Why commit to cardiac rehabilitation?
The Cardiovascular System
Many people think of the cardiovascular system as simply the heart. In reality, it is an entire system made up of the heart, arteries, smaller blood vessels and capillary networks that extend throughout the body. These blood vessels are not static; they can adapt to repeated increases in blood flow and exercise demand.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise repeatedly increases the demand for blood flow and oxygen throughout the body. Over time, the cardiovascular system adapts by becoming more efficient at delivering blood and oxygen to working muscles and responding to changes in exercise demand.
Strength & Resistance Exercise
Strength training increases the capacity of your muscles to produce force and tolerate physical work. As the muscles become stronger, everyday activities represent a smaller relative workload and therefore place less demand on your overall physical capacity. Muscular contractions, particularly in the lower limbs, also help return blood towards the heart through the muscle pump, supporting venous return and cardiovascular function during exercise.
Cardiac Rehabilitation at the heart of Murdoch square
We provide specialised cardiac rehabilitation following heart attacks, cardiac surgery and other cardiac procedures, as well as for people living with heart failure, cardiovascular disease and related comorbidities.
Our Approach to Cardiac Rehabilitation
Our approach combines specialised cardiovascular care with progressive aerobic and strength and conditioning training, with a focus on building physical capacity and improving tolerance to cardiac load.
Training is prescribed and progressed around your cardiovascular response, with consideration given to blood pressure, symptoms, exercise intensity, muscle mass involved and recovery. The goal is to progressively increase what your cardiovascular system and body can tolerate, while developing the strength and aerobic capacity needed for everyday life and exercise.
Our Rehabilitation Structure
Initial Consultation
1 hour
Your Cardiac initial assessment begins with taking a look at your medical history, risk factors, blood test results if you have them, and a cardiologist's report detailing the surgical procedure, if applicable. A submaximal graded exercise bike test to assess early-stage cardiovascular response to exercise, followed by functional assessments to assess your baseline functional capacity and further screening for any possible cardiac complications.
What to bring
Bring your Medicare card and Private insurance details
As much information about your cardiac history and surgery details.
List of Medications
Allow 45 to 60 minutes for your initial Consultation
Locations for this service
Murdoch Square
Subsequent Rehabilitation session
45 Minutes
This session includes a 1:1 rehabilitation session, an introduction to home-based strength and conditioning exercises, and progressively increased volume with aerobic work. For lower-risk, stable individuals who are cleared for higher loading, this may include gym-based work.
Locations for this service
Murdoch Square
Subiaco (gym-based work)
Subsequent Consultation
30 Minutes
This session is for patients who have progressed to self-maintenance with a delivered program. Consultations will discuss progressing your training program, as well as cardiac load management strategies
Locations for this service
Murdoch Square
Cardiac Reassessment
30 minutes
This consultation typically involves a reassessment to look at changes in performance, and a report will be sent to the cardiologist. A submaximal graded bike exercise test will be conducted, measuring watts, heart rate, and blood pressure cardiovascular response to submaximal loads
Locations for this service
Murdoch Square
Is Weight Training Bad if You Have a Heart Condition?
When a muscle contracts, cardiovascular demand increases. Contracting muscle compresses blood vessels and stimulates receptors within the muscle, contributing to the exercise pressor reflex. This increases sympathetic activity, heart rate, cardiac contractility and blood pressure to meet the oxygen demands of the working muscle.
This rise in blood pressure is a normal response to exercise.
However, as blood pressure rises, the heart has to pump against greater resistance. This increases left ventricular wall stress and the amount of oxygen required by the heart. In a healthy cardiovascular system this is generally well tolerated, but excessive cardiovascular demand may be a concern for people with certain heart conditions, particularly where coronary blood flow is compromised due to a blockage where by it restricts the amount of oxygen entering the heart.
What determines the load on your heart during exercise?
The cardiovascular response to resistance exercise isn't determined by load alone. It is influenced by several factors:
The amount of muscle mass being used
Exercise selection
The load being lifted
How many repetitions are performed
How long the muscles remain under tension
How close the set is taken to muscular failure
Breathing and breath-holding
Recovery between sets
Together, these factors determine the cardiac load created by an exercise.
The goal isn't necessarily to avoid heavy weights or resistance training during cardiac rehabilitation. It is to select and progress exercises appropriately while managing the cardiovascular demand they create.
Dedicated to Evidence-Based treatment and patient centered care
Exercise places different demands on the cardiovascular system depending on the intensity, duration, amount of muscle involved, resistance used and recovery between efforts. These factors influence heart rate, blood pressure and the overall workload placed on the heart. We take these responses into account when selecting and progressing your exercise
Request a Personalized Consultation
Submit the form to discuss specific rehabilitation goals and determine the optimal service pathway.