How to Exercise After Heart Surgery

The purpose of an exercise program just after having heart surgery is to slowly increase daily activities. Exercise after heart surgery has many benefits such as restoring strength and blood flow to the heart, as well as aiding in the overall healing process.

Instructions

• 1

  Enroll in a Phase II cardiac rehabilitation program once released from the hospital and released by your physician to do so. Many hospitals and physical therapy offices offer such programs which are usually covered by health insurance plans.

• 2

  Begin at a low intensity and then progress gradually. Walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike are most common in the beginning.

• 3

  Increase your duration gradually. If your goal is to do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise then start with 15 minutes and gradually increase to 30 minutes.

• 4

  Monitor your heart rate before, during, and after an exercise session. If you are in a cardiac rehabilitation program a team of nurses will monitor this for you. If you are exercising on your own, follow your physicians recommendation for heart rate parameters.

• 5

  Continue with Phase III cardiac rehabilitation, once you have completed Phase II and you have fully recovered from surgery, which is a more independent program without strict monitoring guidelines.

• 6

  Wear comfortable clothes and tennis shoes when exercising so that you do not feel restricted in anyway or cause an injury.