Cardiac rehabilitation physiotherapy exercises

The programme is adjusted after assessment of symptoms, mobility, medicines, procedure-related precautions, and response to activity. A cardiac rehabilitation team should set the starting level rather than relying on a generic online routine.

A session may begin with gentle joint movement and slow walking, progress to walking or stationary cycling, add light resistance for major muscle groups, and finish with a gradual cool-down. Pacing and breathing are taught so effort rises smoothly rather than suddenly.

Staff may monitor heart rate, blood pressure, rhythm, symptoms, and perceived exertion according to clinical need. People recovering from chest surgery may also receive advice on posture, coughing support, and safe upper-body loading.

Follow the prescribed effort range, warm up and cool down, take medicines as directed, and carry any emergency medication your cardiac team has prescribed. Choose a level at which breathing is deeper but remains controlled, unless your team has given a different target.

Tell the team about new symptoms, missed medicines, infection, unusual fatigue, or changes in blood pressure before exercise. Progress duration or resistance only as advised, especially after a recent event or procedure.

Stop exercising and follow your emergency plan for chest pressure, marked breathlessness, faintness, a racing or irregular heartbeat with symptoms, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, back, or upper abdomen. Call emergency services if symptoms are severe, do not settle promptly with rest, or match the warning signs your cardiac team identified.

Contact the rehabilitation team before the next session if activity causes unusual swelling, persistent palpitations, worsening breathlessness, or a clear decline in exercise tolerance.

Ask for your personal effort target, safe resistance exercises, movement precautions, warning signs, home-session plan, and criteria for progressing. Confirm how medicines or an implanted device affect monitoring.