Whether you're recovering from a cardiac event or looking to reduce your cardiovascular risk, knowing how to exercise appropriately can be difficult.

You may have been told that exercise is important, but still have questions.

 

• How hard should I exercise?

• What should my heart rate be?

• Can I lift weights?

• What type of exercise should I be doing?

• How do I know when I'm ready to progress?

 

At Body Fit Physiotherapy in North Adelaide, our Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Program provides individualised exercise rehabilitation for people recovering from cardiac events, living with cardiovascular conditions, or managing cardiovascular risk factors.

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We have 18 years of experience working with cardiac patients and have delivered cardiac rehabilitation services from our North Adelaide clinic for more than 12 years.

 

Our goal isn't simply to supervise exercise.

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We want to help you understand what exercise is appropriate for you, how hard you should exercise and how to progressively build your cardiovascular fitness, strength and confidence.

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Who Is Our Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Program For?

 

Cardiac rehabilitation is commonly associated with recovery following a heart attack or cardiac procedure.

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But you don't necessarily need to have experienced a cardiac event to benefit from structured exercise.

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Our program may be appropriate for people following or living with:

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• Heart attack

• Coronary artery stent or angioplasty

• Coronary artery bypass surgery

• Heart valve repair or replacement

• Heart failure

• Cardiomyopathy

• Cardiac ablation

• Pacemaker or implanted cardiac device

• Cardiac rhythm disorders

• Coronary artery disease

• Other cardiovascular conditions where structured exercise has been recommended

 

We also work with people who haven't experienced a cardiac event but have cardiovascular risk factors and want to take a proactive approach to their long-term health.

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These risk factors may include:

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• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Diabetes or metabolic risk factors

• Family history of cardiovascular disease

• Reduced cardiovascular fitness

• Physical inactivity

• Overweight or obesity

• Multiple cardiovascular risk factors identified by your GP or specialist

 

For these patients, the goal isn't rehabilitation from an event.

 

It's prevention.

 

Exercise can form an important part of managing cardiovascular risk alongside appropriate medical care and other lifestyle factors.

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What Is Cardiac Rehabilitation?

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Cardiac rehabilitation is a structured program involving exercise, education and support for people recovering from or living with cardiovascular disease.

 

Rehabilitation may begin in hospital following a cardiac event and continue through outpatient and community-based programs.

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But recovery doesn't necessarily finish when a hospital program ends.

 

Long-term cardiac rehabilitation focuses on developing the physical capacity, confidence and exercise habits required to maintain cardiovascular health into the future.

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At Body Fit Physiotherapy, our particular focus is individualised exercise rehabilitation and ongoing community-based cardiac rehabilitation and prevention.

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You Don't Need to Wait for a Cardiac Event

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One of the most important messages around cardiovascular health is that you don't need to wait until something happens before taking action.

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If your GP or specialist has identified cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity or a strong family history of cardiovascular disease, improving your exercise habits can form an important part of managing your overall risk.

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However, being told to "exercise more" doesn't necessarily tell you what to do.

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You may still be wondering:

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• What type of exercise should I perform?

• How many days each week should I exercise?

• How hard should I work?

• Should I concentrate on cardiovascular exercise or strength training?

• How should I progress my exercise?

• What if I haven't exercised for years?

• What if arthritis, back pain or another injury limits what I can do?

 

This is where an individualised exercise program can be valuable.

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Our role is to establish your current physical capacity, understand your medical history and cardiovascular risk factors, and develop a realistic exercise program that can be progressed over time.

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Why Is Cardiac Rehabilitation Important?

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Following a cardiac event, it is common to become uncertain about exercise.

 

You may worry about doing too much.

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You may become very conscious of your heart rate.

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You might avoid activities that you previously performed without thinking about them.

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Or you may simply not know what level of exercise is appropriate anymore.

 

Cardiac rehabilitation provides a structured pathway for rebuilding your physical capacity while developing a better understanding of how your body responds to exercise.

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Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is an important part of cardiovascular care and can help improve cardiovascular fitness, physical function and quality of life.

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For many of the people we see, however, one of the most important outcomes is much simpler:

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Feeling confident exercising again.

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What Makes Body Fit's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Different?

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Body Fit Physiotherapy has been working with cardiac patients for 18 years, with cardiac rehabilitation services delivered from our North Adelaide clinic for more than 12 years.

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Our approach is based around several important principles.

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Your Program Is Individualised

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Having the same cardiac diagnosis doesn't mean two people should necessarily perform the same exercise program.

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We consider:

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• Your cardiac history

• Procedures or surgery

• Cardiovascular risk factors

• Medications

• Current exercise capacity

• Previous exercise experience

• Musculoskeletal injuries

• Arthritis or joint pain

• Balance or mobility difficulties

• Other medical conditions

• Your personal goals

 

We then develop an exercise program around you, rather than simply your diagnosis.

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We Measure Before We Prescribe

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Where appropriate, we establish baseline measures of cardiovascular fitness, strength and functional capacity.

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This gives us objective information to help determine an appropriate starting point.

It also allows us to reassess your progress and modify your program as your capacity improves.

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We Combine Cardiovascular Exercise and Strength Training

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Cardiac rehabilitation isn't only about walking on a treadmill or riding an exercise bike.

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Maintaining and improving muscular strength is also important for physical function and everyday activities.

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Depending on your circumstances, your program may include:

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• Walking or treadmill exercise

• Cycling

• Other appropriate cardiovascular exercise

• Lower-limb strengthening

• Upper-body strengthening

• Functional exercises

• Balance exercises where appropriate

 

The program is selected according to your current physical capacity, cardiac history and goals.

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We Consider Your Whole Health Picture

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One advantage of physiotherapy-led cardiac rehabilitation is that we can consider other physical problems that may make exercise difficult.

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You may also be managing:

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• Knee or hip arthritis

• Back pain

• Shoulder problems

• Previous joint surgery

• Balance difficulties

• Reduced mobility

• General weakness

 

These problems shouldn't necessarily prevent you from exercising.

Instead, we can modify your program around them.

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What Happens During Your Initial Cardiac Rehabilitation Assessment?

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Your initial assessment allows us to develop a detailed understanding of your cardiac history, general health, exercise history and current physical capacity.

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1. Understanding Your Cardiac and Medical History

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We discuss your:

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• Cardiac diagnosis

• Recent cardiac events

• Surgery or procedures

• Current symptoms

• Cardiovascular risk factors

• Relevant medical history

• Medications

• Previous cardiac rehabilitation

• Current medical management

 

Where appropriate, your exercise program is developed alongside recommendations provided by your cardiologist, GP and hospital team.

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2. Understanding Your Exercise History and Goals

 

We want to understand what you were doing previously and what you would like to be able to do.

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Your goal might be:

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• Walking further

• Returning to the gym

• Gardening

• Playing golf

• Cycling

• Travelling

• Returning to work

• Playing with your grandchildren

• Improving your cardiovascular fitness

• Reducing your cardiovascular risk

• Simply feeling confident exercising again

 

Your goals help determine what your rehabilitation needs to achieve.

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3. Assessing Other Physical Limitations

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We consider previous injuries, joint problems, pain, balance and other physical limitations that could affect your exercise program.

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This allows us to prescribe exercises that are appropriate for your whole body rather than looking at your cardiovascular system in isolation.

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4. Establishing Baseline Measures

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Where appropriate, we assess aspects of your:

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• Cardiovascular fitness

• Exercise tolerance

• Strength

• Functional capacity

 

These measurements help establish an appropriate starting point and provide objective measures that can be reassessed as your rehabilitation progresses.

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5. Developing Your Exercise Program

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We then develop an individualised exercise program based on your assessment.

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Depending on your circumstances and preferences, this may involve:

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• An independent home exercise program

• One-to-one physiotherapy

• Small-group cardiac rehabilitation

• Periodic reassessment and program progression

• A combination of supervised and independent exercise

 

The goal is to find an approach that is both appropriate for your health and realistic for your life.

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How Do We Determine How Hard You Should Exercise?

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This is one of the most common questions we receive.

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There isn't one heart rate or exercise intensity that's appropriate for every cardiac patient.

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Appropriate exercise intensity depends on factors including:

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• Your cardiac condition

• Stage of recovery

• Current fitness

• Symptoms

• Medications

• Medical recommendations

• Exercise history

 

Heart rate can provide useful information, but it needs to be interpreted in context.

During supervised cardiac rehabilitation, heart-rate monitoring can be used where appropriate to help us understand your cardiovascular response to exercise.

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We may also use measures such as perceived exertion to help determine how hard you're working.

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Our aim isn't for you to become dependent on a heart-rate monitor.

 

Over time, we want you to develop a better understanding of what appropriate exercise feels like for you.

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What If I'm Taking a Beta Blocker?

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Beta blockers and some other cardiac medications can change the way your heart rate responds to exercise.

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This means generic heart-rate formulas aren't always appropriate for determining exercise intensity.

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In these situations, we can consider a combination of:

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• Heart-rate response

• Symptoms

• Perceived exertion

• Exercise capacity

• Medical information

 

to help determine an appropriate training intensity.

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Understanding this can be particularly reassuring if your exercise heart rate doesn't match numbers you've seen online.

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Can I Strength Train After a Cardiac Event?

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For many people, resistance training can form an important part of cardiac rehabilitation.

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Strength training can help improve muscular strength and physical function and increase your capacity for everyday activities.

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However, when and how strength training is introduced depends on factors such as:

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• The type of cardiac event or procedure

• Stage of recovery

• Medical recommendations

• Current strength

• Previous exercise experience

• Other injuries or health conditions

 

We therefore individualise the starting point and progression rather than giving everyone the same strength program.

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What Happens in a Body Fit Cardiac Rehabilitation Class?

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Our cardiac rehabilitation classes are conducted in our rehabilitation gym in North Adelaide.

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Rather than everyone completing the same circuit, each person follows their own individualised exercise program.

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Our physiotherapists supervise the sessions and can answer questions, adjust exercises and progress your program as your capacity improves.

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Depending on your program, sessions may include cardiovascular exercise, strength training and other exercises relevant to your individual needs.

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Heart-rate monitoring is available where appropriate to help guide exercise intensity and understand your cardiovascular response to exercise.

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The small-group environment also allows you to exercise alongside other people who may have experienced similar challenges.

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For some of our patients, cardiac rehabilitation is relatively short term while they develop the confidence to exercise independently.

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Others choose to continue supervised exercise as part of their long-term health and exercise routine.

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Do I Have to Exercise in a Group?

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No.

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Not everyone wants to exercise in a group, and not everyone is physically ready for one.

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Your rehabilitation can be structured around your needs and preferences.

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Options may include:

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• One-to-one physiotherapy

• Individual home exercise programs

• Small-group cardiac rehabilitation

• Periodic reassessment and program progression

 

For some people, the best approach is to begin individually and transition into a class once their confidence and capacity improve.

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For others, an independent home program with periodic physiotherapy review is more practical.

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The program should fit the person – not the other way around.

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What If I Don't Feel Fit Enough to Start?

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You don't need to arrive at cardiac rehabilitation already fit.

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That's the point of rehabilitation.

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If your current exercise capacity is limited, we start at a level that is appropriate for you.

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This might involve shorter periods of cardiovascular exercise, lower resistance or more recovery between exercises.

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As your capacity improves, your program can gradually progress.

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You aren't expected to keep up with anyone else.

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Your starting point is based on your current capacity.

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What Is Phase 3 Cardiac Rehabilitation?

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Cardiac rehabilitation is often thought of as the program you attend shortly after leaving hospital.

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However, maintaining cardiovascular health is a long-term process.

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Following the initial hospital and outpatient phases of cardiac rehabilitation, some people benefit from ongoing community-based exercise and support.

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This is often referred to as Phase 3 cardiac rehabilitation.

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Community-based cardiac rehabilitation can provide a pathway for people who:

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• Have completed hospital cardiac rehabilitation

• Want ongoing structured exercise

• Need more time to rebuild confidence

• Want their exercise program progressed

• Have other physical conditions that complicate exercise

• Prefer continued professional support

• Want to establish exercise as a long-term habit

 

This longer-term phase is a major focus of our Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Body Fit Physiotherapy.

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Rather than viewing cardiac rehabilitation as something that simply finishes after several weeks, we want to help you develop an exercise approach that can be maintained for the long term.

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What If I Didn't Attend Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation?

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Not everyone completes hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation.

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There can be many reasons for this.

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You may have returned to work, had transport difficulties, been unable to attend the available times, or simply not felt ready.

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If you're further along in your recovery but still aren't confident about how to exercise, it isn't necessarily too late to seek guidance.

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Depending on your medical circumstances, we can help establish your current physical capacity and determine an appropriate pathway back into structured exercise.

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Cardiac Rehabilitation and Long-Term Prevention

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Recovering from a cardiac event is only one part of cardiovascular health.

Long-term prevention also involves managing the factors that influence future cardiovascular risk.

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This may include:

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• Regular physical activity

• Blood pressure

• Cholesterol

• Blood glucose

• Smoking

• Nutrition

• Body composition

• Sleep

• Stress

• Medication and medical management

 

These factors may require input from different members of your healthcare team.

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Our particular role at Body Fit Physiotherapy is exercise and physical capacity.

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We help you develop the cardiovascular fitness, strength and exercise habits needed to make regular physical activity a sustainable part of your life.

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For someone recovering from a cardiac event, that may mean progressing from rehabilitation back towards normal life.

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For someone with cardiovascular risk factors, it may mean developing enough fitness, strength and exercise confidence to support their long-term cardiovascular health.

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In both situations, the goal is similar:

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to make appropriate exercise something you can continue consistently.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Cardiac Rehabilitation

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Do I need to have had a heart attack to attend cardiac rehabilitation?

 

No.

 

Our Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Program isn't limited to people who have experienced a heart attack or undergone heart surgery.

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It may also be appropriate for people living with cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular risk factors who would benefit from structured, individualised exercise.

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Do I need a referral?

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Whether a referral or medical clearance is required depends on your cardiac history, recent procedures and current medical status.

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If you're unsure, contact us and we can discuss your circumstances and determine whether any additional medical information or clearance is required before beginning.

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Can I attend if I have high blood pressure or high cholesterol?

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Potentially, yes.

 

You don't necessarily need to have experienced a cardiac event to benefit from improving your cardiovascular fitness, strength and exercise habits.

 

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are important cardiovascular risk factors, and exercise can form part of their broader management alongside appropriate medical and lifestyle care.

 

I have a family history of heart disease. Can I attend?

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A family history of cardiovascular disease is one factor that can contribute to overall cardiovascular risk.

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Whether our Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Program is the most appropriate service for you will depend on your individual health history, other risk factors and goals.

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How long does cardiac rehabilitation last?

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There isn't one duration that is appropriate for everyone.

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Some people attend for a relatively short period while they build their fitness and confidence before transitioning to independent exercise.

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Others prefer ongoing supervised exercise.

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Your program should evolve according to your recovery, physical capacity and goals.

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Can I do cardiac rehabilitation at home?

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Yes.

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For some people, a home exercise program is the most practical option.

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We can establish baseline measures, develop an individualised exercise program and periodically reassess your progress so the program can be modified and progressed.

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Do I need to be fit before starting?

 

No.

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Your program starts from your current level of physical capacity and progresses from there.

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Can I use private health insurance?

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Physiotherapy rebates may be available depending on your private health insurance policy and level of cover.

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We recommend checking with your insurer regarding your individual benefits.

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Can I use a Medicare Chronic Condition Management Plan?

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If your GP determines that you're eligible for a Medicare Chronic Condition Management Plan, physiotherapy may be included as part of that plan.

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Where is the program?

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Our Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Program is based at Body Fit Physiotherapy in North Adelaide, South Australia.

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We have a dedicated rehabilitation gym where we provide individual physiotherapy and small-group cardiac rehabilitation.

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Why Choose Body Fit for Cardiac Rehabilitation in Adelaide?

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Body Fit Physiotherapy has a long-standing interest in cardiac rehabilitation and exercise.

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Our program provides:

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• 18 years of experience working with cardiac patients

• More than 12 years delivering cardiac rehabilitation services in North Adelaide

• Physiotherapist-led exercise rehabilitation

• Individualised exercise programs

• Cardiovascular and strength training

• Heart-rate monitoring where appropriate

• Small-group and individual options

• Home exercise programming

• Regular reassessment and progression

• Experience managing musculoskeletal problems alongside cardiac rehabilitation

• Support for both cardiac rehabilitation and cardiovascular prevention

 

Most importantly, we want to help you move from:

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"I'm worried about exercising or don't know where to start."

 

to:

 

"I understand what I can do and feel confident doing it."

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Learn More About Cardiac Rehabilitation

 

We've developed a growing library of physiotherapy resources answering common questions about cardiac rehabilitation, cardiovascular exercise and returning to activity.

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You may also be interested in:

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Do I Need Cardiac Rehabilitation After a Heart Event?

Why Cardiac Rehabilitation Matters — And Why It Works Best Alongside Your Medical Care

Cardiac Rehabilitation in Adelaide: Where to Start If You're Not Sure What to Do Next

The Ultimate Guide to Cardiac Rehabilitation: What to Expect After a Heart Event

Is My Heart Rate Too High During Exercise?

Cardiac Rehabilitation: Rebuilding Confidence After a Heart Event

Cardiac Rehabilitation at Body Fit Physiotherapy: What to Expect

The Essential Guide to Cardiac Rehabilitation: Restoring Heart Health

Cardiac Rehabilitation: Rebuilding Heart Strength and Confidence

Beyond Basics: Advanced Steps to Long-Term Recovery Through Cardiac Rehabilitation

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These resources explore different aspects of cardiac rehabilitation and exercise in more detail.

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Take the Next Step

 

Whether you've recently experienced a cardiac event, completed hospital cardiac rehabilitation, are living with cardiovascular disease or have cardiovascular risk factors and want to become more active, the first step can simply be a conversation.

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At Body Fit Physiotherapy, we can understand your medical and exercise history, assess your current physical capacity and help determine an appropriate way forward.

 

Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Adelaide
Body Fit Physiotherapy – North Adelaide, South Australia

 

If you'd like to find out whether our Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Program is appropriate for you, contact our team and we'll be happy to answer your questions.