Services & Specialties
Cardiac Rehabilitation

Get personalized exercise, nutrition and heart health support from experts who understand congenital heart disease.
Cardiac Rehab Facility, Patient Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gehring and exercise tech Rebekah Moorhead getting ready to exercise in the cardiac rehab gym.

Helping Patients Build Strength Through Cardiac Rehabilitation

Living with heart disease can make exercise feel confusing or even unsafe. Our Cardiac Rehabilitation program helps children, teens and adults exercise with confidence.

We are the original pediatric cardiac rehabilitation program and remain leaders in this growing field. Our team helps patients with congenital and acquired heart disease build fitness, manage risk factors and improve quality of life.

Why Choose Cincinnati Children’s Cardiac Rehabilitation?

  • National leaders: We are one of the largest cardiac rehabilitation centers based in a children's hospital in the U.S.
  • Innovative research: Our team studies new ways to improve fitness, body composition, handgrip strength and frailty.
  • Whole-child care: We look beyond heart health to nutrition, physical function, emotional health and depression.
  • Flexible access: Families can choose in-person care at Burnet Campus or virtual options when appropriate.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Expertise and Services

National Leaders in Cardiac Rehab

Our program is the original pediatric cardiac rehabilitation program. We continue to help shape this field through research and national presentations. We are also one of the largest pediatric and young adult cardiac rehabilitation centers in the U.S. and the only program based in a children’s hospital certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). This certification supports cardiac rehabilitation for children and adults with congenital heart disease.

Research That Improves Care

Our team studies new ways to help patients become stronger and more active. Recent research has explored body composition, handgrip strength and frailty. This research helps us improve cardiac rehabilitation for patients with complex heart conditions. It also helps patients work toward safer, more independent exercise.

Exercise Plans Built for You

Every patient receives an exercise plan based on their health, fitness and goals. Exercise physiologists work with the medical team to create each plan. Your first assessments may include a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). They may also include walking, strength, flexibility and grip tests. We repeat the CPET before and after the program. Other assessments occur every 30 days to track progress and adjust your plan.

Whole-Child Support for Better Health

Cardiac rehabilitation looks at more than your heart. We also screen for nutrition, physical function, emotional health and depression. Our goal is to help patients build skills they can use every day. We help patients improve self-confidence, fitness and quality of life.

In-Person and Virtual Options

Cardiac rehabilitation is available in person at our Burnet Campus. Virtual options are also available for some patients. Your care plan may include exercise, education, nutrition and psychosocial support. These services help you build heart-healthy habits that fit your daily life.