Your doctor may recommend a cardiac-focused physical therapy program if you’ve had a heart attack. The program may last 2 to 8 months. Research shows it may reduce your risk of experiencing more heart attacks or cardiovascular events.

As part of your recovery from a heart attack, your healthcare team may recommend a type of physical therapy after a heart attack.

It’s known as cardiac rehabilitation, a program designed to improve cardiovascular health and quality of life after a heart attack or other heart problem. Doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and registered dieticians supervise your care.

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States, with the American Heart Association (AHA) reporting that the average age for a first attack being 65 and 72 years, respectively, based on gender.

To help you recover and improve your quality of life, cardiac rehabilitation can help minimize your chances of having another heart attack. Therapy often starts while you’re in the hospital or shortly after you leave.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that anyone who’s experienced a heart problem may benefit from cardiac rehabilitation. Most programs last about 3 months but can last anywhere from 2 to 8 months.

A cardiac rehabilitation program consists of:

  • exercise counseling and training
  • education for managing risk factors
  • counseling to reduce stress

A physical therapist typically leads the physical activity portion of a cardiac rehabilitation program. They assess your current fitness level and create a detailed therapy program to help improve it.

Learn more here about how a physical therapist may help you if you’ve had any heart issues in the past.

Attending a cardiac rehabilitation program gives you the best chance to avoid a future heart attack and improve your quality of life.

Research has shown that cardiac rehabilitation benefits may include:

Cardiac rehabilitation isn’t just for heart attacks

Physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation are an important part of recovery for many types of heart surgery or cardiac events. Rehabilitation can help you recover from:

Cardiac rehabilitation often starts while you’re in the hospital or just after leaving. Each program is tailored to your individual needs.

At the start of your rehab, a physical therapist will assess your ability with a physical exam and possibly fitness tests or imaging of your heart. They’ll then design a custom program that increases in intensity over time.

According to 2020 guidelines, your physical therapy may include:

  • aerobic exercise to strengthen your heart
  • counseling to improve exercise and lifestyle habits
  • resistance training to strengthen your bones and muscles
  • exercises to retrain your breathing mechanics
  • balance and flexibility training

While you’re still in the hospital, your physical therapist may guide you through non-stretching exercises. These exercises aim to improve your range of motion and prevent deconditioning and stiffness from extended bed rest.

Once you leave the hospital, a typical exercise session might involve riding an exercise bike, jogging, or using other cardiovascular fitness activities. Your physical therapist will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, and oxygen level while you exercise to assess how your body responds.

The exercise portion of cardiac rehabilitation may not be suitable for some people, such as those with unstable angina.

Your doctor can help you figure out if you have a condition that may preclude you from exercising.

Cardiac rehabilitation requires a referral from your doctor. They can let you know what your program will include.

If you have insurance, it’s a good idea to contact the company to make sure your plan will cover treatment before you start.

The AHA reports that Medicare and most other insurance carriers offer reimbursement for cardiac rehabilitation for treating heart attacks.

Attending cardiac rehabilitation gives you the best chance to maintain a high quality of life and prevent another heart attack.

A 2020 study found that cardiac rehabilitation decreased participants’ chances of dying in the 5 years after a cardiac event from any cause by about 32%.

A small 2021 study highlighted an older review of studies that indicated those participating in cardiac rehabilitation may have a 13% lower chance of having another heart attack.

Your healthcare team is the best resource to discuss how cardiac rehabilitation may improve your recovery after a heart attack.

Your doctor may recommend a cardiac rehabilitation program after you’ve had a heart attack. This type of physical therapy is led by a team of experts, including a physical therapist. You may need this therapy for about 3 months or longer.

Research shows cardiac rehabilitation may reduce your risk and likelihood of experiencing another heart attack or related cardiac event by as much as 32%.

If you’ve experienced a heart attack before, your healthcare team can advise you on any needed physical therapy or additional steps you may want to consider to reduce your chances of experiencing future heart issues.