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Cardiovascular physiotherapy goes beyond injury recovery, helping strengthen the heart and lungs, improve endurance and breathing, rebuild confidence after surgery and support better everyday health through personalised rehabilitation and exercise.

Physiotherapy is commonly associated with muscle pain, bone injuries and rehabilitation after accidents, but its role extends well beyond restoring movement. In an exclusive interview with , Dr Shraddha Patel, a Cardiovascular and Pulmonary physiotherapist with three years of experience, sheds light on a lesser-discussed branch of physiotherapy that focuses on improving heart and lung function, endurance and overall physical capacity.

Patel says the principle behind cardiovascular and pulmonary physiotherapy is simple: the heart, lungs and muscles work together to keep the body moving. This interconnectedness makes cardiovascular fitness important not only for people recovering from cardiac procedures or dealing with reduced physical capacity, but also for maintaining overall health.

The Heart Is A Muscle Too

“Your heart is also a muscle,” Patel says, explaining why exercise forms an important part of cardiovascular rehabilitation. Just as other muscles require strength and endurance training, the heart needs to be challenged appropriately to improve its capacity.

The vascular system is equally important because it carries blood throughout the body. Better heart function supports circulation, while the lungs supply the oxygen needed during physical activity. The muscles around the lungs also play a role in breathing, she explains.