Home Cardiac Rehab Exercises

Home Cardiac Rehab Exercises

The goal of a home program are to:

• Make a smooth transition from hospital to home. This includes taking care of your incisions if you had surgery. 
• Get stronger and more active. 

​Repeat each exercise 10 - 15 times.  Do the exercises two times each day. 

• Stand for all the exercises. 
• Be sure to breathe while you are exercising (Holding  your breath can raise your blood pressure and put more of a workload on your heart).

On day 4 and 5, add 1/2 pound hand weights as you do your exercises. 
On day 6, commence using one-pound hand weights.  Small dumbbells or wrist weights are fine, 
or you can use bags of dried beans for your weights or milk jugs filled with water. 

Elbow Bends

1. Stand with your elbows bent and your hands near your shoulders.
2. Straighten your elbows and stretch your arms out in front of you.
3. Slowly bend your elbows back.
4. Relax and repeat.

Bent Arm Raises

1.  Stand with your elbows bent and your hands near your shoulders. 
2.  Reach your arms over your head, straightening your elbows. 
3. Slowly bend your elbows and bring your arms down.
4. Relax and repeat

Elbow Extensions to the Side

1. Stand with your elbows bent, arms out to your sides.  
2. Touch your hands to your shoulders. 
3. Straighten your elbows and reach out to your sides. 
4. Bend your elbows and bring your hands into your shoulders again. 
5. Relax and repeat.  

Straight Arm Raises

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and your arms straight down at your sides. 
2. Keeping your elbows straight, raise your arms 
3.  straight out front and up as far as you can. 
4. Slowly bring your arms back down to your sides.  
5. Relax and repeat. 

‘Arm Circles

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. 
2. Put your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder height. 
3.  Move your arms in small circles while keeping your elbows straight. 
4. Do 10 circles forward and then do 10 circles backwards. 

After Day 5, add these exercises to your program: 

Marching in Place

1. Stand with your elbows slightly bent.
2. Lift one leg, bending at the knee and then the other, like you are marching. Move your arms as you march for balance. 

Waist Bends

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart.
2. Bend your elbows and rest your hands on your hips.
3. Keeping your legs straight and your backbone straight, bend at your waist to your right.
4. Return to the centre and then bend at your waist toward your left.

Waist Twists

1. With your feet at shoulder width, bend your elbows and rest your hands on your waist. 
2.  Turn your upper body to the left and then back to the centre. 
3. Then turn your upper body to the right and back to the centre.

      After your first week at home add this exercise: 

Knee Touches

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and your arms raised above your head. 
2. Bend over and touch your hands to your knees. 
3. Raise your arms back over your head slowly 
4. Repeat. 

After you have been home for 3 weeks, add: 

Knee bends

Stand with your feet together and your  hands on your hips. 
 Bend your knees slightly to lower your  buttocks. Keep your back straight. 
Slowly straighten your knees back up. 
Relax then repeat.