, urbanization, reduced occupational physical activity, and lifestyle changes have contributed to a growing burden of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and stroke across the continent. Cost effective and sustainable primary prevention strategies are therefore, urgently required. Sports participation and physical therapy guided physical activity are increasingly recognized as evidence based, non-pharmacological interventions capable of reducing cardiovascular risk before disease onset. This article appraised existing literature to examine the role of sports and physical therapy in the primary prevention of CVD. The paper also discussed mechanisms of cardiovascular protection, the role of trained health professionals, contextual challenges, and policy implications for integrating sports and physical therapy into preventive health care in Africa as well as the need for need to popularize the usage of technology/artificial intelligence related machine and devices that are health promoting.