Quick answer
Paediatric cardiac rehabilitation supports children recovering from heart surgery or living with a congenital heart condition. It combines chest physiotherapy, graded activity within cardiologist-set limits, and support for motor development that illness or hospital stays have delayed.
Children with heart conditions are often kept less active than they safely could be, and prolonged hospital stays interrupt normal motor development. Both are addressable.
What we work on
Chest clearance and breathing after cardiac surgery; graded return to play within the limits set by the cardiologist; motor milestones delayed by illness or admission; and building the family's confidence about what activity is safe.
Working with the cardiology team
Every programme runs to limits set by the treating cardiologist, and we ask for them in writing before starting. Sessions are paced and monitored, and stop well short of distress.
Sessions
Treatment is play-based, as with all our paediatric work. Parents attend and leave knowing what to encourage at home and what to watch for.
Medically reviewed by Nasir Mughees, BPT, MPT, Orthopaedic Physiotherapy · Last reviewed September 2026